Press Releases
New Peaks of Excellence in the Tertiary Landscape — More Quality Higher Education Opportunities
Singaporeans can look forward to more opportunities for quality higher education, as Dr Ng Eng Hen, Minister for Education and Second Minister for Defence, announced today the Ministry’s focus on developing three new areas of excellence in the tertiary education sector:
- Singapore Institute of Applied Technology (SIAT)
- New University-Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) Partnership
- Establishment of a New Medical School in Singapore
Singapore Institute of Applied Technology (SIAT)
The polytechnic sector is a key pillar in our tertiary education landscape, catering to more than 40% of each primary one cohort. Students are doing better at “O” level examinations and more are choosing the polytechnic pathway. They recognise that polytechnics prepare them well with industry ready skills to be highly employable and able to contribute significantly to our economy. MOE will continue to enhance the polytechnic pathway so that it remains an attractive option for our students and at the same time strengthen it so that it remains relevant to today’s fast changing environment. To enhance polytechnic education, MOE will expand the existing polytechnic-Foreign Specialised Institute (poly-FSI) initiative so that there are more upgrading opportunities for polytechnic graduates to obtain industry-relevant and reputable degrees.
A new institute, namely the Singapore Institute of Applied Technology (SIAT), will be set up as a distinct entity within MOE which will be responsible to plan, manage and implement degree programmes offered by foreign universities in partnership with the 5 polytechnics. SIAT, as a dedicated entity within MOE, will be more responsive and nimble in working with the foreign universities.
SIAT will work with the foreign universities to offer degree courses from 2011 onwards. These degree courses will be mostly conducted in the polytechnic campuses. The foreign universities will award the degrees in their own names, no different in quality compared to their home campuses. SIAT targets to offer places for 2,000 full-time students and 1,500 part-time students yearly by 2015. The full-time courses are expected to last for up to 2 years while the part-time courses can be expected to take up to 4 years.
Beyond the current niche degree programmes offered through the poly-FSI initiative, SIAT will offer more degree programmes in other disciplines such as Applied Sciences and Engineering, Digital Media, and Health Sciences—identified growth areas which will continue to offer promising jobs in our economy. More disciplines could be added later to meet economic and manpower needs. (Please see annex on background on the poly-FSI initiative.)
With SIAT, polytechnic graduates will be able to upgrade themselves through full-time and part-time courses without travelling overseas. The overall cost of attaining a degree will be lower as these programmes are conducted locally. The government will also provide subsidies for the foreign universities’ degree programmes offered through SIAT.
In implementing SIAT, Mr S Iswaran, Senior Minister of State, Ministry of Trade and Industry and Ministry of Education, will act as advisor to the taskforce appointed to look into expanding upgrading opportunities for polytechnic graduates. MOE’s Deputy Secretary (Policy), Mr Loh Ngai Seng, will lead the taskforce.
The New University-Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) Partnership
Singapore’s New University, which will open its doors to students in 2011, will have the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) as its partner.
The New University will be focused mainly on the disciplines of science, engineering, information systems and architecture. A core team of experienced professors from MIT will play the lead role in developing the curriculum using design to integrate all these disciplines and in the teaching undergraduate students. MIT will also kick-start the New University’s research capability by developing relevant research programmes through their top-class faculty. Students of the New University will benefit from being taught by and interacting with experienced MIT faculty members.
The New University aims to be a high-quality research-intensive university. At steady state, it will have an undergraduate population of about 4,000 students and a significant number of postgraduate students. It will serve as a new engine of knowledge creation and talent attraction that will help boost Singapore’s economic vibrancy.
MIT is renowned internationally for its excellent, rigorous undergraduate education and world-class research, as well as its spirit of innovation and entrepreneurship. This would be one of MIT’s most substantive collaborations on undergraduate education to date, and MOE welcomes their involvement in creating a vibrant and world-class university here. Singapore hopes that this partnership will lay the foundation to nurture world-class scientists and entrepreneurs and develop innovations and new products.
A Third Medical School in Singapore
Healthcare demands in Singapore are expected to increase with population growth and an ageing population. It is therefore timely to consider the possibility of establishing a third medical school to augment Singapore’s future healthcare manpower needs. A new medical school also provides the opportunity to raise overall quality standards in medical education and care in Singapore.
MOE and the Ministry of Health (MOH) have therefore asked the Nanyang Technological University (NTU) to submit a proposal on the establishment of a third medical school. NTU is well-placed to establish a new medical school having built up its biological and biomedical sciences base in recent years.
NTU has formed an Advisory Panel to advise them on their proposal for the Third Medical School. The panel is chaired by Dr Su Guaning, President, NTU and its members include experienced members from the medical fraternity such as Professor Lee Eng Hin (Executive Director, Biomedical Research Centre, A*STAR and former Dean of NUS Medical School), Professor Philip Choo, Chairman, Medical Board of Tan Tock Seng Hospital, and renowned scientists like Judith Swain and Edward Holmes.