Juggling a highly-demanding
job and a
part-time education
can be challenging.
Informatics Academy
graduate Hanif Norman
tells us how he
managed to overcome
his challenges, with
both his determination
and the assistance of
Informatics Academy.
As an institution that prides itself on its strong global presence in Information Technology
education, Informatics Academy has come a long way since it was founded over 30 years ago.
Its City Campus in Singapore, which recently shifted to the National Library Building,
offers both part-time as well as full-time programmes. These programmes range from Diplomas to
Postgraduate Degrees and are offered in partnership with several UK universities to provide more
opportunities for students to grow academically.
In addition, school activities such as industry trips are incorporated into students' curriculum,
allowing them the chance to hone their technical skills as well as receive a well-rounded and eventful
education.
An essential education
30-year-old Hanif Norman, who is currently working full-time with ComWorth Solutions, a Japanese
telecommunications distributor and reseller, is one such beneficiary – he took up a part-time Bachelor of Science (Honours) in Computer Science and
Software Engineering (Top Up) at Informatics
Academy. The programme is awarded by
Oxford Brookes University (Ranked 39th overall
in the UK, Guardian University Guide 2015).
Hanif was determined that a degree would
be essential for his career development, and
wanted a degree that is greatly aligned with
his passions. Even as a 14-year-old, Hanif had
already determined his future career path as one
that would be related to software engineering.
After all, he had gained prior experience
with QBASIC (a structured computer-based
programming language) when he created his
own role-play computer game in primary school.
Hanif adds, “The part-time degree programme
allowed me to upgrade my knowledge and
skills in my chosen field and transfer them to
my career. Furthermore, a degree would be a
minimum requirement if I ever apply for a visa in
the event of a future job posting in Japan.”
Hanif Nor man
Designation:
Senior Software Engineer,
ComWorth Solutions Pte Ltd
Studied:
Bachelor of Science (Honours)
in Computer Science and Software
Engineering (Top Up) at Informatics Academy,
awarded by Oxford Brookes University, UK.
Hanif tells us that the relatively small
lecturer-to-student ratio (with an average of
1:40 for practical-based lessons and 1:50
for lecture-based lessons) allows students
greater interaction with lecturers. The wealth of
knowledge that these lecturers brought to the
table also enhanced Hanif’s learning journey, in
addition to his holistic and judiciously-planned
academic practicum.
Student-centric dedication
As a Senior Software Engineer with a
busy work schedule, Hanif was frequently
on business trips during the academic term.
Thankfully, Informatics Academy put its utmost
dedication in ensuring that his studies were
completed smoothly and with minimal hassle.
This is exemplified by lecturers' commitment
to ensure that lecture notes, slides and essential
lesson recordings are uploaded onto the
convenient online student portal. This portal is
extremely valuable for students, especially those
who hold demanding careers or make frequent
trips out of the country. Students who enrol into
Informatics Academy can thus be assured of
being provided with multiple platforms to learn
while they effectively progress in their careers.
Creating fond memories
Even though Hanif has already graduated
from Informatics Academy, he still holds many
fond memories of his time in the classroom. For
instance, his Algorithms and Advanced Data
Structure lecturer made effort to empower and
motivate students, especially in instances when concepts were hard to grasp. Describing him as
“enthusiastic and energetic”, Hanif enjoyed the
module thanks to his lecturer’s teaching style.
He fondly recalls, “He was a very 'fun' lecturer,
always making lessons engaging to help us
better understand what he taught. Every single
one of us had to participate – even if you
attempted to hide in a corner or at the back of
the class, it would be useless because he would
point you out and get you involved too!”
"The part-time degree programme
allowed me to upgrade my knowledge and
skills in my chosen field and transfer them to
my career."
In addition, his shared modules (for example,
the Software Project Management module)
with students from other courses made group
assignments more exciting and memorable.
Hanif elaborates, “I always enjoyed listening to
the interesting facts my group members shared
about their respective courses. It was indeed
eye-opening to glean meaningful insights from
beyond my course offerings.”
“Overall, I’m very glad I chose to pursue my
part-time studies at Informatics Academy. I
would never exchange my time there for any
other academic experience,” he concludes with
a smile.