Mr Willie Tan, Deputy Chairman, Ngee Ann Polytechnic Council,
Mr Lim Kok Kiang, Principal & CEO, Ngee Ann Polytechnic,
Ngee Ann Polytechnic Council Members,
Parents, family members,
Colleagues and Graduands,
1. Good afternoon. I'm indeed very happy to join you on this special day and very special occasion.
2. First, congratulations to the 361 graduates from NP's School of Design & Environment, also known as DE, and the institutional awards recipients from various schools. Congratulations everyone, on your well-deserved achievements!
3. Let us also give a round of applause to the family, friends and staff who have supported you during this journey that made this day possible.
4. I hear that NP is celebrating a remarkable milestone this year, its 60th anniversary, this year. Since its founding in 1963, NP has done an excellent job in preparing its students for the workforce and for further studies. I'd like to congratulate NP on a great 60 years. I am sure there are many more good years to come.
5. NP has differentiated itself in how it trains students in innovation and entrepreneurship. These qualities are especially important in our increasingly competitive, fast paced and fast changing world.
6. Innovation has and will remain a key engine for economic growth. During the pandemic, investments in innovations increased. Even with the uncertain economic outlook now, the continued development of new innovations, like ChatGPT, will change the way we work.
7. One emerging area which many of you will be familiar with is the green economy. Countries around the world, including Singapore, have been actively taking steps to build a sustainable future. With your industry-relevant skills and innovative thinking, you are well placed to transform existing industries and make them more sustainable. This will help us achieve our long-term climate and economic goals.
8. Today, we celebrate the graduation of the next generation of NP's innovators. When thinking about what advice would be most useful for our graduands today, I thought to share my own reflections on the 3 Cs which drive innovation, in the hopes that they will help you on your own innovation journey.
Innovation is driven by consistency
9. The first C, is that innovation is driven by consistency. Innovation is only possible with consistent effort. Consistent effort, not short bursts of brilliance, produces results.
10. Saffron, one of your cohort mates, is an excellent example of someone who keeps innovating. Saffron started developing new ideas from the moment she joined NP. At the IdeateCOMM challenge in 2020, Saffron developed and presented a solution to help dementia patients with their medication by providing caregivers with medication reminders on their mobile phones.
11. Saffron continued to innovate throughout her time at NP. During Saffron's internship at A*STAR's Institute of High-Performance Computing, she leveraged artificial intelligence technology to predict medication dosage errors. She wrote her own code to optimise data processing and improve the accuracy of machine learning models used.
12. It was Saffron's sustained efforts over the years which enabled her to create these ground-breaking innovations. Great work, Saffron!
13. Being consistent requires grit and resilience, something all of you have already demonstrated.
14. You can all take pride in being the polytechnic cohort who started school during the pandemic, and adapted to the changing restrictions. I know that it was not easy to learn new ways to connect and interact with your peers, while also dealing with a new learning environment. I know it was not easy.
15. Take for example, one of your fellow batchmates, Prakash. After completing his Nitec in Financial Services, Prakash enrolled in the Diploma in Real Estate Business. In his first year at NP, Prakash worked hard to adapt to a new school environment and form new bonds with his peers, all from across a screen as he adjusted to a home-based learning environment.
16. Determined to do well, Prakash pressed on with his efforts both in his studies and beyond. Prakash's willingness to go the extra mile and take on projects beyond his scope of work earned him a personal commendation from his internship supervisor. These qualities also served him well as the President of NP's football club. Well done, Prakash, for persevering in your NP journey.
17. I encourage you to apply this same consistency to learning. Innovation requires us to keep ahead of the latest trends. This means we will have to continue learning throughout life, constantly deepening and broadening our skills. Make the most of resources available to you, be it short courses, or stackable micro-credentials. By doing so, you will be able to continue innovating and creating value in an ever-changing job market.
18. As you embark on the next phase of your academic and professional lives, these values will serve you well. Do look back on your experiences at NP, and remind yourselves that you are capable of overcoming any challenges which come your way.
Innovation is driven by connection
19. Second, innovation is driven by connection.
20. With the rapid technological advancements today, innovation can no longer take place in silos. We need to harness the connections between cross-cutting skills and knowledge to come up with innovations that will make a difference.
21. Your time at NP has provided you with a strong base of interdisciplinary skills to innovate. Some of you might have been involved in NP's Personalised Learning Pathway, or PLP. Under the PLP, skills like data analytics and sustainability provide you with new perspectives to apply your skills and innovate, while skills like entrepreneurship provide you with the ability turn your ideas into sound business proposals.
22. I am confident that your cohort will have its share of promising innovators who understand the importance of drawing connections across multiple skillsets. Regina, who is graduating today with a Diploma in Design and a Minor in Entrepreneurship, is a fine example. A participant in the PLP, Regina co-founded Hey Buddy!, a one-stop digital service that guides potential pet owners in the adoption process. Regina, with the support of her PLP mentors, applied her design skills and entrepreneurship know-how to develop a business model and pitch her business plans to potential investors. Hey Buddy! is in the process of securing funding for their website and aims to launch by the end of the year. Regina's example shows how the integration of practical design skills and entrepreneurial skills help in innovation.
23. The connections we need to innovate also go beyond skills. We also need to build collaborations with others. Connecting with your peers provides you with a platform to discuss new ideas. Connecting with your seniors and other industry experts provides you with a wealth of experience to learn from. Connecting with your community provides you with the chance to create a meaningful change.
24. Take Zikri for example, who graduates today with a Diploma in Design. In his second year, Zikri had the opportunity to work with the Jalan Besar Town Council as part of a module assignment. He actively contributed his design skills to improve the well-being of others by co-designing a playground space at Jalan Besar. Zikri was also an active member of his school community. As President of the Designers of Tomorrow club, he organised DE's Design Week in 2022, to spread awareness about design. Zikri also founded the Student Architecture Group Enthusiasts, SAGE, which provided a platform for like-minded students in NP who were interested in architecture to come together to exchange ideas and resources. Well done, Zikri!
Innovation is driven by compassion
25. Third, innovation should be driven by compassion. The best innovations make a positive impact to our communities.
26. As you think about how you can create an impact to your community, remember that your community is diverse. There are members of your community who might have different needs, and who might need additional support. I encourage you to also think about how you can support these members of your community.
27. Vanessa, from the Diploma in Arts Business Management, and Cai Qian, from the Diploma in Design, are one example. They co-founded NP Supportify, which I understand is the first CCA across our polytechnics to enhance on-campus inclusivity and accessibility for students with Special Educational Needs, or SEN. Supportify organises many events to raise awareness of SEN on campus. For example, during Supportify's monthly 'Playlist Sessions', members come together to share their experiences and broaden their knowledge about SEN. Thanks to Supportify's efforts, the NP community is now more aware of how to advocate for persons with special needs.
28. Thank you, Vanessa and Cai Qian, for grounding your innovative ideas in compassion which have resulted in valuable contributions to the community. To all the graduands, as you graduate from NP today, it is my hope that you will exhibit compassion and find ways to give back to build a stronger and more inclusive society.
Closing
29. I am confident that your time in NP has developed you into an innovative and inquiring mindset which will bring you to even greater heights in the future. I hope that as you scale those peaks, you will remember to be consistent in your efforts, collaborate with others and exercise compassion.
30. Congratulations once again to all the Class of 2023! I wish you all the best in your future endeavours. Thank you.