Singapore’s Higher Education Status Dependant On Diversifying Local Educational Capacity
Singapore achieves its enhanced higher education status by growing & diversifying local educational capacity: SMS Zainul
Speech by Mr. Zainul Abidin Rasheed, Senior Minister of State for Foreign Affairs and Mayor of North East Community Development Council, at official launch of NRU-WARWICK Double Masters Program, 03 November 2009 at Marina Mandarin Hotel, Singapore
Ambassador Desker,
Pro-Vice Chancellor Higgott
Distinguished Guests
Ladies and Gentlemen.
When Barry invited me to speak, I was delighted, for two reasons. First, because of my links with university education in Singapore and second, Warwick. I served on the Singapore University, The Joint SU/Nanyang Campus and NUS Councils for a combined ten dramatic years. I now serve the NUS Alumni Advisory Board.
I also would like to think as Editor of the Malay Language newspaper, Berita Harian, then had contributed to the evolution of the Nanyang University to Nanyang Technological Institute and then NTU. I will bore you with the details but I was one of those who disagreed with the closure of the NU then but we should preserve its historic name and convert it into an NTI, and hopefully NTU. Reality now is that NTU is one of our leading universities.
As for Warwick, of course I have heard of its well known established name and standing. That became even more meaningful to me, when my son graduated from its accounting and finance course, in 2005. I still remember Sufian’s and my family’s joy when we attended his graduation in Coventry. And more recently, last September, when I hosted the Egyptian Minister for Investment, Dr Mahout Michelin’s visit to Singapore, under the Middle East Eminent Persons Programme, I was happy to learn that he graduated with a PhD from Warwick in Finance. When I offered him a dinner plus shisha (the hubble bubble) in our Arab St tourist area, which he gladly accepted, I also had a friend, another PhD in Finance from Warwick, Dr Ameen Talib, to join him. Ameen owns a few Arab Restaurants in the area. Now you know the Warwick world-wide influence.
Now that I have also whetted your appetite, allow me to continue with my speech. I will make it quick as we all must be hungry.
It is my pleasure to be invited to speak at the official launch of the NTU-Warwick Double Masters Programme. From Singapore’s perspective, the degree represents another important milestone, not only in NTU’s pursuit of educational excellence, but also in Singapore’s policy-goal of partnering with world class universities; and Warwick suddenly lies in this category.
To begin, if I may, I would like to say few words on the priority that Singapore gives to education.
In 1965, when the Republic gained independence from Britain, there was little in the way of natural resources that could be exploited for the purposes of development. We were independent but underdeveloped. In the event, as we all know, Singapore prospered. It had the good fortune to have a visionary leader in Prime Minister Lee Kuan Yew and also, the country sat astride Asia’s principal transportation routes, which were expanding in unison with Asia’s rapidly growing economy. Dramatic development resulted, such that in just 44 years Singapore has transited from an underdeveloped state into one of the world’s most successful and dynamic economies. Singapore now enjoys a per capita income equivalent to, and in some cases exceeding, that of many European countries.
At the heart of this economic miracle was education. Education and economic advance have gone hand-in-hand, proving to be a positive and synergistic relationship. If you were now to step out of the Marina Mandarin Hotel the economic progress is clear for all to see. The modern buildings, high quality infrastructure, and excellent social amenities are the outputs from a long-term strategic vision, and, in no small measure, also, from the development of a national identity and social consensus.
Singapore’s development success has been achieved through remarkable advances in the country’s competitiveness. This is evidenced by a raft of positive international indicators.
For example:
- the prestigious World Economic Forum regularly places Singapore in the global top three of the world’s most competitive nations; the country being also the most competitive nation in Asia;
- Singapore possesses the best business environment and the third most network-ready economy in Asia;
- Singapore is ranked first in the world in terms of having the most open economy for trade and investment and ranked number two, globally, over the past 14 years, as possessing the best investment potential;
- Singapore is ranked second in the world in offering the best protection of intellectual property rights, is the least bureaucratic place for doing business in Asia, the second most transparent country in the world, and possessing the world’s third least corrupt economy;
- Singapore is also ranked third in the world in terms of possessing the most motivated workforce. It also offers the best skilled labour in Asia-Pacific, and represents the expatriate’s first choice amongst Asia’s economies.
