Highlights of the Year

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May 2023

• NP launched an Industry-in-Curriculum (IiC) framework to enable a third of the curriculum to be co-developed, co-delivered, and co-assessed by industry professionals by 2024. The launch took place in conjunction with NP’s Industry Partners Appreciation Day which was graced by Minister for Education Mr Chan Chun Sing. The IiC will equip students with in-demand skills and industry-validated competencies. Students will also benefit from internships and multi-disciplinary projects that focus on industry-relevant training. One novel initiative under this framework is 'Wednesdays Without Walls', which provides the space for students from different diploma courses, together with staff and industry partners, to work on real-world multidisciplinary projects.
  
  

• NP announced an Amazon Web Services (AWS) collaboration that offers over 500 School of InfoComm Technology (ICT) students the opportunity to pursue industry-recognised certification through AWS Training and Certification programs. NP also launched a cloud computing specialisation to equip Diploma in Information Technology, Cybersecurity & Digital Forensics, and Data Science students with skills in cloud computing, data science, and cloud-native technologies. This specialisation enables ICT students to pursue industry certification through the AWS Academy and affords access to the online learning centre, AWS Skill Builder. The collaboration includes internships for final-year students.
  
  

• NP celebrated its 60th anniversary this year with a host of festivities and initiatives involving thousands of students, staff, campus workers and alumni. Highlights included free breakfast at Brekkie on NP, a tree planting day, a carnival-Green Campus Trail experience dubbed ‘Rock & Stroll’, and the NP60 Fiesta Dinner & Dance. Over $80,000 was also raised for the NP Student Aid Fund through the NP60 Bloom & Grow With Us fundraiser.
  
  

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June 2023

• At the Staff Townhall in June, NP announced its 5th NP Strategic Plan also known as NP2030, which maps out NP's vision for the future, and outlines the polytechnic’s priorities and strategies for the next 5 to 10 years.
  
  

• NP’s School of Film & Media Studies launched an immersive on-campus space, the M:idea Playground, alongside a series of strategic industry partnerships with Aux Media Group Pte Ltd, Pixotope Technologies, and The Star Performing Arts Centre. More than 200 FMS students will benefit each year from the M:idea Playground and curriculum offerings that will equip them with cutting-edge virtual production capabilities and immersive storytelling skills for projection mapping and technical theatre.
  
  

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July 2023

• NP has partnered Keppel Ltd and Vietnam National Innovation Centre (NIC) to groom Asia’s next-generation talents and startups. The Memorandum of Understanding was signed at the 7th Singapore Regional Business Forum in Hanoi, in the presence of Mr Le Minh Khai, Deputy Prime Minister of Vietnam and Dr Tan See Leng, Singapore’s Minister for Manpower and Second Minister for Trade & Industry. Over the next three years, tertiary students from Singapore and startups from NIC will undergo talent development programmes, including internships, which foster innovation and entrepreneurship.
  
  
  

• The School of Film & Media Studies marked the 30th anniversary of its Film, Sound & Video (FSV) programme with two days of FSV30 celebrations. A legend of its own, FSV has nurtured some of Singapore’s most prominent filmmakers and screenwriters, including Anthony Chen, Boo Junfeng and Yeo Siew Hua. The celebrations featured sharing sessions with alumna Kris Ong, and alumnus and Senior Minister of State for Communications and Information, and National Development, Mr Tan Kiat How. The FSV30 anniversary party was hosted by alumnus Raj Kumar.
  

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August 2023

• The 2023 SkillsFuture Work-Study Fair was organised by NP, in collaboration with other polytechnics and the Institute of Technical Education. The Fair showcased work-study opportunities for fresh graduates and the industry partnerships that underpin the work-study ecosystem. The Institutes of Higher Learning (IHLs), supported by SkillsFuture Singapore (SSG), introduced nine new SkillsFuture Work-Study Programmes, which kicked off in October 2023. This was announced by Ms Gan Siow Huang, Minister of State for Education and Manpower at the event, which was part of SkillsFuture Festival 2023.
  
