Event management students at a Singaporean university will graduate with a professional qualification, as well as a degree, following a tie-up with a sector trade body.
The International Association of Exhibitions and Events (IAEE) has signed a collaboration agreement with the Singapore University of Social Sciences (SUSS) to integrate its Certified in Exhibition Management (CEM) programme into the university’s Bachelor of Science in Events Management degree.
The partnership, formalised during the 2025 Singapore MICE Forum, will allow SUSS undergraduates to complete nine CEM modules as part of their coursework. Students who pass the required examinations will graduate with both a bachelor’s degree and the CEM designation, a credential recognised globally in the exhibitions and events sector. The initiative will launch in January 2026.
“This partnership represents a transformative step forward in enhancing global exhibitions and events education,” said IAEE president and chief executive Marsha Flanagan, M.Ed., CEM. “By integrating our internationally recognised CEM certification directly into SUSS’s degree programme, we are creating a new standard for academic excellence that will better prepare the next generation of industry professionals by ensuring graduates enter the workforce with both theoretical knowledge and industry-validated expertise.”
The agreement was signed by CEM commission chairperson Kyle F. Jordan and associate professor Tan Teng Hooi, dean of the School of Science and Technology at SUSS. Witnesses included Dr Edward Koh, chairman of the programme advisory committee at SUSS and executive director of conventions, meetings and incentive travel at the Singapore Tourism Board, and Richard Ireland, president of the Singapore Association of Convention & Exhibition Organisers & Suppliers (SACEOS).
SACEOS head of talent and capability development Lloyd Tan, CEM, spearheaded the initiative. Tan has been recognised for advancing IAEE’s professional standards programmes in Singapore and was credited by the organisations as a driving force behind the collaboration.
The CEM programme, launched in 1975, is widely regarded as a leading credential for exhibitions and events professionals. IAEE said the designation demonstrates the highest professional standard in the industry and is held by thousands of practitioners worldwide.
Founded in 1928, IAEE is the largest association for the exhibitions and events industry, representing organisers, exhibitors and suppliers of more than 20,000 events globally. The group advocates for face-to-face exhibitions and provides professional development, education and networking opportunities for members.
IAEE lists its strategic partners as 4imprint, Convention News Television (CNTV), eShow, Freeman, GES | onPeak, Grit Productions and Expositions, IMEX, New Orleans & Company, New Orleans Ernest N. Morial Convention Center, Risk Strategies Company | Buttine Insurance, Snöball and Swapcard.
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James Lancaster
AMI editor James
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