Speech by Minister Chan Chun Sing at the SMU Education Leaders' Symposium

Colleagues and guests

A very good afternoon to all of you.

1. It is my pleasure to speak to you today ahead of the fifth edition of the SMU Education Leaders' Symposium.

2. As leaders, many of you play key roles in preparing students and graduates for a constantly and rapidly changing world.

1. As educators and administrators, we cannot remain static. We will need to adapt our teaching and learning styles.
2. This will help us to nurture agile and resilient learners who are able to navigate complexity in an increasingly connected, yet polarised world.

3. To do this, we will have to embrace two imperatives:

1. First, a shift towards greater emphasis on interdisciplinary learning; and
2. Second, striking the right balance between breadth and depth in curricula.

4. Many of the world's ongoing challenges, opportunities, and innovations – from sustainable living to digital financing – now occur at the nexus of different domains and industries.

5. Deep technical competence alone will not be sufficient to solve complex real-world challenges that increasingly cut across disciplinary boundaries.

1. For example, tackling sustainability challenges will require solutions which minimise impact on the environment, while maximising economic and social benefits.
2. Addressing these problems often require individuals with different domains of expertise to work together in multidisciplinary teams.

6. A greater emphasis on multidisciplinary and interdisciplinary learning will help learners to better integrate domain knowledge across fields. They will also be able to apply different perspectives when working with others of different specialisations. This will give our learners a competitive edge in problem-solving.

7. However, this does not mean we should discourage subject specialisation. This brings me to my second point on striking the right balance between breadth and depth in curricula.

8. Even as we expose students to multidisciplinary and interdisciplinary learning experiences, it remains important for students to develop strong foundations and hone domain-specific knowledge.

9. In this regard, the right balance of breadth and depth is needed for students to acquire an appropriate depth of skills and expertise. This is especially so in sectors where such knowledge is critical.

10. The mix of breadth and depth should not be the same for all students. This balance should consider two factors:

1. First, we will need to provide students flexibility to explore their areas of interest. At the same time, we should ensure sufficient depth of exposure within each discipline.
2. Second, students should be encouraged to pursue their desired mode of study, according to their strengths and learner profiles.
   1. For example, students who possess strong abilities to integrate knowledge across multiple disciplines can benefit from programmes that are more interdisciplinary.
   2. On the other hand, students who discover singular strengths in specific disciplines can specialise in disciplines that are more focused.

11. SMU's College of Integrative Studies, or CIS, is a good example of a college focused on interdisciplinary learning while maintaining flexibility and balance in the breadth and depth of its curricula. I am pleased to note that today also marks the launch of the CIS.

12. The new college redefines university education in SMU with a modern, integrative lens, to equip graduates to contribute uniquely to the frontier industries of tomorrow.

1. CIS offers a self-directed learning experience that allows students to customise their majors, selecting from the full suite of courses on offer across SMU.
2. I believe this provides students the flexibility to explore their areas of interest and take time to understand their strengths before deciding on their eventual course of study.
3. CIS students will learn to connect ideas and perspectives and find fresh solutions to address industry or societal challenges, while picking the courses and disciplines which are relevant.

13. The launch of the CIS is a milestone in SMU's journey in interdisciplinary education, and I look forward to seeing how SMU will continue to innovate in this area just as it has in many others.

14. To conclude, I encourage all education leaders to think about how we can adapt and introduce new ways of teaching and learning to prepare our students for the future. This symposium provides a platform to exchange perspectives and ideas.

15. I wish you all a fruitful discussion, and congratulations once again to SMU on the launch of the College of Integrative Studies.

16. Thank you.