Prof Chua Kee Chaing, President of SIT
Distinguished guests
1. I am glad to join you at SIT's third Applied Learning Conference.
2. A warm welcome to all participants, including those who are dialing in to the conference.
Higher Education Must Evolve So That Our Workforce Stays Relevant Amidst Disruption
3. It is apt that the conference is themed "Embracing Change in an Era of Disruption". The economic disruptions brought about by the Fourth Industrial Revolution have been accelerated by the COVID-19 pandemic.
4. Against this backdrop, higher education is evolving from a knowledge-focused model to a competency-driven model, where curriculum design takes into account industry developments and needs, and work-relevant competencies are taught inside and outside the classroom. The objectives are to enable students and adult learners to develop skills and competencies for the workforce, and to instill a mindset of lifelong learning.
5. Applied learning incorporates interdisciplinary perspectives, and pushes students to practise their skills in different contexts in the classroom and workplace, and learn from tackling real-world problems.
6. In Singapore, applied learning has gained ground. SIT has pioneered applied learning pathways in the undergraduate space since 2009. It was the first Autonomous University to work with employers to offer work-study programmes that combine classroom and workplace learning. Since then, other Autonomous Universities have similarly infused more applied learning elements into their curricula as they recognise the value that this brings to students and industry.
7. SIT has broadened its applied learning pathways beyond its flagship Integrated Work-Study Programme. Last year, SIT launched competency-based workplace learning pathways for two degree programmes in infocommunications technology and land transport. These pathways allow adult learners to work and learn simultaneously, building on skills they have picked up from their work experience and applying new skills in the workplace. Such innovations better support adult learners who are keen to upgrade their skills through a degree while working.
Shaping Stronger Industry Collaborations to Facilitate Transfer of Skills from Industry to Learners
8. Applied learning can only be effective if there is a strong nexus between academia and industry. Both must work together to transfer the latest knowledge and skills from industry to the classroom in the shortest time possible.
9. This ensures that the course content remains up-to-date and students and adult learners are equipped with the skills and knowledge in sync with industry needs to boost their employability. Employers will then also have access to a strong and competitive talent pool that can support the growth of their businesses.
10. SIT has established a strong network of industry partners, including the Port of Singapore Authority and SMRT. The Memorandum of Understanding between SIT and Siemens which will be signed today is another step in this direction.
11. SIT and Siemens will work together to design and deliver a new degree specialisation in the Robotics Systems programme. It will equip graduates with Industry 4.0 capabilities in the advanced manufacturing sector. Students will alternate between spending their time in SIT and a company like Siemens, and work on projects supervised jointly by SIT and mentors from the company.
12. I commend our industry partners for their collaboration, and encourage our Institutes of Higher Learning to continue working closely with industry and employers locally and abroad. These partnerships across academia and industry will prepare our workforce for challenges of tomorrow.
Closing
13. Over the next two days, we will hear distinguished Singaporean and overseas speakers from Australia, Hong Kong, the United States and the United Kingdom share their latest insights and experiences on applied teaching and learning. Even while this conference is held virtually for the first time, I hope that conference participants and speakers will connect with each other, exchange ideas, keep in touch, and set the stage for future collaborations.
14. I wish all of you a fruitful and enriching conference.