Roping in public and private sectors

National University of Singapore campus. PHOTO: ST FILE

The National University of Singapore has set itself two goals: to ensure its students are career-ready and employable, and to work with private and public sector partners to deepen Singapore's research in the healthcare and smart nation sectors. Here are some of the initiatives it will be launching to achieve this.

• A life-skills programme that will focus on developing self-understanding in students, and help sharpen their communication, networking, and collaboration skills. Programmes to let students reflect on their own learning and nurture them to become leaders who coach and mentor other students.

• A new Institute for Application of Learning Science will aim to translate learning science into practice, and build better models for higher education.

• A School of Continuing and Lifelong Education will develop education courses in various disciplines such as engineering, languages, and food science and technology. Courses will be delivered online, with face-to-face discussions, and offer a mix of non-certificate and certificate programmes. The school will also work with industry players, professional bodies and foreign universities to design programmes in specific areas.

• The university will work with the National University Health Systems and Ministry of Health to create a more patient-focused healthcare system, which will allow patients to access care at home, using easy-to-use technology, under the supervision of a healthcare team.

• NUS is building a national cyber-security research and development laboratory, and establishing a cyber-security consortium. It is also setting up a data science institute to consolidate expertise in data analytics and optimisation.

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A version of this article appeared in the print edition of The Straits Times on October 28, 2015, with the headline Roping in public and private sectors. Subscribe