Eleven lecturers from Asia Pacific University of Technology & Innovation’s (APU) School of Marketing and Management (SoMM) and School of Media, Arts and Design (SoMAD) earned the globally recognised Certified Digital Marketing Professional (CDMP) credential from the Digital Marketing Institute (DMI), reflecting a strong commitment to industry-relevant teaching while enhancing their ability to deliver practical, up-to-date insights and ensuring students graduate with globally aligned, industry-ready skills.

Eleven lecturers from Asia Pacific University of Technology & Innovation’s (APU) School of Marketing and Management (SoMM) and School of Media, Arts and Design (SoMAD) had attained the Certified Digital Marketing Professional (CDMP) credential — a globally recognised certification awarded by the Digital Marketing Institute (DMI), widely regarded as the world’s leading authority in digital marketing accreditation.

The DMI Pro certification had represented one of the most respected professional standards in the field. 

Developed under the guidance of DMI’s Global Industry Advisory Council —comprising some of the world’s most influential marketers — the programme spanned ten comprehensive modules, including Digital Marketing Strategy, Content Marketing, SEO, Paid Search, Social Media, Email Marketing, Analytics, and Artificial Intelligence in Digital Marketing.

Those who earned the CDMP had been recognised for their ability to plan, execute, and evaluate integrated digital campaigns with strategic precision and data-driven confidence.

For APU’s SoMM and SoMAD, this achievement had gone far beyond individual success. It reflected a deliberate, school-wide commitment to ensuring that lecturers brought not only academic rigour but also current, industry-validated expertise into the classroom.

Beyond certification, real-world impact

The SoMM’s journey towards this milestone had begun in May 2023, when Associate Professor Dr Tee Poh Kiong, Assistant Professor Dr Arumugam G. Sithamparam, and Assistant Professor Dr Morakinyo Dada became the first to earn the certification.

Ms Debbie Liew Pooi Kuan, Head School of Media, Arts and Design (SoMAD), also passed the examination alongside that pioneering batch, reflecting APU’s broader commitment to strengthening digitally grounded teaching across disciplines. 

Commenting on the experience, she said that digital marketing capability is increasingly important in Creative Design. 

“For me, the certification reinforced the need for academic staff to remain current and industry-relevant in a fast-changing digital environment, particularly in the area of Advertising Analytics.”

Between 2025 and 2026, seven more SoMM lecturers followed — Mr Gobinathan Manickam, Mr Philip Tan Hock Guan, Ms Haslina Hashim, Ms Latha-Rani Paniaselvam, Ms Vaneetha Sagadevan, Mr Ninderpal Singh, and Dr Joachim Clement Denis — bringing the total to eleven certified professionals.

What stood out was not just the number, but the shared commitment behind it.

“Having ten certified professionals within our academic staff was not a coincidence. It was the result of a deliberate culture of learning that we had cultivated within the School,” said Associate Professor Dr Devinder Kaur, Head of SoMM.

“Our lecturers do not just teach digital marketing. They live it, practise it, and continuously validate their expertise against the highest global standards. That is what our students deserve, and it defines who we are as a School.”

Dr Joachim Clement Denis, said that digital marketing evolved faster than almost any other discipline.

“Earning the CDMP kept me grounded and ensured that what I taught reflected what students would encounter the moment they stepped into the industry.”

For Ms Haslina Hashim, the process had shifted her mindset.

“It pushed me to think not just as an educator, but as a practitioner. That shift in perspective was something I brought into every session.”

Mr Gobinathan Manickam highlighted how the programme sharpened his teaching approach.

“I could help students see the bigger strategic picture, not just individual tools.”

For Ms Vaneetha Sagadevan, the key takeaway had been accountability.

“Creativity in this field had to be measurable. The certification reinforced that thinking, and it was something I consistently encouraged my students to embrace.”

Mr Philip Tan Hock Guan drew a direct connection between the certification and classroom expectations.

“The CDMP challenged me to apply knowledge, not just recall it. That was the same standard we expected from our students.”

Ms Latha-Rani Paniaselvam reflected on the collaborative nature of the experience.

“Professional growth was something we pursued together, not in isolation.”

Mr Ninderpal Singh emphasised the confidence the certification had instilled.

“It enabled me to bring real-world scenarios into the classroom and engage students at the level the industry now expected.”

This collective achievement aligned closely with APU’s commitment to the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (UNSDGs) particularly SDG 4 (Quality Education) and SDG 8 (Decent Work and Economic Growth). 

It reinforced the University’s dedication to preparing graduates who were not only academically strong, but also industry-ready in an increasingly digital economy.

By the time students graduated from APU’s SoMM, they had been taught by practitioners who held the same globally recognised credentials demanded by the industry.

That had not been an aspiration, but it had been a standard that SoMM set and consistently upheld.