SINGAPORE – Graduates of the Singapore Institute of Technology (SIT) can soon return to their alma mater to take modules for free, as part of a push to have universities here play a greater role in adult education.
From April 1, 2024, SIT alumni can sign up for one free continuing education and training (CET) module every five years throughout their lifetimes.
The average cost of such a module at SIT is about $3,500.
Other local educational institutions have in recent years adopted similar schemes for their alumni.
Eligible alumni of the National University of Singapore will each receive an e-voucher that can be used to redeem one full-fee course not funded by SkillsFuture Singapore.
All alumni of Nanyang Technological University will each receive $1,600 in course credits, which they may use to co-pay up to 50 per cent of the net fee payable for courses offered by the university’s CET units.
SIT, which was founded in 2009 and has some 18,000 alumni, has also simplified its admission process for graduates returning to pursue higher degrees – it no longer requires them to submit first degree certificates and transcripts.
SIT president Chua Kee Chaing said the three or four years that students spend on campus are not enough to prepare them for the disruptions they will increasingly face in the workplace.
Generative artificial intelligence is disrupting work processes, he said, adding that developments like an increasing focus on sustainability also require alumni to keep up with new trends and technologies.
He said: “We’ve been thinking about how to support them. And we really want to have this lifelong relationship with all our students and alumni.”
The initiative was announced by Professor Chua at SIT’s first graduation ceremony for the class of 2023 held at The Theatre at Mediacorp on Wednesday.
The university is also offering a new Master of Health Sciences programme to meet demand in the healthcare industry and its fast-evolving landscape. This postgraduate programme will start in 2024 and comprise a mix of online and in-person lessons.
It will offer five specialisations, including adult and geriatric rehabilitation, to meet the needs of Singapore’s ageing population and changes in the healthcare sector.
Prof Chua said the blended learning approach better caters to employed learners so that they do not disrupt their work when pursuing higher learning.
“Realistically, after a full day’s work, it’s very difficult to say, ‘I want to come back and spend another three hours in the evening to attend lectures,’” he said.
“So one way to do that is that content and theory can be made available online, and learners learn at their own pace.”
Students will also be required to attend lessons on campus once in a while to discuss topics in detail, especially those that are more complex, he added.
More than 2,200 students from 36 undergraduate and postgraduate degree programmes at SIT will graduate in 2023.
Mr Tong Jianyue, 55, a technical director at construction company HPC Builders, is graduating with a Master of Science in Civil Engineering. This is his second degree, after receiving a Bachelor of Science in Civil Engineering from the Shanghai Institute of Urban Construction, now merged with Tongji University, in 1991.
He decided to pursue a master’s degree at SIT as he liked its practical approach and wanted to keep up with emerging technologies and regulations in the construction industry. “The hands-on approach to learning has allowed me to apply what I learnt in my workplace. I have gained technical knowledge and also honed my management skills,” he said.
