Singapore Institute of Technology

Singapore Institute of Technology
Motto	"Bringing the World to You"
Established	28 December 2009
Type	National University Public
President	Professor Tan Chin Tiong
Undergraduates	2300
Location	City Hall, Singapore 1°17′25″N 103°50′58″E
Campus	Distributed Campus
Colors	Red, black, white
Affiliations	Digipen Institute of Technology, University of Glasgow, The University of Manchester, University of Newcastle upon Tyne, Technical University Munich, The Culinary Institute of America, University of Nevada, Las Vegas
Website	singaporetech.edu.sg

Singapore Institute of Technology
Chinese name
Traditional Chinese	新加坡科技學院
Simplified Chinese	新加坡科技学院
Transcriptions Mandarin - Hanyu Pinyin xīnjiāpō kējì xuéyuàn
Malay name
Malay	Institut Teknologi Singapura
Tamil name
Tamil	தொழில்நுட்ப சிங்கப்பூர் நிறுவனம்

Singapore Institute of Technology (abbreviation: SIT) is a publicly funded institute of higher learning in Singapore that caters primarily to local polytechnic graduates who wish to pursue a bachelor's degree. Established in 2009, it is the only publicly funded tertiary institution in Singapore that brings together reputable overseas university partners from around the world such as from USA and Europe, with the goal of giving its students a range of quality industry-focused degree programmes.

Through active collaboration with SIT's overseas university partners, along with the 5 local polytechnics, SIT offers specialised degree programmes in Engineering and Applied Sciences, Health Sciences, Design, Interactive Digital Media and Hospitality to meet the demand for qualified professionals in these growing industries.

The institute's main office is currently located at 25 North Bridge Road, EFG Bank Building which is directly opposite the Parliament House. The main office deals with student matters, undergraduate admission matters, financial aid, scholarships and pre-matriculated students.

History

Beginnings

The logo used at the foundation of the institute in 2009

The Polytechnic-Foreign Specialised Institutions (Poly-FSI) initiative was introduced by the Ministry of Education in 2005. Its aim was to encourage polytechnics to partner with overseas universities to offer degree programmes in niche areas such as Naval Architecture by University of Newcastle upon Tyne at Ngee Ann Polytechnic.

In 2007, a key recommendation of the Committee on the Expansion of the University Sector (CEUS) called for an expansion of the Poly-FSI initiative. The aim was to increase opportunities for students to obtain industry-relevant, reputable degrees and also ensure the continued relevance of polytechnic education.

A task force was formed, comprising polytechnic principals and representatives from Ministry of Education (MOE), Ministry of Manpower (MOM) and the Economic Development Board (EDB) to explore the feasibility of a new model that built upon the Poly-FSI initiative. The task force visited selected universities and specialised institutions in USA, UK and Australia. It also held focus group discussions with various stakeholders such as polytechnic students and alumni, their parents, economic agencies and relevant industry players. Their findings supported the establishment of a dedicated publicly funded institute that would bring in overseas university partners to Singapore. In April 2009, the concept of the Singapore Institute of Applied Technology (SIAT) was first mooted by the task force to the Ministry of Education (MOE) . About a month later, Singapore Institute of Applied Technology was officially renamed to Singapore Institute of Technology.

Establishment

The establishment of SIT was announced in May 2009 by Dr Ng Eng Hen, then Minister for Education and Second Minister for Defence. SIT was tasked with planning, managing and implementing degree programmes offered by reputable overseas universities in partnership with the 5 polytechnics in Singapore. This tripartite collaboration offers a unique model that will not only increase the number of publicly funded university places for Singaporeans but also offer them many more choices of study.

In 26 August 2012, Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong formally announced that SIT will be Singapore's fifth Autonomous University (AU).The new SIT will be a “best-in-class” institution that is different in character but equal in status to the existing Autonomous Universities (NUS, NTU, SMU, SUTD).

This would in turn increase the number of university places by 3000. By the year 2020, 40 per cent of each school-going cohort will be able to have a university education, higher than the current 27 per cent.

Education Model

SIT primarily provides polytechnic graduates access to an industry-focused university education by partnering the local polytechnics and reputable overseas universities. SIT's aim is to groom in-demand graduates to spur Singapore's growth sectors. To do this effectively, SIT is constantly in active engagement with:

Government Ministries and Agencies

SIT’s specialised programmes are guided by government ministries such as the Ministry of Education, the Ministry of Health, the Ministry of Information, Communications and the Arts and government agencies like the Singapore Economic Development Board and the Media Development Authority.

