Playing a dual roleMDIS in the News

Playing a dual role
Dr Ng Wei Ling strikes a balance in her work as a manager and lecturer at MDIS

AS A manager and lecturer at the School of Health and Life Sciences at the Management Development Institute of Singapore (MDIS), Dr Ng Wei Ling, 35, has both administrative and teaching duties.

Her responsibilities include operational matters such as ensuring the smooth operation of the lab, keeping all relevant documentations and licences up to date, as well as teaching duties that involve setting exam papers and sitting on exam boards.

She also attends training sessions for lecturers. So far, she has attended courses on how to use learning tools such as Mendeley — free reference manager and an academic social network — and Turnitin, an Internet-based plagiarism-prevention commercial service.

Dr Ng usually starts her day at 8.30am by replying to e-mails before meeting students who want to clarify doubts or seek her advice. Then she collects papers for marking or moderation in the exam unit and heads to the labs.

She enjoys having conversations with her students, and offering advice to those who might be doing some experiments for their final-year project.

But her meetings with the university’s partners to catch up on outstanding issues are often done via Skype or FaceTime.

She works with corporate partners to coordinate internships and industrial visits too.

There is never a dull moment in her fast-paced work environment, as there are always some issues that demand her attention.

Says Dr Ng: “There are always tight timelines for student and school matters, especially with assignments and exams.

“Every assignment’s marking has a fixed timeline to be strictly adhered to in order to meet submission deadlines to exam boards.”

Supportive culture

Dr Ng feels fortunate that she has a supportive team of colleagues that greatly eases her stress.

She recalls an incident, soon after joining MDIS, when a lecturer was unwell and another immediately volunteered to take over her class, on top of his own workload.

“There is truly a ‘family’ culture here where colleagues share a sense of camaraderie and care for one another,” she says.

She also appreciates how MDIS organises events for all staff on special occasions such as National Day.

On a more personal note, she was moved by a surprise birthday celebration put together by her colleagues last year. She was also touched when a student offered her a bottle of water after realising that she had been lecturing for six hours without a break.

Dr Ng is motivated when her students do well and graduate. She says: “I love being able to teach students, particularly when you see that you’ve ignited in them a spark of curiosity.

“I feel proud knowing that I have played a part in supporting them in their academic journey, and witnessing their graduation fills me with pride and joy.”