Tin Wong

This model that we can sell, that is of hope and confidence and trust, is surely going to be in demand for students coming in, transiting to the universities. 

My name is Tin Wong. I’m the Managing Director for AUG Global, and I’m the founder of AUG as well. 

When and how did you come to partner with Navitas? 

AUG and Navitas’ partnership goes back to 1995 when I first set up AUG. At that time both of the organisations, the IBT group, were moving into similar lines. The IBT group went on to set up the pathway, transitional offering of courses to students. AUG then went on to become an agency, but we both share similar values. So, when I set up AUG and when Rod set up the IBT group, it was like a natural progression that we should support each other because we were setting out trying to better what the industry can offer at that time. Because suddenly we were a very confident group of people that can bring on board something that is unique. 

There was a much-needed sort of entity that Rod was able to see – that this is just going to be something that is good for the education industry. Because in those days it was just, you come into the university and the prerequisite to get into the university was just an English requirement that says you’ve got a certain level [of English] and therefore you get in. But there was a lot of transitional entities, unknown, that was what the students were finding difficult.  

And I think Rod sort of knew that that was something – that if you could set up something that could provide the much-needed support and confidence in the student transitioning from their overseas academic background to having success at the university level. So, that was a pretty good initiative, and Rod was the natural leader in that. He was able to galvanise and bring everybody on board and then start the IBT group. 

What is one of your favourite memories working with Navitas? 

I think the founders like Rod, share similar values to me as well, in that this business is all about fostering closer relationships with the people that we work with, with the university representatives and with the students and parents. It’s about providing moral support. It’s about giving confidence. It’s about providing chance. It’s about providing hope to students, in order to see them succeed. 

If we’ve got a cohort of people who are working with us, we should chip in and we should all work towards success. But at the same time, we treat each other like buddies, we treat each other like friends, and there’s no hierarchy. And there was a lot of energy being put into really making sure that every level of our work relationship is toward having a greater relationship with each other. Once we have a value that says ‘we are going to be people-centric, people-oriented’, then everything will work better. 

So, my memory with them is I will always be part of them and they will always be part of me. 

How has partnering with Navitas made an impact on your work and the lives of the students you have helped? 

The sort of pathway and the sort of program that Navitas provides definitely would have impacted any entity that works with Navitas. Rod said, look, we’re going to provide this much-needed support to students and the students will come in smaller classes and there was going to be face-to-face tutorials. And the students subsequently will gain confidence because you know, you’re providing that moral support and confidence to students by having them in the university campus. There was a big transition from students coming from the academic secondary level, the university, and a lot of them have trouble just transitioning straight in. And although they were not necessarily poorer in the academic level, they just needed the interaction – because the student needs to transit from their way of learning and the teaching. And by having the students physically in the campus, that gives them total confidence in that they are able to succeed.  

So, this model that we can sell, that is of hope and confidence and trust, is surely going to be in demand for students coming in, transitioning to the universities. This subsequently will transfer to students having confidence and gradually succeeding in assimilating to the university style of learning. So, for the long term, this has impacted all the students that we have sent through pathways. 

What key achievements come to mind during your partnership with Navitas? 

Navitas strives on giving support and confidence to every student that’s in the university campus Navitas was pioneering, providing chances and hope. 

In 2022, Navitas decided that AUG is to be awarded Navitas Global Best Partner Award. What took them so long? But that was quite a good achievement to have.