Nanyang Technological University

Nanyang Technological University (NTU) is located in the south- western part of the country some 25 km from the city centre on a 200 hectare campus in Jurong. This is the Yunnan Garden Campus. The original part of the campus was built in 1986, and the campus buildings are laid out on a master plan drawn up by world famous architect Kenzo Tange.

The NTU campus is well-equipped with modern facilities for teaching and research. Members of the University community study and work in state-of-the art and well-equipped laboratories, lecture theatres and tutorial rooms. Video-conferencing facilities are increasingly being used. Seminars and lectures are supported by facilities that allow multi-media presentations and simultaneous communciation between different lecture theatres and venues.

Staff and students live in comfortable quarters and residential halls and have access to an exciting range of leisure and recreational facilities.  

The University is also actively pushing many applications onto the World Wide Web. The University is connected to the Internet and all the facilities and resources available over the Internet are accessible by anyone on the campus network. The large campus network which links together all computing systems on the campus is managed by the University's Centre for IT Services (CITS). To supplement the fixed line campus network, NTU has implemented a campus-wide wireless network. This high-speed wireless network capable of up to 11 megabytes per second enable NTU staff and students equipped with mobile devices such as notebooks, PCs and PDAs to access all networked services from practically anywhere on the campus such as lecture theatres, academic complexes, canteens, libraries without the need of network wire.

NTU was established by an Act of Parliament on 1st July 1991. It has its origin in the former Nanyang Technological Institute (NTI) which was set up in August 1981 with the primary function of providing facilities for tertiary education and research in various branches of engineering and technology. It occupies the beautiful campus of the Nanyang University in Jurong. "Nantah", it's abbreviated name, was later merged with the University of Singapore to become the National University of Singapore (NUS) in 1980. At that time, NTI was to be part of NUS in all academic matters, while in all other respects it would be independent. Planted on "Nanyang" soil it is conceivable that NTU looks toward strengthening its affiliation with the alumni of Nantah. In 1996, the alumni roll of some 12,000 Nantah graduates was transferred from NUS to NTU. A fusion of spirits of old Nantah and NTU will evolve to bring us forth to meet the challenges of the future.

NTI admitted its first batch of 582 engineering students in July 1982. As the Institute developed, courses other than engineering were offered over the years -- Accountancy (1987), Business, Computer Engineering (1989), Materials Engineering, Arts with Diploma in Education, Science with Diploma in Education (1991), Communciation Studies (1993) and Biological Sciences (2002).

On 1st July 1991, NTI was reconstituted, incorporating the National Institute of Education (NIE). It was renamed Nanyang Technological University (NTU) and empowered to award its own degrees. It is a comprehensive University designed to meet the manpower needs of the nation and the region. Degrees awarded by NTU are recognised by the relevant professional institutions both locally and internationally.

NTU aims at becoming a university withgeneral academic excellence and niches of international eminence. Its mission is to train leaders, professionals and entrepreneurs for Singapore and the region and to advance research and development in both the academic and professional disciplines.

History teaches us that no matter how distinguished an institution may be, its future is never guaranteed. If NTU wishes to continue to occupy a position of leadership in the world of learning, we need to deploy our human, physical and financial assets in a manner which meets the future's needs, not yesterday's.

Having developed from a small engineering institute into a premier university for industry and business over the past 20 years, NTU is now repositioning itself for the knowledge-based economy and to surmount the challenges of new knowledge revolutions, including the life sciences revolution. New initiatives are adopted to provide the necessary impetus to propel NTU in becoming a University of Global Significance and Excellence in the 21st Century

At NTU, we take a pragmatic approach in striving to make each course practice-oriented and directed at professional careers. This helps to ensure that our graduates will always by an asset to any organisation.

UNDERGRADUATE STUDIES

The courses are conducted on an Academic Unit System which incorporates the best features of the American credit system and the traditional British system. The Academic Unit System enables students to maximise their learning experience and progress at an appropriate pace while maintaining high academic standards.

The academic year is divided into two semesters of 16 weeks each with a 10-week vacation following each semester. There is an inter-semestral session of 6 weeks between Semester 1 and Semester 2. Practical programmes of Industrial Attachment for Engineering students and Professional Attachment for Accountancy and Business students are conducted in Semester 2. The Professional Internship for Communication Studies is in Semester 1 of the final year.

There is only one freshmen intake every year in July. Applications for admission are open in late February for candidates with Polytechnic qualification and early March for candidates with 'A' level qualification. Singaporean students normally offer the Singapore-Cambridge GCE Advanced Level Certificate or a relevant diploma from any of the polytechnics in Singapore as the basis for admission. For the former, students must have attained, at one and the same sitting, passes in at least 2 subjects at the advanced level. The General Paper must have been offered in the same sitting. Students must also have read the second language at least at 'AO' level.

The University welcomes international students as they contribute to a varied and vibrant university life which is essential in preparing students for a global economy.

The Office of Admissions provides detailed information including academic year, fees and financial assistance schemes on Undergraduate Admission for both Singaporeans and international students.

GRADUATE STUDIES

The University offers programmes for postgraduate studies by coursework & dissertation as well as by research.  Higher degree studies by research lead to the degrees of Master and Doctor of Philosophy. Some of these programmes may be conducted full-time or part-time. Graduate diplomas are also offered.

The National Institute of Education also conducts diploma, postgraduate diploma and other teacher education and educational administration courses, and various types of courses for initial teacher training are offered.