SINGAPORE - PSB Academy is opening a new campus in Marina Square later this year to cater to its growing numbers.

The new $15 million facility - which will span more than 100,000 sq ft across two floors - will by May to June next year (2017) house about 7,000 students in its business and communication courses, accounting and finance, and English language proficiency course.

The institution now has one 147,000 sq ft campus in Tiong Bahru, and another smaller one in Shenton Way. The latter will be folded into the new campus.

PSB Academy's executive chairman, Mr Vivakanandan Sinniah, told The Straits Times that it saw a 10 per cent growth in student numbers last year.

It is projected to have 12,000 full-time and part-time students this year, up from 11,000 last year. It is also recruiting more staff - it hopes to reach about 400 lecturers by the end of this year, up from 300 last year .

"Students are getting very discerning... we have a history of catering for the local population and I think with the emphasis on Skillsfuture... there will be more opportunities and more interest in pursuing courses," said Mr Vivakanandan. Singaporeans make up about 65 per cent of its student population.

The new campus will also adopt new ways of learning. For instance, its 29 classrooms will be fitted with writing walls for students to brainstorm or mind-map, and projectors for them to share ideas in class.

Lecturers will stand in the middle of the classroom, instead of at the front, to encourage a more interactive environment for teaching and learning, said Mr Vivakanandan.

He added that the school is moving towards blended learning for some of its courses such as business and finance.

This means that students can watch lessons online - videos fronted by their lecturers anywhere and any time, and later attend classes for more discussions.