SIT offers degree programmes in the fields of Engineering & Applied Sciences, Health Sciences, Interactive Digital Media, Design, Education and Hospitality.

These are key areas that have been identified to require more trained manpower and are aligned to the applied and practice-oriented learning approach of the polytechnics.

Industry partners

SIT works in close consultation with industry partners in respective fields, to ensure that all of SIT's programmes are relevant.

Reputable Overseas University partners

Currently, SIT's overseas university partners include Newcastle University (NU), Technical University of Munich (TUM), University of Glasgow (UOG), Trinity College Dublin (TCD), The University of Manchester (UOM), The Glasgow School of Art (GSA), DigiPen Institute of Technology (DigiPen), Wheelock College (WLC), The Culinary Institute of America (CIA) and University of Nevada, Las Vegas (UNLV).

Polytechnics

SIT works closely with all the polytechnics (SP, NP, TP, NYP and RP) to build on their strengths, reputation and utilising their existing infrastructure. SIT also enhances the polytechnics’ capabilities through faculty training and by conducting applied R&D projects.

Academics

'Campus-Blind' degrees

All the overseas university degree programmes offered by SIT are campus-blind. This means that all SIT students receive exactly the same degree (with no difference in quality) as their overseas counterparts in the home campuses. Academic staff from the overseas university are flown in to teach core lectures and tutorials with the support of local adjunct academic staff. As part of the programme, every SIT student is required to take part in a 3–6-week overseas immersion programme at the respective overseas university partner's home campus.

Admission

All shortlisted candidates by SIT go through an interview with a panel composed of senior representatives from SIT and the respective overseas university partner. Depending on the programme, candidates may have to take a series of technical tests or present a portfolio of their past work. Generally, candidates are fielded a range of broad questions as well as specific ones related to their interests and past work experience (where applicable).

Assessment for admission

SIT adopts a holistic approach in assessing applicants for admission by considering the following criteria:

• A good polytechnic diploma from one of the 5 local polytechnics
• Applicants with NAFA, LaSalle, GCE ‘A’ level certification or equivalent may also apply (for selected degree programmes only)
• GCE A-Level certificate or equivalent (for International Students)
• Work experiences/Internships
• Interview performance

SIT accepts applications from polytechnic graduates who were not offered the Singapore-Cambridge GCE O-Levels and have come through other forms of secondary or post-secondary education.

Programme duration

SIT students receive advanced standing from the overseas university partners as most of the applicants have received prior relevant education in polytechnic. This allows full-time students to finish a full-length degree programme in a span of 2 or 2.5 years instead of between 3 to 4 years.

Scholarships and industry sponsorships

SIT’s industry partners and the Singapore government have further strengthened their commitment to SIT by offering scholarships and sponsorships to 12% of its first intake of 500 students.

SIT’s industry-focused programmes have garnered strong support from a wide network of industry partners and the government in the form of industry sponsorships and scholarships . These organisations include Sembcorp Marine Limited, Keppel Offshore & Marine Limited, Media Development Authority of Singapore, Far East Organization, Fairmont Singapore & Swissôtel The Stamford, Agri-Food & Veterinary Authority of Singapore and ST Engineering.

In addition to industry sponsorships, SIT students can also apply for other scholarships open to undergraduates who are Singapore Citizens or Permanent Residents as long as they meet the respective prerequisites. Some of the scholarships are Lee Hsien Loong Award for Outstanding All-Round Achievement, Lee Kuan Yew Scholarship To Encourage Upgrading (LKY-STEP) Award and University Engineering Scholarship.

SIT also award 2 types of scholarships to deserving local and international students. There are in a total of 25 government scholarships and industry partners' sponsorships.

Overseas university partners and degree programmes

Engineering & Applied Sciences

Engineering & Applied Sciences is one of the most rapidly evolving fields with new multi- and inter-disciplinary sectors emerging. With such rapid development, the industry is always in need of qualified engineers who can think, plan, design and communicate effectively in challenging inter-disciplinary projects.

In Singapore, there is a high demand for new graduates in many disciplines including Marine Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Chemical Engineering, Mechanical Engineering and Precision Engineering.

