Selection and Appointment of External Vendors to Conduct the Graduate Employment Survey for our Institutes of Higher Learning

Ms Ellen Lee asked the Minister for Education whether there are any updates on the appointment of independent vendors to conduct the Graduate Employment Survey for our Institutes of Higher Learning and the basis for selecting the vendors.

Mr Heng Swee Keat: The Joint-Autonomous Universities Graduate Employment Survey will be carried out by an independent survey company from 2012. This approach is similar to that for the Polytechnics' Joint-Graduate Employment Survey, for which an independent survey company has been appointed since 2005.

The tender to conduct the 2012 Polytechnics' Joint-Graduate Employment Survey was awarded in July this year, while the 2012 tender for the Autonomous Universities was awarded in October. For both tenders, the award was made on the basis that the successful bidder met all the tender specifications and provided the best value for money in terms of price, quality, timeliness and after-sales services.