One Stop Portal - Education In Singapore

SP signs curriculum memo with M'sian universities

2012-05-26T20:52:00.001+08:00

--TODAY, 26 May 2012--

by Ng Jing Yng

SINGAPORE - A company wants to cut cost by using a cheaper alternative but the engineer knows it is not suitable and not the safest option. How should the engineer respond?

For engineering students at Singapore Polytechnic (SP), dealing with such real-life problems are part and parcel of their course in preparation for when they enter the working world.

Now, the nation's oldest polytechnic is hoping to share this curriculum that blends technical and soft skills with its Malaysian counterparts.

Inking a memorandum of understanding yesterday, SP hopes to impart the Conceive-Design-Implement-Operate method to the Universiti Teknologi Malaysia (UTM) and Universiti Teknologi Mara (UiTM).

This will make the two universities the first in Malaysia to implement an engineering curriculum based on the Conceive-Design-Implement-Operate framework. They hope to impart a more hands-on experience that will spur innovation among their pupils.

Both universities now take an outcome-based approach, where engineering students are taught based on planned objectives of the programme.

This collaboration will span over the next two years, with the Temasek Foundation committing a grant of S$569,535 and the two universities jointly funding the remaining S$287,500.

First developed by the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, SP begun using this pedagogy in 2004 to equip its graduates with soft skills like team work and communication through team assignments and real-life case studies.

The teaching method also allows lecturers to assign joint-projects across modules to create an inter-disciplinary learning opportunities. The polytechnic has adapted the framework to emphasis more on design so that graduates will also be attuned to conceiving new products.

Said SP principal Tan Hang Cheong: "The (framework) has helped create an environment that promotes active, engaged and interdisciplinary learning with the aim of preparing our students to be thinkers and leaders in the industry."

UTM dean of undergraduate studies Mohd Zaki Kamsah noted that a challenge in switching to this new framework would be to shift from the "deeply-rooted culture of traditionally-taught lecture courses".

He, however, believes students will benefit from a more hands-on experience that will enhance their problem solving skills and give them a stronger foundation in engineering.

This would strengthen the graduates' competitive edge, said UiTM vice-chancellor Sahol Hamid Abu Baker.

From planes to cars, she keeps her education moving forward

2012-05-25T20:59:00.000+08:00

--The Straits Times, 25 May 2012--

CAMPUS SPOTLIGHT

NUS Mechanical Engineering student Ong Shiyi posing with her team's award winning eco-car. -- PHOTO: EDWIN TAM

Tinkering with aircraft wasn't enough for this Republic of Singapore Air Force (RSAF) senior technician; she is now studying Mechanical Engineering at the National University of Singapore (NUS).

After obtaining her polytechnic diploma in Aeronautical Engineering, Ong Shiyi spent four years in the RSAF. In 2009, she decided to pursue a university degree to continue learning and improve her knowledge and skills.

'I chose to study full-time in order to stay focused and be able to get a formal rigorous education,' the 26-year-old explained.

Transiting back to academic life is no easy task for anyone, but Shiyi managed to do it successfully with some help.

'My classmates' tutoring, mutual support and encouragement guided me through this arduous adventure.'

'NUS has provided me with an environment that has ample opportunities and learning avenues,' she said.

One of these opportunities was joining the eco-car team NUS Urban Concept. Always very keen in Design and Technology, working on the eco-car gave Shiyi the rewarding experience of seeing her team?s design become reality.

Though not the first, she is currently the only female on the team. Shiyi, however, is not fazed by her position. She had learnt a great deal working with guys during her stint with the RSAF.

'I don't feel intimidated being the only female and play an active role in the team's programme and progress,' Shiyi said.

The team represented NUS in the Shell Eco-Marathon Asia 2011, in which the students had to design, build and drive a fuel-efficient vehicle.

The team won the Hydrogen Grand Prize (Urban Concept Category, Fuel Cell Group) and the SKF Innovative Car Design Award.

Their accomplishments were also recognised at this year's NUS Student Achievement Awards in the Competitions Category.

This year, Shiyi takes on a senior role on the NUS Urban Concept team. She puts her knowledge and maturity to good use by mentoring and motivating her teammates to come up with better solutions to engineering problems.

'I like to ask inquisitive questions about alternative solutions, which set the guys thinking about better and more efficient ways to solve engineering and manufacturing issues.'

'When doing repairs on the eco-car, I share with my team on using different tools that can speed up the work,' she said.

Shiyi's polytechnic background and her work experience not only give her technical expertise, but also help shape her outlook on education.

While her polytechnic background exposed her to a practical side of the world, it also provided her with detailed academic explanation, 'concreting the idea that higher education will broaden my knowledge in terms of scope and depth.'

Through her work experience, Shiyi realised 'that I can achieve more with more education, in terms of self-improvement, work advancement and bringing more benefit to my colleagues and company.'

For female students who want to pursue engineering, Shiyi has this advice: 'With courage and determination, we will definitely soar to higher heights.'

New international school with advanced facilities to open in August

2012-05-18T11:48:00.000+08:00

--CNA, 18 May 2012--

SINGAPORE - A new international school, described as the most advanced learning environment ever built, will open its doors here in August.

Students at Stamford American International School, located along Upper Serangoon Road, will be able to enjoy an interactive school environment where teachers can conduct lessons about faraway places like ancient Egypt from the base of the country's most prominent icon, the Great Pyramid.

There will be "one-to-one" iPad programmes for students as young as six years old, while older students will get their own MacBooks. A virtual lecture hall will also allow them to interact with teachers from around the world. The school cost some S$300 million to build.

The company behind the school said the number of international school students here has grown from 32,000 to 40,000 over the past four years, similar to markets like Hong Kong. The only difference is that 65 per cent of international school students in Hong Kong are local, while most students in international school students here are foreigners.

Mr Brian Rogove, CEO (Asia Pacific) of Cognita, said: "Singapore and Hong Kong are fundamentally different markets. Fundamental demand that is driven in Singapore is actually driven by expatriates, not by local demands, and that is a fundamental strong selling point for Singapore, it shows how strong Singapore is a hub for attracting foreign talent."

The new facility will accommodate 2,500 students aged between two and 18.

90 per cent of poly grads hired in 6 months

2012-05-16T23:42:00.002+08:00

--AsiaOne, 16 May 2012--

SINGAPORE - Republic Polytechnic (RP) is holding its seventh graduation ceremony over four days, beginning Tuesday, May 15.

This year the polytechnic will have 3,930 graduates from 32 programmes receiving their diploma certificates.

It is an increase of 639 students from last year and a 500 per cent increase from its first batch of 619 graduates in 2006.

The polytechnic is also celebrating its 10th year anniversary and had Mr Heng Swee Keat, Minister for Education to officiate the festivities of Day 1.

Speaking to the graduating students he told them that students from Singaporean polytechnics are still getting employed compared to their peers overseas, reported The Straits Times

The minister also said the Government will continue to invest in polytechnics.

90 per cent of polytechnic graduates were employed within six months of their graduation last year according to the latest Graduate Employment Survey.

To add on to the festivities on Tuesday, (RP) also received a donation of $3 million from the Ngee Ann Kongsi foundation.

RP will use the donation to set up an endowment fund which will help support up to eight scholarships and an annual Ngee Ann Kongsi award each year.

