THE Singapore Institute of Technology (SIT), which partners
overseas universities to offer degree courses to polytechnic
upgraders, could become Singapore's fifth university.
Minister of State for Education Lawrence Wong broached this
possibility yesterday as he briefed the media on a recent trip he
led to study the German university system.
Mr Wong, who heads a committee looking into providing more
university places for Singaporeans, said the trip further affirmed
the committee's thinking that if the country were to have another
university, it should be practice-oriented and closely linked to
industry. It should also offer programmes that combine work and
study.
Mr Wong said the 15-member panel had already indicated that SIT,
with its practical bent, could be a 'possible platform' for this
applied university model.
But it would have to be restructured as it does not award its own
degrees.
SIT, set up three years ago, has an enrolment of about 1,500. It
offers 24 degree programmes from 10 overseas schools such as the
Technical University of Munich and the University of Glasgow.
Mr Wong also gave an update on the committee's work that started in
August last year.
Since last October, the members have also visited Finland, France,
Hong Kong and the US.
He said the committee will submit its preliminary recommendations
next month to an international panel that advises the Government on
higher education.
The international panel, which includes top university
administrators, will hold its biennial meeting early next
month.
On this most recent study trip, Mr Wong and two members of the
committee - Professor Cheong Hee Kiat, president of SIM University,
and Mr Mohamed Faizal Mohamed Abdul Kadir, deputy senior state
counsel at the Attorney-General's Chambers - visited three applied
universities in Baden-Wurttemberg and Berlin.
Mr Wong said companies work closely with the applied universities
to shape the curriculum, which makes their graduates attractive to
these employers.
As a result, these schools were highly sought after. One he visited
had 15,000 applicants for a particular programme but only 1,500
were admitted.
Representatives of German engineering firm Festo told Mr Wong that
out of 10 engineers it hires, eight would come from an applied
university.
As the applied university model is markedly different from what is
currently offered in Singapore, Mr Wong said getting support will
be important.
The committee has held several focus group discussions with
students, parents and employers.
Students and parents generally welcomed the move to provide more
university places and the idea of an applied university. But poly
students said they would be less keen on a traditional three-year
university programme, and would rather get a degree in two years at
SIT or abroad.
Feedback from employers and companies has been positive, said Mr
Wong, but 'some will be more ready than others' for a work and
study programme.
About 27 per cent of the cohort now goes to publicly funded
universities and this rate is expected to reach 30 per cent by
2015.
