Singapore to develop 3 new tertiary institutes of excellence

Singapore to develop 3 new tertiary institutes of excellence
Posted: 19 May 2009 1158 hrs

	Photos 1 of 1 University student conducts research
	Related News • New university, institute to be set up to boost higher education • President Nathan says Singapore's well-prepared for financial crisis • President Nathan says govt's immediate priority is to see S'pore through crisis

SINGAPORE: Singapore is looking into developing three new institutes of excellence in the tertiary education sector – the Singapore Institute of Applied Technology, a new university in partnership with the prestigious Massachusetts Institute of Technology and a new medical school.

Education Minister Ng Eng Hen revealed these plans at a news conference on Tuesday.

Dr Ng said the Singapore Institute of Applied Technology will be set up as a distinct entity within the Education Ministry, which will be responsible for planning, managing and implementing degree programmes offered by foreign universities, in partnership with Singapore’s five polytechnics.

The new institute will work with the foreign universities to offer degree courses from 2011. These courses will be mostly conducted in the polytechnic campuses and the foreign universities will award the degrees in their own names.

There will be places for 2,000 full-time students and 1,500 part-time students yearly by 2015. The duration of full-time courses is likely to be two years, while part-time courses can be expected to take up to four years to complete.

Senior Minister of State for Education S Iswaran will act as adviser to the taskforce appointed to look into expanding upgrading opportunities for polytechnic graduates.

As for Singapore's new university in Changi, which will open its doors to students in 2011, it will have the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) as its partner.

The university will focus mainly on the disciplines of science, engineering, information systems and architecture, and aims to be a high-quality research-intensive university.

A core team of experienced professors from MIT will play the lead role in developing the curriculum and in teaching undergraduate students. It will have an undergraduate population of about 4,000 students and a significant number of postgraduate students.

As for the setting up of a new medical school in Singapore, the Education Ministry and Health Ministry have asked the Nanyang Technological University (NTU) to submit a proposal on it.

The university has formed an advisory panel, chaired by NTU president Dr Su Guaning, to advise it on the matter.


- CNA/so

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President S R Nathan: Political system must evolve

May 19, 2009
POLITICS
Political system must evolve
By Clarissa Oon

SINGAPORE'S political system is 'not set in stone' and must evolve in response to changing circumstances, President S R Nathan said last night.

In particular, it must resonate with the young. New leaders need to be found to connect with a new generation of Singaporeans, he added.

Like their predecessors, these younger leaders 'understand how Singapore works'.

What is different about them is that they 'bring with them fresh thinking and energy to set and achieve new goals', he said in his address at the opening of the second session of Parliament.

Coming at the end of a wide-ranging speech on the country's economic, social and political challenges, the President's remarks reflect a growing recognition that there are younger voters who are dissatisfied with the system, said MPs and political analysts.

Said assistant law professor Eugene Tan of the Singapore Management University: 'It gave me a sense that the Government recognises there could be pockets of Singaporeans who feel the political system is not responsive, not adaptive, or too authoritarian.'

Many who hanker for change are younger Singaporeans who want 'a lot more say' and 'greater involvement and participation in the political process', said Madam Halimah Yacob (Jurong GRC).

The need for the political system to evolve was first raised by Senior Minister Goh Chok Tong last July at a dinner in the opposition-held Hougang ward. He said the 'status quo cannot last forever', but added that any refinements to the system should not lead to division or chaos.

While the President's remarks last night are another sign that some re-tooling of the system is on the Government's agenda, they give nothing away as to what those tweaks might be.

One possible change is the size of group representation constituencies (GRCs), said Mr Inderjit Singh (Ang Mo Kio GRC).

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President S R Nathan: Importance of harmony

May 19, 2009
SOCIAL COHESION
Importance of harmony
By Kor Kian Beng

THREE recent events were highlighted by President S R Nathan yesterday when he underlined the importance of social cohesion.

These were: the outbreak of Influenza A (H1N1), the recapture of escaped terrorist leader Mas Selamat Kastari and the Aware takeover saga.

Mr Nathan said the need to strengthen social cohesion must go hand in hand with the push for economic growth.

'The challenging times will put stresses on our society and families, but Singapore must manage these stresses and meet the challenges as one people.

'We will then emerge from the current crisis stronger,' he said in his opening address of the second session of Parliament.

Describing new infectious diseases as a test of social cohesion, he said Singaporeans must respond to the H1N1 outbreak, 'just as rationally, vigorously and cohesively' as they did to Sars in 2003.