These impressive rankings acknowledge the success of Singapore’s development model, and, without doubt, the country’s remarkable economic advance has primarily been achieved through raising the education capabilities of local labour. The country’s only resource has been, and continues to be, its people. Singapore’s investment in human capital represents a sine qua non for growth and development.
As with the broader economy, Singapore’s higher learning capacity has dramatically expanded. In 1965, Singapore had no universities; today, it has three publicly-funded universities (the National University of Singapore, Nanyang Technological University and the Singapore Management University) – and a fourth is under plan.
Moreover, NUS and NTU are world class universities, ranked amongst the top universities in the world by the Times Higher Education Supplement’s 2007 World Universities Ranking.
Singapore’s enhanced higher education status has been achieved by adopting an educational strategy aimed at growing and diversifying local educational capacity. A major conduit for expanding educational opportunity has been the promotion of teaching and research collaboration with reputable foreign universities. This has contributed to Singapore’s goal of giving local students the opportunity of learning about overseas countries, foreign business and intellectual systems, as well as exposing them to different cultural influences. Singapore’s target is for one third of its secondary and junior college students, and up to 15% of its tertiary students, to have at least one overseas experience.
The NTU-Warwick Double Masters Programme fits well into Singapore’s strategic human resource framework. At the Singapore end, NTU is a research-intensive university. It has a strong international reach, having academic and research partnerships with excellent foreign universities, such as MIT, Stanford and Cornell, in the US; Cambridge and Imperial in the UK; and Peking, Shanghai Jiao tong, Waseda, and the Indian Institute of Technology, in Asia.
Warwick, in turn, possesses an acknowledged reputation for excellence in research, teaching, innovation, and links with the business community. In the UK government’s 2008 Research Assessment Exercise, Warwick was rated 7th in the UK for research excellence, and in the National UK Media League Tables, it has been consistently ranked in the top 10 of the UK’s 120 plus universities.
Thus, unquestionably, the fusion of these two outstanding Asian and European universities makes obvious academic and business senses. Moreover, this collaborative vehicle, the NTU-Warwick Double Masters Programme, acts to reinforce a partnership that has already begun. Last month, October 2009, Prince Andrew witnessed a breakthrough agreement between NTU and Warwick in the field of neuroscience research, and I envisage there will be further joint ventures and partnership agreements in the future.
At this time, however, I am delighted to set the seal on this important double degree initiative. I wish to congratulate all those involved, from both universities, in bringing the discussions to a successful conclusion. I am certain that this Double Masters Programme will be a resounding success in the years to come.
With that, I formally launch the NTU-Warwick Double Masters Programme, the first intake commencing October 2010 at Warwick University.
Topics: education, enhanced higher education status, Governance, higher education, local educational capacity, North East Development Council, Singapore
Print This Article in Plain Text
|
|
Latest Headlines
- Osama Bin Laden Dead?
- Florida To Share $1 Billion For Gulf Coast Restoration Efforts
- Texas Prays For Rain During Extreme Drought Conditions
- Governor Christie Takes Action To Reduce Diesel Emissions, Improve Air Quality
- Governor McDonnell Outlines Draft Transportation Improvement Program
- Alaska Energy Bill Passes Legislature
- Illinois State Building Receives ENERGY STAR Award
- Homeland Security Begins Using National Terrorism Advisory System
- U.S. Outlines New Health Insurance Options For Graduating College Students
- Electrolux Expands In North Carolina, To Create 200 Jobs In Charlotte
- Virginia Storm Victims To Receive Tax Extension
- U.S. Expands Broadband Investment For Rural Areas To Accelerate Job Creation
- U.S. To Invest $130 Million For Advanced Energy Research
- Michigan Passes “I’m Sorry” Bill
- Kentucky Sells Two State Aircraft To Save Taxpayer Dollars