The Ngee Ann Kongsi award, which carries a prize of $1,500, will be presented each year to the graduating student with the best overall academic results.

abrahamr@sph.com.sg

Polytechnic gets S$3m for endowment fund

2012-05-16T23:41:00.000+08:00

--TODAY, 16 May 2012--

by Sharon See

SINGAPORE - Republic Polytechnic (RP) has received a donation of S$3 million from the Ngee Ann Kongsi foundation - the single largest donation received by the polytechnic since it was founded in 2002.

It will use the amount to set up an endowment fund to help support up to eight scholarships and an annual Ngee Ann Kongsi award each year.

The scholarships will be awarded to its full-time students based on academic merit, while the Ngee Ann Kongsi award, which carries a prize of S$1,500, will be presented each year to a graduating student for attaining the best overall academic results at the polytechnic level.

The donation was officially presented by Mr Teo Chiang Long, president of the Ngee Ann Kongsi, at the polytechnic's graduation ceremony yesterday.

Speaking at the ceremony, Education Minister Heng Swee Keat said Singapore's polytechnic graduates continue to enjoy good employment opportunities, even as young graduates at polytechnics and universities abroad face difficulties securing jobs.

Last year, nine in 10 polytechnic graduates found jobs within six months of their graduation, according to the Graduate Employment Survey.

Mr Heng said the mean starting salaries for polytechnic fresh graduates are about S$1,930 and that of post-National Service graduates are about S$2,370, adding that the polytechnics' focus on practice-oriented and industry-relevant curriculum enables students to get good jobs.

"The strength of our polytechnic system is also evident from the positive industry feedback that polytechnic graduates exemplify important values of empathy, integrity, resilience and harmony, besides just possessing industry-relevant skills," he said.

A total of 3,930 graduates from 32 different programmes will receive their diploma certificates over four days.

Underscoring RP's commitment to continuing education and training, this year's cohort includes 107 mature learners who will receive diploma certificates.

Poly students have no problems finding jobs: Heng Swee Keat

2012-05-15T23:37:00.000+08:00

--The Straits Times, 15 May 2012--

Nanyang Polytechnic students at their campus in Yio Chu Kang. Students from polytechnics in Singapore are still getting employed in the slowing economy, Education Minister Heng Swee Keat said on Tuesday. -- ST PHOTO: STEPHANIE YEOW

By Kezia Toh

While many polytechnic and university graduates overseas are unable to get jobs due to slowing economies, students from polytechnics in Singapore are still getting employed.

Education Minister Heng Swee Keat said this on Tuesday at Republic Polytechnic's graduation ceremony.

The latest Graduate Employment Survey, for example, showed that nine out of 10 polytechnic graduates snagged jobs within six months, after graduating last year.

He also reaffirmed the Government's commitment to invest in polytechnics, and commended the polytechnics' holistic education in character development, which nurtures students into responsible citizens.

S'pore's higher education ranked best in Asia

2012-05-15T21:32:00.000+08:00

--AsiaOne, 15 May 2012--

Higher education in Singapore has been ranked as Asia's best in a new ranking that rates how good a country is at providing higher education.

Out of 48 countries and cities, Singapore took the 11th spot in the ranking which was commissioned by Universitas 21, a global network of research-intensive universities, reported The Straits Times. The National University of Singapore (NUS) is part of this network.

First on the list is the United States, followed by Sweden, Canada, Finland and Denmark.

Other Asian countries were also in the list: Hong Kong at 18th place, Japan at 20th, Taiwan at 21st, South Korea at 22nd, and Malaysia at 36th place.

The study rates the overall quality of higher education systems and is different from other ranking systems such as the Times Higher Education Supplement, which rates individual universities on its own.

The Straits Times reported that the findings were presented this month at the University of Melbourne in Australia. The university's Institute of Applied Economic and Social Research had conducted the study.

Singapore fared well in three broad areas that were considered in the U21 study: Resources such as the expenditure on tertiary education, the environment such as how funds were used and how autonomous universities are, the intake of international students, and links with other foreign institutions.

However, it lagged behind in research output, namely the availability of university places and the employability of graduates.

Besides NUS, two other universities were considered in the study - both Nanyang Technological University and Singapore Management University.

Professor Simon Marginson, who is part of the team of researchers behind the new ranking, said that Singapore needs to work on the low participation rate of young people in tertiary institutions, although this is set to improve, as more pursue higher education at both public and private institutions.

"As Singapore educates more young people, it will move up the ranks," said Prof Marginson, who is also a professor of higher education at the University of Melbourne.

Prof Ross Williams, another researcher who is on the ranking system, said that in terms of research papers, Singapore does well on publications per head but it does not fare as well on total publications due to the country's size and population.

Prof Marginson said that the U21 ranking hopes to move away from the emphasis on individual universities.

He also pointed out the downside of doing so, saying that such studies tend to say that only the top universities are important.

Researchers hope to come up with a comparison of national education systems across the board by recognising countries with a spread of high-quality universities.

Prof Williams said that doing so would help governments benchmark their country's performance and also allow students to decide which school they want to enrol in.

The ranking is set to be an annual exercise.

klim@sph.com.sg

S'pore best in Asia for higher education

2012-05-15T09:34:00.000+08:00

--The Straits Times, 15 May 2012--
New rankings look at overall quality, rather than single universities

By Kezia Toh

SINGAPORE has come out tops in Asia, according to a new ranking that rates countries on how good they are at providing higher education.

The Republic took the 11th spot in the ranking of 48 countries and cities, commissioned by Universitas 21, a global network of research-intensive universities which include the National University of Singapore (NUS).

The United States tops the list, followed by Sweden, Canada, Finland and Denmark.

Other top Asian locations were Hong Kong in 18th place, and Japan, Taiwan, South Korea and Malaysia in 20th, 21st, 22nd and 36th place respectively.

The U21 study rates the overall quality of higher education systems, which sets it apart from other ranking systems such as that of the Times Higher Education Supplement, which rates each university on its own.

The findings were presented this month by the Institute of Applied Economic and Social Research at Australia's University of Melbourne, which conducted the study.

Four broad areas were considered:

Resources (expenditure on tertiary education);

Environment (such as how funds were used and how autonomous universities are);

Connectivity (for instance, the intake of international students and links with other foreign institutions);

Output (such as research output, availability of university places and the employability of graduates).

Singapore fared well in the first three categories, but lagged behind in the last, which made up 40 per cent of the total score.

Besides NUS, the study also looked at other universities such as Nanyang Technological University and Singapore Management University.

The low participation rate of young people in tertiary institutions is one area the Republic needs to work on, said Mr Simon Marginson, professor of higher education at the University of Melbourne.

But its performance is expected to improve, as more pursue higher education at both public and private institutions, he pointed out.

'As Singapore educates more young people, it will move up the ranks,' said Prof Marginson, who is part of the team of researchers behind the new ranking.

The Government will add another 2,000 university places by 2015, so that 30 per cent of Singaporeans from each cohort will have places in them, up from 25 per cent now.

A high-level committee headed by Minister of State for Education Lawrence Wong is also looking into how the number can be raised beyond 30 per cent from 2015.

In terms of research papers, Singapore does well on publications per head. But it does not fare as well on total publications - as expected - because of its small size, said Professor Ross Williams, another researcher on the ranking system.