As for the recapture of Mas Selamat in Malaysia last month after his escape from detention here last year, President Nathan said it is a reminder that extremist terrorism not only threatens Singapore's security, but also its racial and religious harmony.

In the Aware saga, controversy was sparked when a group of Christians, many from the same church, took over the leadership of the Association of Women for Action and Research. There were heated debates on religion, secularism and homosexuality. The old guard later regained the helm.

The episode, said Mr Nathan, highlighted the need for all groups to practise tolerance, restraint and mutual respect to live peacefully in a multiracial, multi-religious society.

'This applies not just to religious groups venturing into the secular domain, but also to secular groups which want to strongly push their views and change our social norms,' he said.

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President Nathan: New strategies ahead

May 19, 2009

New strategies ahead

Basic approach sound, but some policies will be refined, says President

By Chua Mui Hoong, Senior Writer
		The Government's priority is helping Singaporeans cope with the economic crisis and a post-crisis world, noted President Nathan. -- ST PHOTO: LIM SIN THAI

SINGAPORE will refine some policies and come up with new strategies to help the country cope in a new world order, said President S R Nathan on Monday.

RELATED LINKS PRESIDENT'S SPEECH

It will seek new markets, for example, and develop new capabilities in emerging sectors of the economy.

In politics, the political system will evolve to keep pace with a changing world.

But the basic approach remains sound and has stood up well in this crisis, Mr Nathan said when addressing the new session of the 11th Parliament in a chamber packed with MPs, diplomats, and Establishment members.

As is customary, the President's opening address sets out the priorities of the Government for the legislative term.

Parliament was prorogued on April 13, meaning it went into recess, to let the Government and MPs take stock of events since the January 2006 opening of its first session.

Since then, Singapore has gone through a 'roller-coaster ride', Mr Nathan noted, with the global economic downturn and an impending flu pandemic.

Economic growth last year was 1 per cent, and is expected to decline by 6 per cent to 9 per cent this year.

The immediate priority is to tackle the crisis and help Singaporeans cope, and Mr Nathan reiterated the Government's strategy of helping companies stay viable to keep jobs.

He also gave the assurance that every worker and family will be helped: 'In this downturn, lower-income Singaporeans will not be left to fend for themselves. We must help every worker train and prepare for new jobs, and especially ensure that children from vulnerable families enjoy every opportunity to reach their full potential in education.'

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New university, institute to be set up to boost higher education

New university, institute to be set up to boost higher education
Posted: 18 May 2009 2217 hrs

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	Related News • President Nathan says Singapore's well-prepared for financial crisis • President Nathan says govt's immediate priority is to see S'pore through crisis

SINGAPORE: Singapore will set up a new institute to offer a more direct route for polytechnic graduates to get degrees. The institute will partner foreign universities that offer degree courses.

President S R Nathan said this in his opening address to the new session of Parliament on Monday.

Singapore will also set up a new university, in close partnership with one leading university each from the US and China.

"These two new institutions will open up more opportunities for students to upgrade themselves," said Mr Nathan when he touched on the need to strengthen Singapore's higher education to meet growing aspirations and to train the skilled professional and creative manpower the country will need.

He said: "Our aim is to have 30% of our students admitted to state-supported universities."

"Whether it is to promote economic growth, narrow the income gap or bond the next generation, education is key. Education is our best investment in Singapore's future.

"Our education system is designed to give each and every child the best opportunity to stretch his abilities. All our schools maintain high standards, and prepare our young to seize their own opportunities in a complex, dynamic and uncertain world.

"We will do better, by building more peaks of excellence, and establishing new pathways and programmes to cater to students with different aptitudes, interests and learning styles."

Meanwhile, Senior Minister of State for National Development & Education, Grace Fu, said: "It will be a very unique proposition for our students. I think it will be a great opportunity because in the future, I think it will be a combination of technology from the US plus the exposure to China that will be a very attractive proposition for students who are thinking of being exposed to the world."

Other Members of Parliament added that President Nathan's speech raised concerns that were timely with the current economic and social climate in Singapore.

They agree with Mr Nathan on issues such as education enhancements, economic restructuring and leadership renewal.

MP for Ang Mo Kio GRC, Inderjit Singh, said: "This does signal that we may change some of the things that we do. In my mind, one of the things that can change is the size of GRCs. Perhaps it's time we reduce the GRCs. This is what the public like to see done."

MP for Hong Kah GRC, Zaqy Mohamad, said: "This downturn has also showed how we are dependent on the US economy. So going forward do we still go ahead with the same strategy? I think it's a good call for us to relook the way we develop our economy and in our policies in that sense."

You can view the transcript of the President's speech here.


- CNA/ir

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