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December 28, 2009

Singapore Institute of Technology's Board of Trustees and President Named

The Ministry of Education (MOE) has appointed the Board of Trustees of the Singapore Institute of Technology (SIT), previously named the Singapore Institute of Applied Technology. The Board has also appointed the founding President of SIT.

The Chairman of the Board of Trustees is Mr Ng Yat-Chung, Senior Managing Director, Portfolio Management and Systems for Temasek Holdings and Singapore’s former Chief of Defence Force. Mr Ng has extensive corporate experience, which will be valuable in steering the Singapore Institute of Technology in its formative years. Mr Ng is also passionate about education and has served for seven years as an active member of the NUS Board of Trustees. The Board comprises senior executives with a diverse range of experience and expertise from both the public and private sectors. The members of the Board are listed in Annex A.

The Board has appointed Professor Tan Chin Tiong as the founding President of SIT. Professor Tan was a founding member of the Singapore Management University (SMU) and served as SMU’s Provost and Deputy President from 1999 to 2009. He also held the appointment of the Director of the Office of Continuing Education at the National University of Singapore (NUS). Professor Tan is on secondment to SIT. He will work closely with the SIT Board of Trustees, overseas university partners and management team to develop a customised curriculum for polytechnic graduates that would develop well-rounded talents for the industries, and establish SIT as a new peak of excellence in the higher education sector.

Mr Ng Yat-Chung, Chairman of the SIT Board of Trustees, said: “As Singapore moves towards becoming a knowledge-based economy with new high value-added industries and services, science and technology remain key drivers behind Singapore’s economic development. Singapore must nurture the human capital these new growth industries need. With its mission of providing an industry-focused university education to nurture highly sought after graduates for growth sectors of the economy, SIT is a timely addition to the Singapore higher education landscape. The Board of Trustees strongly supports SIT’s mission. We believe Professor Tan Chin Tiong is the best person to lead SIT, with his outstanding record as an academic leader and his rich experience from helping to establish SMU.”

Commenting on his appointment, Professor Tan said, “I am honoured to have been appointed as President of SIT. This is an exciting initiative in the educational landscape which serves to enhance upgrading opportunities for polytechnic graduates to meet the changing demands of the economy today and in the future. Polytechnic students form a significant part of our workforce. The Government has been lauded for maintaining this cohort of skilled workers and is constantly seeking ways to help them upgrade. Today, more than 40% of each primary one cohort takes this path. Many have also obtained a degree within a few years of graduating from the polytechnics. Over the years, more and better students are opting for polytechnic education. SIT will offer new degree opportunities in Singapore to this large pool of students. I look forward to the many challenges ahead for SIT and believe that it will contribute significantly to the new landscape of higher education in Singapore.”

SIT will plan, manage and implement degree programmes offered by overseas universities in partnership with the five polytechnics. This tri-partite collaboration offers a unique model that will not only increase the number of university places for Singaporeans but offer a lot more choices for them.

MOE announced in May 2009 that the Singapore Institute of Applied Technology will be set up to provide an improved upgrading pathway for deserving polytechnic graduates to obtain industry-relevant degrees. SIT, as it will now be known, will provide approximately 2,000 full-time university places each year at the steady state, and will contribute towards the target university cohort participation rate of 30% by 2015.

Annex A

Chairman

  1. Mr Ng Yat Chung 伍逸松
    Senior Managing Director, Portfolio Management and Systems
    Temasek Holdings

Deputy Chairman

  1. Mr Loh Ngai Seng 卢毅成
    Deputy Secretary (Policy)
    Ministry of Education

Members

  1. Dr Abdul Razakjr Bin Omarbr /> Consultant Cardiologist and Clinical Director of Cardiac Electrophysiology & Pacing
    National University Heart Centre

  2. Dr Beh Swan Gin 马宣仁
    Managing Director
    Singapore Economic Development Board

  3. Mr Jeremy Chan 曾台兴
    Deputy President (Marketing & Total Aviation Support)
    ST Aerospace Ltd

  4. Professor Hang Chang Chieh 康长杰
    Head, Division Of Engineering & Technology Management
    National University of Singapore

  5. Dr. Richard Charles Helfer
    Chairman
    RCH International Pte Ltd

  6. Mr Allen Lew 刘永强
    Chief Executive Officer Singapore
    Singapore Telecommunications Ltd

  7. Dr Lim Khiang Wee 林建伟
    Executive Director
    A*STAR Graduate Academy
    Agency for Science, Technology and Research

  8. Mr Pek Hak Bin 白学敏
    Country President
    BP Companies in Singapore

  9. Mr Roy Quek 郭鸿盛
    Deputy Secretary (Health Policy)
    Ministry of Health

  10. Mr Dilhan Pillay Sandrasegara
    Managing Partner
    Wong Partnership LLP

  11. Mr Michael Yap 叶剑寿
    Deputy Chief Executive Officer
    Media Development Authority

  12. Ms Mary Yeo 杨楚玉
    Vice President, Supply Chain Operations (South Asia Pacific)
    United Parcel Service Singapore Pte Ltd

Ex Officio Member

  1. Professor Tan Chin Tiong 陈振忠
    President, Singapore Institute of Technology 新加坡科技学院校长

Annex B

Translations for “Singapore Institute of Technology” are as follows:
  • Chinese Language: 新加坡科技学院
  • Malay Language: Institut Teknologi Singapura
  • Tamil Language: சிங்கப்பூர்த் தொழில்நுட்பக் கல்விக்கழகம்