Prof Marginson said that by taking into account these broad areas, the new ranking hopes to move away from the emphasis on individual universities.

'The downside of ranking based on single universities is that it tends to say that only the top universities are important, so we want to re-balance this to look at the broader picture,' he said.

By recognising countries with a spread of high-quality universities, the researchers hope to come up with a comparison of national education systems across the board. Doing so would help governments benchmark their country's performance, said Prof Williams.

Such a ranking system could also help students decide which schools to enrol in, he added.

'This is useful for potential international students in choosing which countries to study in.'

The ranking is set to be an annual exercise, as the team has funding for at least three years of annual publications.

With the publication of the first rankings, the researchers hope it will encourage more countries to provide more data. For example, the team could not find information for private expenditure on higher education and had to approximate in calculating resources.

Said Prof Williams: 'It is likely to be high for Singapore and better data might improve Singapore's ranking.'

Meanwhile, universities here welcomed the new ranking system.

Professor Tan Eng Chye, deputy president (Academic Affairs) and provost at NUS, said: 'This is a strong endorsement of the high quality of Singapore's unique brand of education, and it is also an affirmation that an NUS education today is of top quality, affordable and transformative.'

keziatoh@sph.com.sg

Related Link: How Singapore Fared

Yale College faculty statement an "internal issue": Education Minister

2012-05-14T23:59:00.000+08:00

--CNA, 14 May 2012--

By Sharon See

SINGAPORE: The Education Ministry shares the same disappointment expressed by NUS and many Singaporeans about the resolution passed by the Yale College faculty members, said Education Minister Heng Swee Keat.
Heng Swee Keat

But this was essentially an internal issue to Yale, which was being addressed by the Yale administration, Mr Heng said in a written parliamentary reply to MP for Marine Parade GRC Tin Pei Ling.

He said the Yale administration has also discussed with NUS on how they could jointly correct any misconceptions about Singapore among the different stakeholders of the university.

Mr Heng noted that several thoughtful Singaporeans and foreigners who understood Singapore well had written in various fora to provide fair and objective perspectives of Singapore's society.

He said how others view Singapore would be shaped to a large extent by their interactions with Singaporeans here and overseas.

"We must therefore continue to encourage such interactions. All of us have a role in helping others better understand Singapore, our values and our way of life," Mr Heng said.

The Yale-NUS College is expected to admit its first cohort of students in August 2013.

Mr Heng noted that there was strong interest from students, and the college had received over 800 applications in its first admission exercise.

Mr Heng said the college had also made good progress in faculty recruitment and curriculum development.

- CNA/wm

Students unfazed by Yale-NUS controversy

2012-05-14T09:18:00.000+08:00

--TODAY, 14 May 2012--

by Sumita Sreedharan

SINGAPORE - Despite the controversy surrounding the Yale-NUS College, its prospective students - about 50 of them took part in activities over the weekend, together with their parents - are unperturbed by the negative publicity.

Ms Venezia Lim, 19, felt that the clash of views was inevitable. "You are looking at Yale which is so liberal ... and they are coming to an Asian country ... Two cultures wanting to come together, there will definitely be some conflicts here and there, but I think a healthy, open debate about it is a very good thing."

Mr Khoo Zile Willie, 20, a full-time National Serviceman, even felt that any kind of publicity was good. He said: "It brings up the name of the school and also brings up the level of applicants as there is more interest."

The students at the "Experience Yale-NUS Weekend" were among the first batch that have been offered places at the liberal arts college. According to the college, the number of applications in the first exercise were in the "high hundreds". After an interview process, about 10 per cent of the applicants were offered a place.

On the profile of the prospective students, Yale-NUS Dean of Admissions Jeremiah Quinlan said that they are "bold, daring and (are) risk takers".

The admissions will be done in four batches, with the second exercise taking place in the second half of this year.

In all, Yale-NUS College will take in 150 students for its inaugural cohort, who will begin their studies next year.

Ms Lim, who has not decided whether to take up the offer of a place in Yale-NUS college, said her parents were worried about the risk she might be taking. "They are worried as there are no benchmarks and no seniors to depend on," she said.

1 in 10 offered place at Yale-NUS

2012-05-14T09:15:00.000+08:00

--The Straits Times, 14 May 2012--
Dean of admissions says inaugural batch of 150 will shape school's culture

By Grace Chua

Students (from left) Ijechi Nwaozuzu, 19, whose father is originally from Nigeria, Chong Woon Han, 22, Daniel Soo, 20 and Lim Kar Min, 19, are among those who have been offered places at Yale-NUS. -- ST PHOTO: ALPHONSUS CHERN

The new Yale-NUS liberal arts college is looking for risk-takers, which is why just one in 10 applicants has been offered a place so far.

The number of applicants for the first of four admission exercises was in the high hundreds, believed to be about 800. Of those, 40 per cent were shortlisted for interviews, though the administration did not give exact figures.

'We turned down a student at Yale-NUS who was accepted at Yale,' said Mr Jeremiah Quinlan, dean of admissions at Yale-NUS.

Mr Quinlan explained that the college, which will open in July next year, was seeking 'risk-takers', people with a 'daring streak' for its inaugural batch of 150, as these students will shape the school's culture and traditions.

Yale-NUS is a collaboration between the prestigious Yale University in the United States and the National University of Singapore (NUS).

Mr Quinlan said that the applicants were of high calibre, with some weighing offers from the University of Chicago, Princeton University or Swarthmore College. All are top schools in the US.

Among those offered places were students from top schools like Hwa Chong Institution and Anglo-Chinese School (Independent), both Integrated Programme schools.

About 50 of them spent this past weekend first at Hangout Hotel at Mount Emily, then at University Town at the NUS campus.

The weekend's roster of activities included sample classes, an alumni panel, an address by NUS president Tan Chorh Chuan - and informal chit-chats into the wee hours of the morning, the students said.

They have until June 1 to decide if they want to take up the offer, but at least a handful have already made up their mind.

Mr Chong Woon Han, 22, is one. The Anglo-Chinese Junior College top student, who earned seven distinctions in the A levels, signed on the dotted line almost immediately after he received the offer in March, and is keen on studying philosophy, politics and economics.

'Yale-NUS is a fusion of East and West,' he said, when asked what appealed to him.

'I'm interested in comparing the West and the East in terms of political structure and developments.'

The Malaysian citizen has been a relief teacher here since graduating in 2010. Next month, he will set off for Britain on a two-year church mission, and matriculate in 2014.

Mr Quinlan said he was not worried about falling short of the admissions target. Earlier this month, the Singapore University of Technology and Design said it had admitted only 340 students - falling short of its target of 500.

He added: 'Given the strength of the applicant pool in this inaugural round, I'm confident we will have more than enough to fill the inaugural class.'

While three more admissions exercises will cast the net farther afield, to the rest of Asia, Africa and Europe, the majority of students will be from Singapore, he added.

Miss Lim Kar Min, 19, who was also offered a place, said the controversy over the Yale faculty resolution had not deterred her from applying.

Last month, the faculty of Yale's undergraduate liberal arts college voted to endorse a resolution expressing concern about political and civil rights in Singapore.

Miss Lim pointed out that of some 1,100 faculty members at Yale College, just 100 voted for the resolution.

