Education

Review

NUS topped the scale as the university of choice of local junior college students in a survey conducted by the Straits Times (October 2004). The University received close to 33,000 applications for entry in the academic year under review. About 27 per cent were from international students who opted for a quality university education at NUS.

Changes made by NUS in recent years to attract key talents by offering an unique educational experience gathered momentum as the University prepares for its changeover to become a corporatised, autonomous body in 2006 when it will be empowered to build its own areas of strength to achieve peaks of excellence.

The year’s new cohort was the first to be admitted on a new admission policy designed to attract a wider spread of talent and diversity that will lead to a richer and more vibrant student body. A more qualitative and holistic evaluation, covering interests and achievements outside academic work, was applied in processing applications to better match students’ talents and passions with learning.

KEY CHANGES

Starting out with the making of dual offers to successful applicants under the new admission policy, the University announced in the year plans to introduce five-year double degree programmes from July 2005 onwards. Kicking off this revolutionary change in the curriculum will be a double honours degree programme in economics and law leading to a Bachelor of Social Sciences (Honours) as well as a Bachelor of
Laws (Honours). A double degree programme in physics and materials science and another in business administration and law are also on the drawing board.

In its continuous effort to raise the quality of its curriculum content, the University is cognisant of its commitment not only to provide students with a robust well-rounded education but also one that is relevant and responsive to market forces in the real world. It is with this in mind that the Information and Communications Management Programme at the Faculty of Arts& Social Sciences was revamped to become the Communications and New Media Programme to produce communications professionals skilled in the new media and able to facilitate Singapore’s vision of becoming a vibrant global media city.

Similarly, the Department of Materials Science was brought up to date with a name change to the Department of Materials Science and Engineering to better reflect its expansion of educational and research thrusts to include the engineering components of advanced materials.

NEW PROGRAMMES

Multi-disciplinary courses continued to be a strong suit in the University’s course offering. This is borne out by the School of Business with its line-up of graduate programmes designed to broaden intellectual horizons and enhance critical thinking. They include the inclusion of an inter-disciplinary component in its MBA programmes such as a Master of Business Administration with Specialisation in Real Estate and a Master of Business Administration with Specialisation in Healthcare. A five-year Co-Terminal Master of Science (Management) Programme will enable suitable candidates from other faculties to graduate with both a bachelor’s degree and a Master of Science in management.

NUS demonstrated once again in the year its translation of teaching excellence into innovative learning programmes. Preparations were put in place to introduce in the next academic year a Master of Science in financial engineering – the first graduate degree course to be offered entirely via distance learning to students outside of Singapore by a local academic institution.

NUS’ benchmark of excellence as a provider of quality education was raised in the year with the coming on stream of two flagship schools. The Lee Kuan Yew School of Public Policy (LKYSPP) will build on the University’s existing public policy programme with the Kennedy School of Government (Harvard University) and spearhead its present offering of master’s degree programmes in public policy and public management. It will also conduct high-impact executive programmes for top government officials in the region.

The NUS Graduate Medical School at Outram campus, a collaboration with Duke University, will make its mark with its niche offering of a four-year graduate programme to train doctors who will specialise in biomedical science research. In a move to align itself to the ethos and culture of Duke’s medical education, the Faculty of Medicine implemented in the year a Differentiated Track for Clinical Staff.

PLANNING AHEAD

In its evolvement to become a global university anchored on a dynamic learning environment that is full of buzz, NUS continues to be mindful of the need to attract the talented, the passionate and the motivated. The University spelt out in the year its admission criteria for 2008 in line with a new A-level curriculum that will be introduced in the local junior colleges in 2006. NUS will continue to use a University Score in its evaluation of applicants as well as give due consideration to their strengths and talents in both academic and non-academic fields, independent of their examination results.