SIT currently has 12-degree programmes in Engineering & Applied Sciences offered by 3 overseas universities – Newcastle University, Technische Universität München (Technical University of Munich) and University of Glasgow.

Newcastle University

Newcastle University, The Herschel Building, home to the nanoLab, the School of Mathematics and Statistics, and the School of Chemical Engineering and Advanced Materials.

Tracing its origins back to 1834, Newcastle University (NU), located in Newcastle upon Tyne, has an enviable record for the quality of its teaching and the preparedness of its graduates to start their professional careers. It is a member of the distinguished Russell Group, comprising the United Kingdom's 20 leading research-intensive universities. NU is one of the UK's most reputable Higher Education institutions, acclaimed for teaching excellence and multidisciplinary research.

• Bachelor of Engineering with Honours in Chemical Engineering
• Bachelor of Science with Honours in Food & Human Nutrition
• Bachelor of Engineering with Honours in Marine Engineering
• Bachelor of Engineering with Honours in Naval Architecture
• Bachelor of Engineering with Honours in Offshore Engineering
• Bachelor of Engineering with Honours in Mechanical Design and Manufacturing Engineering

Technische Universität München (Technical University Munich)

With an illustrious history dating back to 1868, TUM remains one of the foremost academic institutions in the world. It is known for combining scientific intellect with a keen entrepreneurial mindset – a philosophy which has results in the university winning a number of prestigious accolades, including 13 Nobel Laureates.

• Bachelor of Science in Chemical Engineering
• Bachelor of Science in Electrical Engineering & Information Technology

University of Glasgow

The Main Building of the University of Glasgow, viewed from Kelvingrove Park

Founded in 1451, the University of Glasgow (UOG) is the fourth-oldest university in the English-speaking world and is in the top 1% of universities in the world. UOG is a member of the distinguished Russell Group, comprising the United Kingdom's 20 leading research-intensive universities, and is also a founding member of Universitas 21 – a network of universities established as an international reference point and resource for strategic thinking on issues of global significance. UOG's students graduate equipped with the skills they need to compete in a global workplace, and with friendships and networks that last a lifetime.

• Bachelor of Engineering with Honours in Aeronautical Engineering
• Bachelor of Engineering with Honours in Aerospace Systems
• Bachelor of Engineering with Honours in Mechanical Design Engineering
• Bachelor of Engineering with Honours in Mechatronics

Health Sciences

Healthcare professionals such as occupational therapists, physiotherapists, speech therapists, diagnostic radiographers and nurses are in demand in hospitals, clinics and step-down care facilities like nursing homes across the world.

This is also true in Singapore where a rapidly ageing population and rising healthcare expectations have resulted in an increase in the demand for healthcare professionals.

Trinity College Dublin

Trinity College Dublin (TCD) boasts a history that dates back to 1592. As Ireland's oldest and sole constituent college of the University of Dublin, TCD is recognised internationally today, as a premier university and research centre in Ireland. TCD also shares industrial ties with the National Institute of Health (NIH) in Washington DC, the Dresden Centre for Radiation Research in Oncology and other prominent health organisations.

• Bachelor in Science (Occupational Therapy)
• Bachelor in Science (Physiotherapy)

University of Manchester

University of Manchester, The Old Quadrangle

The University of Manchester is one of the United Kingdom's top universities and is a member of the distinguished Russell Group that comprises the UK's 20 leading research-intensive universities. It counts 25 Nobel Laureates among its former students, former and current staff. The University of Manchester was the first university in England to introduce a Nursing degree and remains one of the UK's finest health sciences education institutions, producing many national and international leaders for nursing practice, research, education and policy.

• Bachelor of Science with Honours in Nursing Practice

Design

In Singapore, the power and influence of Design and the vibrancy of the Design sector are gaining attention. A number of initiatives at the national level has been put in place to encourage the development of Singapore into a thriving Design city and a global node for the exchange of creative ideas and solutions.

Glasgow School of Art

Founded in 1845 as a government School of Design, The Glasgow School of Art (GSA) is one of Europe's leading higher education institutions for creative education and research in design, fine art and architecture. A GSA education is practice based, face-to-face, professionally oriented and socially engaged – Design Week magazine placed the GSA into its "Hot 50" list as a Global Leader in its field, demonstrating their commitment to the development of design education, practice an research at the very highest levels. Students may choose to study degree programmes in Communication Design or Interior Design in Singapore.