'Singapore's changing pretty quickly... it's something that maybe (the faculty) don't know much about,' she said.

caiwj@sph.com.sg

Fifth university must be special and top-notch

2012-05-13T09:14:00.002+08:00

--The Sunday Times, 13 May 2012--

By Sandra Davie, Senior Writer

I was covering the education beat for The Straits Times in the 1990s when the Government was looking into setting up Singapore's third university - what is now the Singapore Management University (SMU).

Every year now, more than 10,000 students vie for 1,700 undergraduate places in several courses including business, law and accountancy at the university, known for introducing American-style teaching to Singapore.

Its graduates have a reputation for being more polished and well-spoken, sought after by management consultancy firms and investment banks.

Yet, there was much worry at the beginning that students might regard the new university as second-class to the more established National University of Singapore (NUS) and Nanyang Technological University (NTU).

A lot of thought went into what the SMU's 'unique value proposition' ought to be - how to differentiate itself from NUS and NTU, yet serve Singapore and students seeking a quality education that would give them an edge in the job market.

In the end, it was set up as a boutique business university partnering the well-known Wharton Business School from the University of Pennsylvania in the United States.

With Wharton business deputy dean Janice Bellace as its first head, SMU set itself apart from NUS and NTU from the word go, taking in its first batch in 2000.

Unlike the two older universities which had been admitting students based mostly on examination results, SMU used a broad range of criteria - including SAT scores, a panel interview, a reflective essay as well as applicants' other qualities and achievements outside class.

Even some well-wishers questioned the criteria, worried that the university might end up with the worst of the A-level and polytechnic cohorts. But SMU dons, determined to give the university a distinctive character, pushed on. They adopted an American- style approach in teaching, with students taught in small seminar groups of 40 to 50.

To address a common complaint from employers that Singapore graduates did not think on their feet and were afraid to speak up, SMU students were given marks for class participation.

Four years later, employers receiving the first batch of graduates from the new university said they noted an 'SMU difference'. These graduates stood out for being more articulate, confident and mature.

The then Education Minister Tharman Shanmugaratnam paid a high accolade to the SMU when it turned five, calling it a 'change agent of the university space'. 'It had competed as an upstart with established players and got them to rethink what they themselves were doing,' he said.

The same amount of planning and thought went into setting up Singapore's fourth university, the Singapore University of Technology and Design (SUTD), which started running its classes earlier last week.

Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong announced the set-up of the university in 2007, but it took two more years of deliberation before it assumed a more distinct shape.

One of its unique selling points is its partnership with the Massachusetts Institute of Technology in the US and China's Zhejiang University, combining the best of East and West.

Another innovative feature of SUTD is its curriculum, marrying engineering, architecture and design training.

Recently, however, the university announced that despite receiving more than 4,000 applications, it had accepted only 340 students for its first intake, not the full 500 initially projected.

Officials said the university did not find enough students with the right mix of academic expertise to handle the MIT-designed curriculum, as well as leadership capability and the ability to take risks. As a new university, it also wanted to ensure that its pioneer batch would succeed in their careers.

Even as SUTD finds its feet, the government is looking into setting up a fifth university.

A committee headed by Minister of State for Education Lawrence Wong has been studying different university models in Europe, Asia and more recently in the US, to arrive at a model that will serve students and the needs of the Singapore economy.

This time, polytechnic graduates are the main target group. Only about 17 per cent of the yearly cohort gain places in the universities, forcing several thousand to head overseas or attend private schools to top-up their diplomas and obtain a degree.

It makes sense then that the 15-member committee is looking at universities that put a premium on hands-on learning and applied real-world research.

There are many good models from the places Mr Wong's team has visited, including Metropolia University of Applied Sciences in Finland, Hong Kong Polytechnic University, as well as Cooper Union and Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute in the US. I was among the journalists who accompanied the team on these visits.

What seems to have caught the eye of the panel is Drexel University, a private institution in Philadelphia.

It is ranked one of the top engineering schools in the US, but what makes it stand out is its cooperative education programme that requires all undergraduates to combine job internships with studying towards their degrees.

Those who graduate after five years would have chalked up as many as 18 months' relevant work experience. This has been found to give them a much-needed edge over other fresh graduates in the tough job market.

After taking a close look at the unique programme, Mr Wong said his panel's study trip to the US had affirmed the direction it wants to move in for Singapore's fifth university - it is likely to be a practice-oriented one closely linked to industry and offering programmes that combine work and study.

This is a model that would build on the strengths of polytechnic-trained graduates who are known to be more hands-on workers and attuned to the needs of industry and business.

As Mr Wong noted, at the end of the day, the issue is not merely about expanding university places. It is about choice, quality, differentiation and serving the market in a new way.

Singapore will be hard pressed to compete against China, India and other developing countries as they ramp up their university capabilities. China wants to produce eight million graduates a year by 2020, and India, six million.

There is no way that tiny Singapore can compete against such numbers but if the SMU experience is anything to go by, a new university starting here can aim to produce graduates who are special, who will stand out in unique ways that are good for them and the economy.

Background Story
Tuned in to industry

Singapore's fifth university is likely to be a practice-oriented one closely linked to industry and offering programmes that combine work and study. This is a model that would build on the strengths of polytechnic-trained graduates who are known to be more hands-on workers and attuned to the needs of industry and business.

Public policy course at undergraduate level

2012-05-12T12:30:00.000+08:00

--The Straits Times, 12 May 2012--

By Kezia Toh

A leading academic was inspired to set up a new course on public policy after witnessing a surge in interest among young Singaporeans in the run-up to last year's General Election.

Professor James Tang noticed the growing debate online, and decided it was time to set up a programme that builds on this interest.

He said: 'Young Singaporeans need to develop a deeper understanding of the challenges faced by policymakers and the tradeoffs they have to manage in formulating policy responses.'

The course will be offered by Singapore Management University's School of Social Sciences, where Professor Tang is the dean.

It will give students the chance to take a second major in public policy and public management from August.

This is the first time this subject has been offered at the undergraduate level. At the moment, master's degree students can study public policy, administration and management at the National University of Singapore.

The new course will teach up to 45 youngsters to understand how policies are decided, implemented and evaluated.

For example, there will be a 'task force' to allow them to discuss ways to solve real-world problems, such as higher education reform.

The major is available to undergraduates taking any other subject.

Second-year political science undergraduate Matthew Chan, 23, said: 'The negative sentiments that come with policy changes, such as in transport, make me want to look at public policy planning from the other side of the fence, so I can relate to the challenges policymakers face.'

Another new second major will also start this August, in International and Asian studies.

This course will examine the emerging role of Asia in the world, and integrate disciplines such as sociology, political science, economics and law.

A third offering - arts and cultural management - will kick off next January.

Associate professor Kirpal Singh, who oversees the course, said it has been created against the backdrop of the report of the Singapore Arts and Culture Strategic Review Committee, which estimates that at least 500 jobs in this sector will be created annually over the next five years.

Guest lecturers include former Singapore Arts Festival head Goh Ching Lee, theatre director Ong Keng Sen, and the chief executive of Britain's Royal Opera House, Lord Tony Hall.

Uni president teaches classes too

2012-05-12T12:29:00.000+08:00

--The Straits Times, 12 May 2012--

By Kezia Toh

Prof Magnanti using a coloured cube to demonstrate how a formula is derived at a calculus lecture at SUTD on Tuesday. -- ST PHOTO: CHEW SENG KIM

With a multi-coloured cube in hand, Professor Thomas Magnanti demonstrated how a mathematical formula is derived.