  

• A new community engagement robot named CODY (Community Outreach BudDY) began a six-month trial in August 2023 at the Central, Ang Mo Kio, and Jurong police divisions. Jointly developed by NP’s Robotics Research & Innovation Centre, the Singapore Police Force and HTX (Home Team Science & Technology Agency), CODY uses AI chatbot ChatGPT to respond to public queries. Its interactive features and multi-lingual capabilities enable it to engage the public in raising their awareness about crime prevention.
  

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September 2023

• NP was appointed one of Infocomm Media Development Authority (IMDA)’s official training partners as part of their drive to build an AI talent pool by reskilling about 18,000 in AI and adjacent tech skills over the next three years. Through this collaboration, NP launched the Tech Skills Advancement Office to spearhead programme development. NP is committed to leading the way in ICT training and will partner industry giants like AWS, Alteryx, Cognizant, Outsystems, Tribe, and Xoogler to equip IT professionals with in-demand skills in software engineering, analytics, and AI.
  
  

• Nearly 40 students, including those from The Christieara Programme - NP’s flagship initiative for student talent development - were selected for the 2023 Overseas Merit Fellowship (OMF). The 16-day trip to Brisbane, Australia, was an eyeopener, giving them a broader perspective on global issues impacting Singapore today. Sustainability, for example, was one area the students had gained deeper insights in as they visited the University of Queensland’s biodiverse campus, attended multidisciplinary workshops, and connected with industry experts there.
  

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October 2023

• In conjunction with NP’s 60th Anniversary celebrations, we unveiled a fresh brand identity that embodies our journey, values, and vision for the future. The new logo distils the essence of the NP brand into a contemporary yet dignified visual representation, featuring bold typography and distinctive colours, all while preserving our iconic shield – the symbol of our rich heritage.
  
  

• On 12 October, longstanding donor Ngee Ann Kongsi (NAK) donated $10 million to NP at a ceremony graced by Minister of State for Education and Manpower, Ms Gan Siow Huang. The funds will go toward empowering students in financial need. It will also fund enriching overseas exposure opportunities for all, through programmes such as NP’s signature Global Entrepreneurial Internship Programme (GEIP), which seeks to nurture the entrepreneurial skills of students by exposing them to the dynamic work culture in overseas startups.
  

• NP and Yinson GreenTech jointly unveiled green technology infrastructure on campus including an IoT-enabled smart energy management technology centre called synergy.lab, a solar farm, and electric vehicle charging facilities powered by renewable energy. Aimed at nurturing the next generation of talent in urban sustainability and smart mobility, the purpose-built green infrastructure serves as a ‘living lab’ where students can explore real-world engineering solutions and acquire industry-relevant skills to tackle real-world challenges. The facilities will benefit up to 600 students from NP's School of Engineering over three years.
  

• NP partnered Delta Electronics Southeast Asia & Oceania to co-design, co-deliver, and co-assess new teaching and learning materials for School of Engineering (SOE) students in the areas of sustainable energy solutions and electric vehicle charging technologies. SOE students will also be given internship opportunities. The aim of the partnership is to inspire the next generation of innovators, unlock their potential, and encourage learners to pursue careers in these dynamic fields.
  

• At Innopoly 2023, NP’s annual innovation and entrepreneurship (I&E) festival, the Intellectual Property Office of Singapore (IPOS) signed a Memorandum of Understanding with NP with the aim of providing innovators with exclusive rights to their creations or inventions. Through this partnership, NP hopes to foster I&E by providing its students with the necessary protection, incentives and opportunities to thrive in a competitive market as young entrepreneurs.
  

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November 2023

• NP partnered Air Liquide, a global leader in gases, technologies, and services for industries and healthcare to co-develop, co-deliver, and co-assess the Sustainable Process Design module. This will benefit 75 final-year Chemical & Biomolecular Engineering students from the School of Life Sciences & Chemical Technology every year. They will gain proficiency in using a simulation software for process optimisation, a key skill in boosting efficiency and sustainability in the health, energy, chemical, and electronics industries. Students will also potentially be offered employment by Air Liquide.
  
  
  

• To nurture cybersecurity talent, NP signed an extension to a Memorandum of Understanding with Group-IB, a leading creator of cybersecurity technologies. NP’s School of InfoComm Technology will set up a student-operated NP-Group-IB Threat Intelligence and Defence Centre (TIDC), powered by Group-IB’s industry-leading solutions. The first such centre of its kind in Singapore, the TIDC offers over 200 Cybersecurity & Digital Forensics students insights into identifying and managing cyber threats. Students will use the latest technologies and develop skills they can apply in real-world settings by working with NP’s startup partners.
  

