Six Seconds introduced the first EQ Certification for tertiary education in the SEA Region this week with a pioneering program in the Singapore Polytechnic Business School. Led by the Tourism faculty, four diplomas will now begin to weave emotional intelligence into the programs so SP graduates have an extra edge for success.
The week began with building the case for emotional intelligence — research shows that EQ skills predict greater academic, work, and life success. Then the group of 23 lecturers focused on their own emotional intelligence skills as a foundation for working with students.
Like this “fractal” tree, the process of implementing emotional intelligence in education is a radiating spiral of possibility. At SP we can see how one educator’s commitment to EQ multiplies to a group, to a faculty, to a whole team… and hopefully far beyond. Congratulations to Singapore Polytechnic on this exciting step forward.
Sue McNamara
Sue McNamara leads Six Seconds Education for South East Asia, supporting evidence-based implementation for successful social emotional learning. Sue's research interest is on the ways increasing EQ among educators and parents transforms students' EQ behaviors and academic achievement.
It’s a great step forward towards EQ in Education. With a proven record of its efficacy in schools, EQ has an important part to play in tertiary education also. Best of luck Sue with your endeavours! It would be interesting to follow SP experience as an example to emulate.