It was an unusual teaching approach for the 150 freshmen of the new Singapore University of Technology and Design (SUTD).

But even more unusual was the man teaching them calculus, as Prof Magnanti is the president of the university.

The 66-year-old American believes that having the president roll up his shirtsleeves and undertake the rare act of teaching signals to the students that he cares.

It also helps him to bond with them, he told The Straits Times after the hour-long afternoon lecture on Tuesday.

'It is one thing to know them through the bigger forms like the inauguration ceremony, but it is another to sit with them in a classroom,' said the former dean of engineering at the renowned Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) in the United States.

Above all, it energises him as it has been 14 years since he taught a class. 'It is fun and also challenging to try to figure out how to articulate things in a way that is interesting and excites students,' he said.

Prof Magnanti, who co-teaches the 13-week class with Associate Professor Karthik Natarajan, will lecture about six to eight classes in all.

His personal touch is in keeping with the SUTD's brand of education: to engage students.

The undergraduates, for instance, are organised in small group-learning communities for a closer connection with the faculty and one another.

It is an approach similar to some classes at MIT, with which the university has a tie-up.

Helming Tuesday's class, however, was not without its challenges for Prof Magnanti.

'We are trying to explain to the students not just the formula, but the 'why' behind the formula, so it takes a while to internalise that,' he said.

He used several teaching methods.

Besides the multi-coloured cube, he asked the students to pair up and explain the concept to each other. He also screened an eight-minute cartoon video about the history of the subject.

The students found it all enjoyable.

Said 19-year-old Ho Wei Sze: 'I'm a visual learner and can 'see' the formula better this way, so I hope for more in-class demonstrations.'

Mr Ivan Lee, 20, said it was refreshing to have a university president who is 'so hands-on and committed to teaching'.

Prof Magnanti, however, is hoping for more talk from his students, whom he suspects do not speak up 'as they fear making a mistake'.

To set the tone, he asks his students to call him 'Tom' and greets them with high-fives, for example.

'The students seem quite shy, so we are trying for more informality. If we can maintain warmth and openness, the students will open up,' he said.

SUTD too picky with first intake?

2012-05-12T12:26:00.000+08:00

--The Straits Times, 12 May 2012--
Eyebrows raised as new varsity starts term without filling all 500 places

By Lin Zhaowei

Former NJC student Vinsensius Albert did not apply as he did not know much about the courses. -- COURTESY OF VINSENSIUS ALBERT

Despite more than 4,000 applications, the Singapore University of Technology and Design (SUTD) began its term this week with only 340 students, short of the 500 places up for grabs.

This has raised eyebrows, as it comes several months after the Government pledged to create 2,000 university places by 2015 to meet the demand for tertiary education. Was SUTD, the much-anticipated fourth public university here, too selective?

In an exclusive interview with The Straits Times, SUTD president Thomas Magnanti said the school had to be selective as it has a rigorous curriculum that was developed with the prestigious Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT).

As a new university, it wanted to make sure every student in the pioneering batch could excel, he said. Even though 4,150 students applied for its first intake, 'we didn't get as many high-quality applicants as we wanted', he revealed. That is why it accepted fewer students than planned.

Besides good academic scores, all shortlisted applicants had to go through an interview. SUTD declined to give a breakdown on the profile of applicants and their grades, or how many made it to the interview stage.

Prof Magnanti, a former dean of MIT's engineering school, said: 'The fit is very important for us. They have to be people we think have leadership capability and passion for technology.' He cited some possible reasons why SUTD, despite the MIT brand name, did not draw as many suitable applicants as it had hoped.

First, it is a start-up university, which meant it had no track record unlike established engineering schools elsewhere.

'We started trying to attract people for this class two years ago,' said Prof Magnanti. 'At that time, we had no curriculum, no facilities, no faculty. It was very hard for young people to assess us. So those who have applied have shown a great deal of confidence in us.'

Second, the pool of top students here applying to study engineering has been falling gradually. Many are going for degrees in areas such as medicine, finance and accountancy.

SUTD could have filled up the class, he said. 'But bringing in people and then having them struggle is probably not the wise thing for us to do.'

The Education Ministry, which is involved in discussions on intake size with universities, said it did not require SUTD to meet a quantitative target for its first intake.

'It is more important for SUTD to admit students of the right fit who can benefit from the unique SUTD education, rather than lower admission standards in order to meet a quantitative target,' it said. 'We are still on track to achieving 30 per cent university cohort participation rate by 2015.'

But Mr Lim Biow Chuan, chairman of the Government Parliamentary Committee (GPC) for Education, said he wished SUTD had filled up all the available places this time around.

'I understand that the university wants to maintain academic standards,' said the Mountbatten MP. 'But I think there is scope for adjustment.'

He said he intends to raise the issue with Education Minister Heng Swee Keat at the next parliamentary sitting on Monday.

Fellow GPC member Baey Yam Keng suggested that probational places could be granted to those on the borderline. 'There could be some who didn't fare well during the selection but actually could do well in the course,' he said. But he added that standards should not be compromised.

Moulmein-Kallang GRC MP Denise Phua felt that the initial target of 500 students was reasonable, given the demand for university places. 'But maybe they did not take into account the challenges during the start-up phase,' said the GPC for Education deputy chairman. 'People tend to go for the familiar.'

In comparison, the Singapore Management University started with 306 students in 2000, while the upcoming Yale-NUS College will take in up to 150 next year.

Students headed for the other two engineering schools here told The Straits Times they were unsure of SUTD's programmes and credentials, despite the MIT brand name and its advertising blitz in public places and newspapers.

Singaporean Vinsensius Albert, 20, said he did not consider SUTD because he did not know much about its courses, and it did not have students he could talk to for more information.

The straight-A student from National Junior College will study industrial and systems engineering at the National University of Singapore, starting this August.

Next year, SUTD will again aim to take in 500 students, said Prof Magnanti. After 2014, it will gradually increase the intake of freshmen by around 100 each year. Eventually, it will have 4,000 undergraduates and 2,000 postgraduates studying there.

The professor added: 'All of us have to be patient. What we are trying to create is a world-class, high-quality university, and we really have to look to the long haul.'

zhaowei@sph.com.sg

All SUTD undergrads will get chance to do research

2012-05-08T20:24:00.003+08:00

--The Straits Times, 8 May 2012--
New uni also announces two new centres for defence research

SUTD president Tom Magnanti (right) calling for everyone present to give a 'high-five', at yesterday's inauguration ceremony to mark the launch of the academic year. Prof Magnanti said the university hoped to reach the full intake of 500 next year. -- ST PHOTO: DESMOND FOO

By Sandra Davie, Senior Writer
All 340 undergraduates at the new Singapore University of Technology and Design (SUTD) will be given the opportunity to carry out research, officials said on Monday.

This sets it apart from most schools, where only a small proportion get the chance to do so.

Officials said the move will provide more value for students already drawn to its multidisciplinary curriculum and partnerships with two renowned institutions.

The school - which will team up with the Massachusetts Institute of Technology in the United States and China's Zhejiang University - has already said that it is setting up two research centres, on design and innovative cities.

