Press Releases
Funding for New Degree Programmes to be Offered by the Arts Institutions in Partnership with Reputable Overseas Universities
The Ministry of Education (MOE) will be providing funding for places in new high-quality degree programmes that the Nanyang Academy of Fine Arts (NAFA) and Lasalle College of the Arts (Lasalle) will offer in partnership with reputable overseas universities. Based on likely market demand and to ensure quality of the graduates, MOE will fund up to 300 to 400 places across the two Arts Institutions per year. The degrees will be conferred by the overseas university partners.
Since 1999, MOE has funded places in diploma programmes in NAFA and Lasalle. These institutions provide a steady pipeline of skilled manpower for our burgeoning Creative Industries.
Opportunities in the Creative Industries will continue to grow over the next few years: the two integrated resorts, the new National Art Gallery, our film and animation clusters will generate more jobs. MOE’s plans to enhance the delivery of Art and Music related curriculum in schools will also require more Art and Music teachers. To meet the demand, we will need to train a pool of quality graduates in the arts, design and media fields.
NAFA and Lasalle have been invited to submit proposals to MOE on the new degree programmes and partners. In evaluating the proposals, MOE will consider the reputation of the overseas universities, the quality and rigour of their programmes, the alignment of the programme with the needs of the economy, and the standing of the universities’ graduates among employers. Potential students are expected to meet stringent entry requirements set by NAFA or Lasalle and its overseas university partner(s).
NAFA views this initiative as a positive step in the development of arts education in Singapore. Mr Choo Thiam Siew, President of NAFA, says, “This is timely and welcomed by NAFA as there is a steady increase in the demand by our Creative Industries for high-quality degree-level arts education that is conducted in Singapore. When fully implemented, this allows both fresh Diploma graduands and those who have already joined the workforce to upgrade their skills and knowledge and better serve the needs of the rapidly growing sector in Singapore and the region. NAFA is greatly encouraged by the opportunity to further promote quality arts education in Singapore.”
Lasalle also welcomes this move. Prof Alastair Pearce, President of Lasalle, says, “Arts degree programmes are indeed beneficial to raise the professional quality available in the Creative Arts. I am sure that they will be warmly welcomed by arts students who have the desire and ability to pursue higher-level studies in their specialised fields and broaden their creative experience. Lasalle is committed to finding a world-class foreign university partner who would work with us to deliver this new, high-quality degree programme in Singapore.”
Building up a pool of degree-level talent in these fields will fuel the growth of new economic activities in Singapore, and provide new opportunities and pathways for young Singaporeans with the passion in the arts, design and media fields.