• Bachelor of Arts with Honours in Communication Design
• Bachelor of Arts with Honours in Interior Design

Interactive digital media

Interactive digital media is one of the fastest growing sectors in the Singapore economy. Covering online media, special effects, computer games, animation, broadcasting, film and video, publishing and music, this sector is strongly supported by the Singapore government as a key driver of economic growth.

Design is recognised as an important part of product creation because it can transform an everyday product into a unique and meaningful experience. The Singapore government has a number of initiatives in place to turn Singapore into a thriving Design city where creative ideas and solutions are exchanged.

Digipen Institute of Technology

As the first school in the world to offer a bachelor's degree in video game development, DigiPen Institute of Technology (DigiPen) is a pioneer and global leader in the field of interactive digital media education. Its campus is located in Redmond, Washington, best known as the home of Microsoft and Nintendo of America. DigiPen has earned a reputation for cultivating exceptional programmers, designers and artists who are ready to face the challenges of creating leading-edge software and entertainment media for a demanding consumer audience.

• Bachelor of Science in Computer Science in Real-Time Interactive Simulation
• Bachelor of Science in Game Design
• Bachelor of Fine Arts in Production Animation
• Bachelor of Arts in Game Design

Education

More than just imparting skills and knowledge to the next generation, being an educator is a profession with immense career options, professional development, and personal accomplishments.

Wheelock College

Since 1888, Wheelock College (WLC) of Boston, USA, has sought to provide a transformational education to students who are passionate about making the world a better place, with a special emphasis on preparing its learners to teach, mentor and nurture young children and their families. The Wheelock degree balances the need to incorporate both theory and the development of real-life skills into its curriculum, leading its graduates to become skilful practitioners and leaders in the profession of Early Childhood Education. Its broad-based, globally-focused degree provides a distinctly interactive classroom experience for its students, with many of the modules co-taught by experienced Boston and Singapore instructors

• Bachelor of Science in Early Childhood Education

Hospitality

The hospitality industry consists of broad category of fields within the service industry that includes lodging, restaurants, event planning, theme parks, transportation, cruise line, and additional fields within the tourism industry. The hospitality industry is a several billion dollar industry that mostly depends on the availability of leisure time and disposable income. A hospitality unit such as a restaurant, hotel, or even an amusement park consists of multiple groups such as facility maintenance, direct operations (servers, housekeepers, porters, kitchen workers, bartenders, etc.), management, marketing, and human resources.

The hospitality industry covers a wide range of organisations offering food service and accommodation. The industry is divided into sectors according to the skill-sets required for the work involved. Sectors include accommodation, food and beverage, meeting and events, gaming, entertainment and recreation, tourism services, and visitor information.

Singapore's efforts to promote itself as an attractive lifestyle destination, such as through the development of the Integrated Resorts and the Formula One Singapore Grand Prix, have also resulted in an increase in demand for hospitality professionals.

The Culinary Institute of America

CIA campus in Hyde Park: Roth Hall (left) and the Colavita Center for Italian Food and Wine

Since its establishment in 1946, The Culinary Institute of America (CIA) has been the global benchmark for culinary education. Its proven programmes have seen it produce over 43,000 culinary professionals, among whom are top chefs such as Anthony Bourdain, Cat Cora and Roy Yamaguchi. The historic SIT-CIA partnership marks the first time that the CIA is offering its programmes in Asia.

• Bachelor of Professional Studies in Culinary Arts Management

University of Nevada, Las Vegas

Founded in 1957, University of Nevada, Las Vegas (UNLV) offers more than 220 undergraduate, graduate and professional degree programmes. It is a public, research-intensive and fully accredited institution with about 28,000 students and some 1,800 faculty and staff at its 350-acre main campus, located within view of the famous 'Las Vegas Strip' resort corridor. UNLV's William F. Harrah College of Hotel Administration has been granting the US Bachelor of Science in Hotel Administration in Singapore at its facility in the National Library Building since 2006. Graduates obtain the knowledge to begin their careers in the hospitality-related sector, and also gain the general skills to move into responsible positions in other industries or to further their studies toward an advanced degree, such as an M.S., M.B.A., J.D. or PhD

• Bachelor of Science in Hotel Administration

Faculty

Currently, the SIT faculty comprises teaching staff from the 7 overseas university partners, as well as staff recruited from the various polytechnics. SIT also intends to develop and hire its own academic staff to eventually make up about half of its total faculty strength.