Background Story
Why they picked SUTD over other varsities

Arron Li, 21, from Tampines Junior College. Scored an A for computing, B for Mathematics, and C for Physics at the A levels.
He was accepted into the mechanical engineering course at the National University of Singapore (NUS) and Nanyang Technological University (NTU) but chose to wait 11/2 years for the SUTD term to start. Fascinated with the way products work, he plans to specialise in engineering product development.

Why SUTD: 'We are exposed to a wide spectrum of subjects, including those in the humanities. It is something that not many other engineering universities can provide. I'm someone who truly loves variety.'

Huang Jiayi, 21, diploma in mechanical engineering from Ngee Ann Polytechnic, with a 3.75 grade point average.
She wants to specialise in engineering systems and design. She was accepted by five British universities, including Warwick.

Why SUTD: 'I had my mind set on going overseas and I got into all five British universities that I applied to. But I gave that dream up, because not many people can count themselves as the pioneer batch from a university.'

Sharlene Wong, 20, from NUS High School of Mathematics and Science, with a diploma (distinction) with honours.
She waited for about 11/2 years to join the school, as she is keen on its engineering systems and design specialisation. She also had offers from NUS, NTU and the University of Rochester in the US.

Why SUTD: 'I really believe in the philosophy behind the entire education at SUTD. It's a place where you really get to develop every aspect of yourself, and let your creativity go wild.'

The SUTD attraction for females

2012-05-01T09:23:00.000+08:00

--TODAY, 1 May 2012--
... who make up almost half of pioneer batch at S'pore's new university by Amanda Lee

SINGAPORE - Females will make up almost half of the pioneer batch of students at the new Singapore University of Technology and Design (SUTD), surpassing the institution's expectations as well as norms overseas.

Of the 340 students who will start school next Tuesday, 47 per cent are females. In comparison, the proportion of female undergraduates among engineering students in overseas institutions is about 20 per cent, SUTD president Thomas Magnanti noted.

Freshmen at SUTD have to spend their first academic year staying in hostel rooms next to the interim campus in Dover Road to encourage students to mix and mingle. Photo by WEE TECK HIAN

He felt that Singapore's fourth university has been successful in attracting more female students as it has a variety of programmes where students can interact with "role models such as successful women engineers and architects" to give them wider exposure in the industry.

Miss Huang Jiayi, who is among the pioneer batch of students, said she was attracted to SUTD as the 21-year-old felt the "course curriculum and pedagogy offered" is "different from the other universities". Courses at SUTD are developed by the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT).

For this academic year, SUTD has recieved close to 4,150 student applications, which the university hopes to raise to between 400 and 500 students for the next academic year.

The applicants' academic grades are just "one element" taken into consideration during their application, said Prof Magnanti. The university also reviews essays submitted by the applicants - who must show a passion for technology and design - as well as their portfolio, video and personal blogs.

To date, 75 students have been awarded scholarships from SUTD, while 16 have received scholarships from organisations and companies such as the Defence, Science & Technology Agency and Keppel Group.

During their first year in SUTD, also known as the Freshmore Term, all undergraduates will take common modules which include mathematics, physics, design, chemistry, biology, arts, humanities and social science.

About one-quarter of the inaugural batch of students are foreigners, mostly from ASEAN countries. Local students pay S$11,000 for two semesters, permanent residents S$13,200 and international students S$17,600.

SUTD to begin classes with fewer students than targeted

2012-05-01T09:17:00.000+08:00

--The Straits Times, 1 May 2012--

Singapore's long-awaited fourth public university will begin classes next week - with only two-thirds of its target student population. -- ST PHOTO: ASHLEIGH SIM

By Lin Zhaowei Singapore's long-awaited fourth public university will begin classes next week - with only two-thirds of its target student population.

The final enrolment at the Singapore University of Technology and Design (SUTD) stands at 340, falling short of the 500 students the school had initially projected for its inaugural class.

Announcing this at its interim campus in Dover Drive on Monday, SUTD president Thomas Magnanti explained the shortfall by saying the university had gone for 'quality, not quantity'. He said SUTD could easily have filled all 500 places as it had 4,150 applicants.

'(But) we've been very careful in admitting students because we will have a very rigorous curriculum.

'It's an MIT-like curriculum and we want to make sure that all the students that we admit will succeed,' Professor Magnanti said, referring to the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, a key SUTD partner in the United States.

Due to the rigorous selection process, even academically strong students - such as those scoring 4As in the A levels - were rejected, said provost Chong Tow Chong. Besides having good grades, applicants had to write a 500-word essay about themselves.

They were also invited to submit portfolios, videos and personal blogs to support their applications. Shortlisted applicants then faced a panel interview.

The make-up of students who made the final cut differs slightly from that of students at the other three public universities here. For one thing, one in four students in the initial cohort is a foreigner.

An Education Ministry spokesman said this was in line with similar faculties in the other universities - although the proportion of foreign students at SUTD is higher than that in the National University of Singapore, Nanyang Technological University and Singapore Management University. The cut-off ratio at these three universities is one foreigner among every five students.

When asked to comment on this, Prof Magnanti said 'no deserving Singaporean' was deprived of a place because of foreign students. 'In fact, we still had plenty of places for qualified Singaporeans,' he told The Straits Times.

Another difference is the school's gender ratio: Half of the students are female. In other engineering institutions, the proportion of female students tends to be about 20 per cent, Prof Magnanti noted. He said this was due to SUTD's efforts to attract female applicants through advertisements and workshops.

SUTD offers specialisations in four areas: architecture and sustainable design; engineering product development; engineering systems and design; and information systems technology and design. The school starts its academic year in May in line with the calendars of its partner universities in the US and China.

It will hold a gala dinner on Friday to raise funds for its scholarships and bursaries. The inauguration ceremony will be held next Monday.

Yale-NUS flak not mirrored in China

2012-04-19T19:16:00.001+08:00

--The Straits Time, 19 April 2012--
Foreign campuses there do not face as much criticism over freedom as Yale does in S'pore

By Ho Ai Li, China Correspondent

BEIJING: The proposed liberal arts college to be set up jointly by Yale University and the National University of Singapore (NUS) has drawn much flak from the American side over a perceived lack of freedom in Singapore. But fewer potshots have been fired at foreign colleges with campuses in China.

New York University (NYU), for instance, is opening a campus in Shanghai next year with the East China Normal University, without sparking consternation - although China is no bastion of freedom.

Like the Yale-NUS college, NYU Shanghai will offer liberal arts courses as part of a broad-based undergraduate programme it plans to offer.

There has been some grumbling, but this did not reach 'a crisis point' - unlike at Yale - said Professor Philip Altbach of Boston College.

Agreeing, NYU China studies scholar Rebecca Karl said there has been a lack of coordinated protest over its Shanghai plans.

Likewise, the branches of other foreign universities in China, like Britain's Nottingham University in Ningbo and the US' Johns Hopkins University in Nanjing, have not met as much criticism over issues of academic freedom.

While Yale is going ahead with its Singapore plans, its scholars passed a resolution to express 'concern regarding the history of lack of respect for civil and political rights in the state of Singapore'.

'It is one of the few examples where we have seen a concerted effort by a group of faculty to use the formal academic governance procedures to protest the opening of a foreign outpost,' noted Dr Jason Lane, a global higher education expert at the State University of New York.