• NP partnered Enterprise Singapore (ESG) to support SMEs in developing and adopting robotics and automation solutions in built environments for ESG's new Centre of Innovation. This was announced at the SME Tech Day 2023 event. NP also partnered the Agency for Science, Technology and Research (A*STAR) to develop the operation and technology roadmap for local enterprises and training programmes to upskill the workforce. Students will also gain exposure to R&D via a technology for enterprise capability upgrading (T-Up) programme under the mentorship of A*STAR’s scientists.
  
  
  

• Over 1,000 members of the NP family came together for NP’s annual Walk for Rice event to chalk up rice and oat donations for those in need. For every 300 metres walked, the FairPrice Foundation pledged to donate one bowl each of white rice, brown rice, and oats to underprivileged residents in the southeast district. With a remarkable total of 5,860 kilometres covered, NP enabled a donation of 19,000 bowls of grain.
  

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December 2023

• NP signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with the Agency for Integrated Care (AIC) to boost volunteerism and give students professional exposure. Under the partnership, AIC will offer NP students volunteering opportunities in community care setting such as active ageing centres.
  
  
  

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January 2024

• In support of a new specialisation in Gen AI through its Data Science diploma, NP’s School of InfoComm Technology worked with Amazon Web Services (AWS) to develop the Gen AI Hub at NP. The Gen AI Hub showcases groundbreaking projects such as AWS Bedrock, Gignite.ai, and Gen AI Capstone, in collaboration with KataKato and other startups. With NP’s Gen AI Hub, students can explore the possibilities of Gen AI and experience firsthand its transformative impact on learning.
  

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March 2024

• NP announced plans to integrate sustainability across its curriculum, operations, and partnerships at the launch of its Sustainability Education & Ecosystem Development (SEED) initiative. Graced by the Minister for National Development, Mr Desmond Lee, the event signalled the acceleration of NP’s sustainability efforts. Under the SEED initiative, NP will contribute towards Singapore’s green goals by developing sustainability-intelligent graduates to meet the emerging needs of the green economy, spearheading sustainability-focused industry partnerships through the Centre for Environmental Sustainability and greening a brown campus.
  

• NP signed a master collaboration agreement with Singapore University of Social Sciences (SUSS). The partnership is aimed at enhancing the articulation of NP’s academic programmes, including part-time diploma pathways, into SUSS degree programmes. Upon completion of select NP CET full qualification programmes, learners can gain credits for the corresponding SUSS degree programme, thus enhancing their pathway to further education. The first part-time diploma programme to be enhanced under this agreement is the Applied Management for the Future Workplace programme.
  
  
  

• NP’s Innovation & Entrepreneurship Office, The Sandbox, selected 93 students for the signature Global Entrepreneurial Internship Programme (GEIP) in 2023. They completed the six-month internship with startups in cities including Bangkok, Ho Chi Minh City, Jakarta, and Shanghai. In addition, they took part in the Global Startup Challenge where they had the opportunity to pitch their business ideas. Of the 17 teams that presented, seven were awarded funds of up to S$5,000 to kickstart their ventures.
  
  
  

• NP’s Youth Expedition Projects (YEPs) had 264 students going on 12 overseas trips which gave them the opportunity to make a positive impact on the underserved communities in the Philippines, Cambodia, Malaysia, Thailand, and Vietnam. In line with NP’s signature Service-Learning pedagogy, the projects included infrastructure refurbishments, basic health screening, and the teaching of business, digital, and spoken English skills. Participants also benefitted from cultural exchange activities and visited organisations such as local government agencies, Singapore embassies, multinational corporations, startups, social enterprises, and innovation hubs.
  
  

• Close to 1,000 NP students had the opportunity to participate in the Overseas Immersion Programmes (OIP) to places such as Bandung and Surabaya in Indonesia; Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City in Vietnam; Shanghai, Shenzhen, Wuhan and Nanjing in China; and Bangkok and Nakhon Pathom in Thailand. The OIP included educational workshops and interactive sessions with local students to help them better appreciate the diverse cultures and build regional friendships.