EDUN N28-34-009 V5

03303

28 May 2003 

RESTRUCTURING OF SINGAPORE'S UNIVERSITY SECTOR

1.          The Government has accepted in principle the recommendations to restructure Singapore's university sector proposed by the Committee to Review the University Sector and Graduate Manpower Planning chaired by Dr Ng Eng Hen, Acting Minister for Manpower and Minister of State (Education). 

Need To Maintain Quality 

2.          As we restructure our university sector, we must maintain and, where possible, enhance the current standards of our universities. The Government agrees with the proposed increase in our university Cohort Participation Rate (CPR)^[1] from the current 21% to 25% by 2010. The provision of the additional 3,500 university places should also not compromise the quality of our institutions. 

3.          The expansion of our university sector will be achieved through the transformation of National University of Singapore (NUS) into a multi-campus university (MCU) system, the expansion of Nanyang Technological University (NTU) into a comprehensive university, and the continued expansion of Singapore Management University (SMU). 

4.          NTU, with the setting up of three new schools , will provide the bulk of the additional university places. NTU targets to start its School of Humanities & Social Sciences in 2004, and the other two new schools^[2] by 2005. For the NUS multi-campus university, negotiations are on-going with a reputable foreign university to collaborate with NUS to establish the NUS Outram campus by 2005. The other proposed niche campus - NUS Buona Vista, is still at the conceptual stage and will be studied further by the Ministry of Education (MOE). The Government is cognisant of the importance and benefits of such an institution of excellence in science and engineering. We therefore intend to study the idea thoroughly to determine the best way to realise the objectives of NUS Buona Vista. 

Private Universities 

5.          With NUS, NTU and SMU as the bedrock of university education in Singapore, the Government has also agreed in principle to allow the establishment of a small number of good quality private universities to provide undergraduate education beyond the 25% CPR. The presence of such private institutions will increase choices and spur our own universities to greater heights through healthy competition. 

Quality Assurance Framework for Universities (QAFU) 

6.          In tandem with the restructuring of the university sector, MOE has worked out a Quality Assurance Framework for NUS, NTU and SMU. Given that the three universities are heavily funded by the Government and have been accorded greater operational autonomy^[3] , it is prudent and necessary for the universities to be accountable for the use of public money. 

7.          Under QAFU, MOE will set up an external panel to validate the universities' self assessment against their institutional goals and performance targets. The panel will conduct an on-site validation of each university once every three years to validate the university's self-assessment report, and to assess the university's strengths and weaknesses. The panel will report to the Minister for Education on its findings and recommendations for quality improvements by the university. 

Conclusion 

8.          The Government is confident that the restructured university sector will be robust and able to meet the needs of our economy by nurturing our human capital, creating ideas and wealth, and serving as magnets to attract and retain talent in Singapore. The added diversity of our institutions will provide more choices to meet the education needs of a wider spectrum of students. Furthermore, healthy competition generated by the restructuring will ensure that our universities and their faculties are constantly driven to make themselves distinctive, thereby achieving excellence in education and research.

Background information 

9.          In Feb 2002, DPM/Minister for Defence Dr Tony Tan announced the establishment of an inter-ministry Committee chaired by Dr Ng Eng Hen to recommend a long-term structure for Singapore's university sector that will continue to serve Singapore's requirements as we transit to a new economic structure. The other Committee members are Mr Chiang Chie Foo, Permanent Secretary (Education), Mr Heng Swee Keat, Permanent Secretary (Trade & Industry), Miss Yong Ying-I, Permanent Secretary (Manpower) and Mr Teo Ming Kian, Chairman, Economic Development Board. 

10.        The Committee released its Preliminary Findings to the public at a press conference on 2 Jan 2003. It has benefited from feedback obtained through consultation with several groups of people including those from the universities (council members and deans), polytechnics, junior colleges, industry and private education service providers. MOE's International Academic Advisory Panel also expressed its support for the Committee's recommendations when it discussed the preliminary findings at its 4th meeting (13-16 Jan 2003) in Singapore. During this year's Committee of Supply debate on MOE's budget, Members of Parliament also had the opportunity to discuss the proposed restructuring of our university sector.

11.        Please see the executive summary and the full report for further details.