Clashes over values, like that in the case of the Yale-NUS liberal arts college, have arisen as more universities worldwide venture out to set up branches across the globe, in what some call the higher education gold rush.

There are now about 200 branch campuses in every continent except Antartica, said Dr Lane.

The trend gathered speed from 2000 to 2005 and peaked in 2008 before dropping off due to the global financial crisis, he noted. But more schools are looking overseas again, he added.

Besides NYU, Duke University is working with a local university to set up a campus in Kunshan city, near Shanghai, that will offer courses in subjects like management.

While clashes over academic freedom grab headlines, financial feasibility is the key thing schools mull over in deciding whether to go abroad, said Prof Altbach, an expert in international education.

With China being the top source of international students, many foreign universities play down concerns about censorship to target its huge market.

So has Singapore been unfairly singled out? Is it a case of double standards?

Professor Karl said there was 'no doubt a terrible double standard here'.

'It is in part about market size and promise of riches. But it is also, I suspect, about expectations: communist China cannot be expected to be free, whereas capitalist Singapore is presumed to be and thus must be held to a higher standard,' she said in an e-mail reply.

It may also be a legacy of Cold War thinking, where communist China was always an enemy but Singapore was part of the 'free world' and thus must be held to a standard to which the Republic itself never aspired, she added.

Professor Xiong Bingqi, vice-president of the 21st Century Education Research Centre, said the lack of protest could be because foreign universities have few illusions about academic freedom in China.

There is little real autonomy for their Chinese branches, which have to follow China's rules closely, he added.

For instance, they have to admit students based on college entrance exam or gaokao scores, without much room to set their own admission criteria.

Others say it is hard to generalise, as each school makes up its own mind. While Yale had strong concerns about academic freedom, other foreign universities in Singapore - for example, the University of Nevada, Las Vegas - did not have the same worries, said Dr Lane.

Yale and NYU also differ greatly. NYU is 'nouveau riche', while Yale is 'aristocracy' and cares more about preserving its brand, said NYU's Prof Karl.

While the New York school already has a campus in Abu Dhabi, Yale's Singapore college will be its first abroad.

As Dr Lane points out, the environment of an overseas branch campus will almost never be the same as that at home.

He said: 'Leaders need to decide what differences they are willing to accept and which ones they will fight against.'

hoaili@sph.com.sg

DOUBLE STANDARDS?

Academics name several factors that could have resulted in the different reactions to the setting up of foreign campuses in Singapore and China

BACKGROUND STORY
Yale-NUS
Politics: Capitalist Singapore assumed to be free and therefore held to high standard

History: Singapore considered part of 'free world'

Pedigree: Yale is 'aristocracy' and cares about preserving its brand

Precedent: Yale-NUS is its first foreign college abroad

NYU Shanghai
Politics: Communist China cannot be expected to be free

History: Legacy of Cold War thinking, where communist China was always an enemy

Pedigree: NYU is 'nouveau riche'

Precedent: NYU has a campus in Abu Dhabi

SIT unveils designs for campuses at polytechnics

2012-04-12T19:19:00.000+08:00

--TODAY, 12 April 2012--

by Sumita Sreedharan

SINGAPORE - The Singapore Institute of Technology (SIT) - the Republic's first university to cater primarily to polytechnic graduates - yesterday unveiled the designs for its new campuses to be built on the grounds of the five polytechnics.

Construction at all the sites will start by August and are expected to be completed by the middle of 2014.

Speaking at the unveiling of the designs, SIT president Tan Chin Tiong noted that, although he wanted the five campuses to "blend in" with their host polytechnics, he also wanted each to have its own "individual characteristics".

SIT is currently temporarily operating from the polytechnics' premises.

Apart from the five campuses, the three-year-old SIT will have its headquarters in Dover. On its distributed campus model, Professor Tan said: "We're optimistic that we probably should be able to put in place enough activities to bond them together as a group."

Some of the common features of all five SIT campuses include elevated activity decks and large courtyards.

The largest campus will be at Singapore Polytechnic, as it offers the most degree courses. These courses, including degrees in engineering in aerospace systems, also require more space for students.

The campuses - which will feature, among other things, a kitchen with the latest culinary equipment and a state-of-the-art animation studio - will be ready in time to accommodate the 2,000 places that SIT will offer in 2015. It now has about 1,300 students.

Minister of State for Education Lawrence Wong noted that SIT had gone through "a very rapid development". When it was started in 2009, SIT offered only 500 places.

Mr Wong also pledged the Government's commitment to invest in SIT and "develop it as one of the peaks in our tertiary education system". He said "creating new innovative university models with a strong teaching focus and applied orientation", rather than expanding the existing research-intensive universities, was the way forward for the university sector here.

SIT unveils designs of its five distributed campuses

2012-04-12T19:18:00.000+08:00

--The Business Times, 12 April 2012--

By Timothy Loh

THE Singapore Institute of Technology (SIT) unveiled designs of its distributed campuses to the public for the first time at The Arts House yesterday.

SIT was established in 2009 and began taking in students the following year, in line with the government's plan to build up the tertiary sector and increase the percentage of students per cohort attending publicly funded universities to 30 per cent by 2015.

SIT is unique because it chose to adopt from the outset a distributed campus model, which is typical of pre-established universities seeking to expand under space constraints. An SIT building will be constructed within the grounds of each of the five polytechnics, and each SIT building will have its own distinctive design features.

Said Lawrence Wong, Minister of State (Defence and Education): "With such a design concept, SIT can leverage on the resources in the polytechnics, such as laboratory facilities or training equipment, as well as the existing industry links developed by the polytechnics and their faculty."

Despite concerns that such a model would make it difficult to foster a strong campus spirit, SIT president Tan Chin Tiong said he was "optimistic" about the success of the model, which he described as an "experimentation".

Prof Tan also emphasised SIT's practice-oriented, industry-focused pedagogy at the event yesterday.

"At SIT, we are very much focused on the industry needs. Basically, we look at the industry demand for all the programmes that we put together. So if the industry wants certain programmes, we will go out and look for potential partners and negotiate with them to come out to Singapore. If you look at all the degree programmes that we have thus far, they are all degree programmes that are very well articulated with the curriculum of polytechnics. These are also the programmes that the Singapore government needs more professionals in."

The five new campuses are slated to open in the middle of 2014. Until then, SIT students will have their classes in other parts of the polytechnic campuses or in external buildings. For example, lessons for current DigiPen Institute of Technology students are being held at the PIXEL Building in one-north.

SIT to get new facilities at local polys by 2014

2012-04-12T19:17:00.000+08:00

--The Straits Times, 12 April 2012--

By Kezia Toh

IN TWO years, students from the Singapore Institute of Technology (SIT) will have new facilities at the five polytechnics here to call their own.

Minister of State for Education Lawrence Wong, who was at an unveiling ceremony yesterday at the Arts House to showcase the new facilities' design, said that the move will allow SIT to play a bigger role in the Government's push to add university places for Singaporeans.

Expanding the university sector, he said, should be done by creating university models with a 'strong teaching focus and applied orientation', rather than expanding existing research-intensive universities.

The new facilities at SIT are an example of this, Mr Wong said. 'SIT's distinctive model of education will continue to provide greater diversity and choice, and more opportunities for Singaporeans.'

