Adult Education in Singapore

Whether you are working or a stay-at-home mum, it is never ever too late to go back to school. In Singapore, there is a great myraid of choices to further your education.

Here are a few of the choices which you can get:

Rutgers University
National Library, 100 Victoria Street
6336 6963
http://www.rutgers.sg/

You can add depth to your existing business skills with an Executive MBA from Rutgers which offers a globally recognised curriculum that is tailored for those workign full time. Tutition fees for the 15-month course is US$48,000. Another option is the Rutgers Master of Accountancy, whihc will complement your professional accounting certification and give you updated knowledge in the field. This 10-month course costs US$27,000 and begins in October

Lee Kong Chian School of Business
Singapore Mangement University
50 Stamford Road
6828 0100
http://www.smu.edu.sg/

Students at SMU who take up the MBA course will learn basic finance and analysis, leading an organisation, managing ethical dilemmas, understand corporate governance, negotiation skills, use technology, understand global economy and political risk. Flexi time courses begin in September and run till December while full time courses begin in January and run for 12 months. Admission fees costs $53,800 and $49,800 respectively.

Management Development Institute of Singapore
501 Stirling Road and 20 Orchard Road
6278 8000
http://www.mdis.edu.sg/

MDIS offers professional development courses and management development seminars and services. Courses includes Doctorate of Business Administration, MBA, Masters of Arts and Mass Communication and Master of Science. The tuition fees range from $21,000 to $36,000 depending on whether it is the part-time or full-time course you are signing up for.

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Book Review on Capital Ideas by Peter L. Bernstein

I just finished reading Peter L. Bernstein's Capital Ideas: The Improbable Origins of Modern Wall Street which I bought more than a year back.

Due to the lack of time, I was not able to complete this book earlier.

This book makes for a very heavy reading indeed and is definitely not your bedtime story book. Nevertheless, Professor Bernstein does a good job of tracing through the entire history of the various academics who have impacted the way we think about the world of finance, investing and Wall Street.

Anyone who reads this book will definitely come out wiser about what works and what does not work in the investment world. In it, you will get an almost university level education on Finance & Investing 101. It is not so much a heavy mathematical read but more of a historical narrative read that traces the evolution of investment ideas and theory; and more importantly the founders of these theories who were often housed away in universities and barely invested a couple of thousand of their own money.

Reading this book gives you a really quick overview on things like CAPM, efficient portfolios, options and other fancy theories about the investment world. If anything, some of these theories explained in the book might be beyond the grasp of newbies to the investment world.

After reading it, I have started to evaluate my own investment strategy and am seriously considering investing in index funds.

If you are not interested in finance or investments, stay away from this book as it has nothing that will interest you.

For those who are interested in managing their own investments, this book is a definite MUST READ.

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Wessex Estate

Wessex Estate is a colonial style residential estate nestled away in a lush green vegetated area near the central part of Singapore. Walking through Wessex estate, you will find a tranquil and almost quaint environment that seems to be trapped in time, away from the hustle and bustle of the rest of Singapore.

View the map of Wessex here

Constructed around the 1940s, the black and white walk-up apartments and semi-detached houses have become an enclave to a community of expats, teachers, artists and actors. To get a place here, you will have to go through a tendering process through PEMAS

On the other hand, as part of the one north development initiative by the governement, Wessex estate is slated to become a creative enclave that will encompass a bohemian culture that transcends norms and boundaries.

Wessex Estate is bordered by Portsdown Road and the Malaysian KTM railway.

Best Thing About Living in Wessex Estate

The area is very peaceful and is the perfect antidote to your social life. You will be surrounded by greenery. There is also a real community spirit on the estate (especially amongst the expats) and you can expect your neighbors to look out for you while you are away on a business trip or holiday.

Drawbacks to Living in Wessex Estate

The main drawback is that without a car, living there can be quite tiresome as you would have to walk quite a distance to the nearest bus stops or train stations. Taxi drivers often have problems locating the apartments too. Being surrounded by nature, you must be prepared to share you living space with the occassional geckos, snakes and assorted wildlife that turn up there.

Amneties Nearby

One can easily get to the Colbar (short for Colonial bar) which is located within the estate. Colbar serves a variety of food and drink catered to the expat's tastes. It is really a simple looking cafe more than a bar per se.

Other amneties nearby include the Tanglin Halt Cooked Food Centre and Tanglin Halt Market. For grocery shopping, one can visit Sheng Shiong which is a 10 minute walk away. The nearest MRT (Commonwealth MRT) is located a 15 minute walk away. Holland Village, another hangout for expats, is located a short drive away.

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Brian Tracy - Wealth, Happines & Doing What You Love

Brian Tracy explains what makes people happy and why the quality of relationships is important in one's pursuit of happiness.

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