SIT's distributed campuses

SIT education model is a tripartite collaboration between the various overseas university partners, polytechnics and SIT. SIT's students will attend their lessons in any of the 5 polytechnics or the overseas university partners' sister campuses.

Nanyang Polytechnic

Nanyang Polytechnic

• Newcastle University – Bachelor of Science with Honours in Food & Human Nutrition
• Newcastle University – Bachelor of Engineering with Honours in Mechanical Design and Manufacturing Engineering
• University of Manchester – Bachelor of Science with Honours in Nursing Practice
• Trinity College of Dublin – Bachelor in Science (Occupational Therapy)
• Trinity College of Dublin – Bachelor in Science (Physiotheraphy)

Singapore Polytechnic, School of Chemical and Life Sciences

Ngee Ann Polytechnic

• Newcastle University – Bachelor of Engineering with Honours in Chemical Engineering
• Newcastle University – Bachelor of Engineering with Honours in Marine Engineering
• Newcastle University – Bachelor of Engineering with Honours in Naval Architecture
• Newcastle University – Bachelor of Engineering with Honours in Offshore Engineering
• University of Glasgow – Bachelor of Engineering with Honours in Mechanical Design Engineering
• University of Glasgow – Bachelor of Engineering with Honours in Mechatronics

Singapore Polytechnic

• Technical University Munich – Bachelor of Science in Chemical Engineering
• Technical University Munich – Bachelor of Science in Electrical Engineering & Information Technology
• University of Glasgow – Bachelor of Engineering with Honours in Aeronautical Engineering
• University of Glasgow – Bachelor of Engineering with Honours in Aerospace Systems

Temasek Polytechnic

• The Glasgow School of Art – Bachelor of Arts with Honours in Communication Design Studies
• The Glasgow School of Art – Bachelor of Arts with Honours in Communication Design
• The Culinary Institute of America – Bachelor of Professional Studies in Culinary Arts Management

National Library Building

PIXEL Building

Digipen Institute of Technology sister campus is located at PIXEL Building, One-North 10 Central Exchange Green, occupies the first two levels of a 3-story building. All faculty are held under the same building.

• Bachelor of Science in Game Design
• Bachelor of Science in Real-Time Interactive Simulation
• Bachelor of Fine Arts in Digital Art and Animation
• Bachelor of Arts in Game Design

National Library of Singapore

In 2006, UNLV opened its first international campus in Singapore. The UNLV Singapore campus is housed on the 10th and 11th floors of the National Library of Singapore, a prestigious building comparable to the United States Library of Congress.

• Bachelor of Science in Hotel Administration

Research agenda

SIT will support industries in Singapore by establishing Technology and Innovation Centres (TIC). The TICs will conduct applied research and leverage on the strengths of the overseas universities, polytechnics and SIT. SIT also aims to nurture a pool of local research talent.

Future plans

SIT will become Singapore’s fifth autonomous university to pioneer the distinct, applied degree pathway. SIT is well-positioned for this. It currently offers a number of programmes with a strong applied element in partnership with overseas universities, such as in engineering, allied health, early childhood education, culinary arts and digital animation. SIT has also forged close links with industry. In 2011, there were 34 industry partners sponsoring scholarships for 12% of its students in various disciplines.

As a university, SIT will start to award degrees in its own name. SIT will also explore offering joint and dual degrees with our overseas university partners. The other initiative that SIT will implement is a Cooperative Education Programme where students will undergo a "work-study-work" model as part of their core academic requirements.

The new SIT will be a "best-in-class" institution that is equal in status to the existing AUs, yet different in character. It will augment the options available in our higher education landscape, and produce a different type of graduate to meet the diverse needs of our economy.

See also

• National University of Singapore
• Nanyang Technological University
• Singapore Management University
• Singapore University of Technology and Design
• SIM University
• List of universities in Singapore
• University of Glasgow
• Newcastle University
• Technical University Munich
• University of Manchester
• DigiPen Institute of Technology
• The Culinary Institute of America
• University of Nevada, Las Vegas

External links

• Singapore Institute of Technology