SIT students now attend classes at the various polytechnics, depending on their course of study.

Students pursuing a degree in hotel administration, for instance, go to school at the National Library Building, while those taking courses linked to the

DigiPen Institute of Technology travel to the school's premises at the Pixel Building in Buona Vista for their classes.

The new student grounds for SIT students within the polytechnics will feature unique SIT colours. For example, each area will have a main atrium designed in black, white and red.

There will also be student-centric spaces such as elevated activity decks and large courtyards, and new studios for animation and game development.

SIT president Tan Chin Tiong said that the new facilities will help its students forge a common school identity.

'Part and parcel of university education is that you need to have spaces for kids to hang out and do things, to bond them together,' he said.

'The common experience is very important,' he added.

Founded in 2009, SIT is an Education Ministry initiative offering undergraduate degree programmes primarily for polytechnic graduates.

It now has 1,300 students. The school hopes to grow its student population to 2,000 by 2015.

Govt committed to invest in practice-oriented universities: Lawrence Wong

2012-04-11T12:29:00.000+08:00

--CNA, 11 April 2012--

By Sharon See

SINGAPORE: The government is committed to invest in practice-oriented universities with strong industry links, such as the Singapore Institute of Technology (SIT).

Speaking at the unveiling of SIT's new campus design, Minister of State for Education Lawrence Wong said the expansion of the university sector should be done by creating innovative models with a strong teaching focus and applied orientation, rather than by expanding existing research-intensive universities.

The institute is adopting a new model of campus design by siting its distributed campuses at the five polytechnics. The campuses will carry distinctive design features characteristic of SIT on their facades while blending into the polytechnic campus grounds.

SIT said it's not too concerned that the distributed campus model will dilute student bonding.

"We're optimistic that we probably should be able to put in place enough activities to bond them together as a group. At the end of the day, we will still have a HQ campus, and some of the value-add courses, the SIT programmes... eventually, we will bring them back to SIT Campus," said SIT president Prof Tan Chin Tiong.

Professor Tan added the HQ Campus will be sited at Dover.

The five campuses, which will be completed by 2014, will house different facilities depending on the courses offered.

"With such a design concept, SIT can leverage on the resources in the polytechnics, such as laboratory facilities or training equipment, as well as the existing industry links developed by the polytechnics and their faculty. The new buildings that are being developed will add to SIT's capacity and will allow SIT to expand even further," said Mr Wong.

By 2015, SIT will offer some 2,000 places every year, mainly to polytechnic graduates.

Mr Wong said SIT's practice-oriented education will stand its students in good stead, especially in an increasingly sophisticated global economy.

-CNA/cc

Specialised Normal (Tech) school to start January

2012-04-11T07:26:00.000+08:00

--CNA, 11 April 2012--

By Sharon See

SINGAPORE: Singapore's first specialised school for Normal (Technical) students will begin operations in January 2013.

Crest Secondary School will provide a customised curriculum, allowing students to attain both the GCE 'N' Levels and one ITE Skills Certificate (ISC).

The foundation is laid for the first of two specialised schools for Normal (Technical) students.

The school, at Jurong East St 24, will draw experience from NorthLight and Assumption Pathway Schools, to offer non-mainstream education.

The school will take in up to 200 Secondary 1 students in its first intake.

It hopes the majority will eventually go on to ITE.

As such, it will offer basic vocational modules at lower secondary to give students a taste of what's to come before they specialise in their ITE Skills Certificate course in upper secondary.

They can choose from Facility Services, Mechanical Servicing, Retail Services or Hospitality Services.

In designing the curriculum, the school looked at existing national syllabus from the Ministry of Education, while ensuring lessons are practice-based.

Crest Secondary School principal, Frederick Yeo, said: "In the case of ISC, while ISC trains vocational skills, there're a lot of soft skills that the child needs to pick up, such as oral communication, being able to write simple notes, even in the case of numeracy, understanding ratios, percentages, proportions.

"These are the things we need to know, so that when it comes to the Maths subject, we'll be able to emphasise the applied learning angle as well, as opposed to teaching it as an academic content area."

At the heart of the curriculum is an emphasis on character development that prepares students for life.

And Mr Yeo is confident this will help dispel any stigma students may have about attending a specialised Normal (Technical) school that is outside the mainstream education system.

He said: "For a start, I want to build a culture where people care - teacher-to-student and student-to-student - and from there, you build a culture of students' strong sense of belonging and pride for the school because they enjoy the school, they enjoy the programmes, they are very encouraged by the fact that teachers actually care for them."

The Education Ministry said the intention of having specialised Normal (Technical) schools is to create a variety of pathways that cater to the needs of different students, rather than cause segregation.

It added that allowing Normal (Technical) students to go through ITE before possibly progressing to polytechnic may be more effective than having everyone go through the usual 'O' Level route.

Students will also go through industrial attachment to gain practical experience.

Frasers Hospitality CEO, Choe Peng Sum, said: "Once they get a feel, once they get a grasp of what it means, they might really be interested, and I think that gives them a platform to decide what they want to do.

"And with that experience...the private industries will also have people who know what they're going in for, and then the recruitment will be easier, and that will also of course help in the labour market."

The school said all students who have passed their Primary School Leaving Examination (PSLE) and qualified for the Normal Technical stream may apply for admission.

But PSLE scores will not be the main consideration. Rather, the school will take into account teachers' recommendations and look into how suitable a student is for a more practice-based and hands-on education.

- CNA/ck

It's 'mix and mingle' at Crest Secondary School

2012-04-11T07:24:00.000+08:00

--The Straits Times, 11 April 2012--

An artist's impression of Crest Secondary School in Jurong East Street 24, which will admit 200 students next January. -- PHOTO: MINISTRY OF EDUCATION

The new school will give its students plenty of opportunities to mix with more academic youngsters, the Education Ministry said on Tuesday.

This is despite claims by some that separating children of different abilities can lead to segregation.

The ministry's director of planning, Dr Cheong Wei Yang, said it had taken note of the valid concerns raised by various members of the public and MPs.

However, he said specialised schools remain the best way to help students with different needs who could benefit from a customised curriculum.

Those not in favour of this approach include Dr Intan Azura Mokhtar. The Member of Parliament for Ang Mo Kio GRC said last year that the idea 'goes against the essence of inclusivity and integration in our society'.

More recently, Ms Denise Phua, who represents Moulmein-Kallang GRC, asked if it was 'healthy' for children of different abilities to be separated.

On Tuesday, Crest Secondary School principal Frederick Yeo listed some of the ways in which its students will 'mix and mingle' with their peers from other schools.

Commonwealth Secondary will help Crest with its Girl Guides group, while Raffles Institution has offered to help with the Scouts.

Sports and games will also be arranged with youngsters from Shuqun Secondary. 'So there will be no lack of integration opportunities for the students,' said Mr Yeo.

One of Crest's board members, Mrs Chua Yen Ching, said people had similar concerns about NorthLight school for less academic children, which turned out to be unfounded.

'It is important to provide a well-structured and long-term programme to integrate students,' she said. 'It cannot be a one-off thing.

'If the school succeeds in helping students do well, then people will see it as a worthwhile programme. The stigma will fade.'

Fellow board member Christopher Lee said: 'Between stigma and opportunity, I'll choose opportunity.'