Singapore Institute of Technology announces scholarship tie-ups

7 February 2011

The Singapore Institute of Technology (SIT) will seal its partnership with The University of Manchester (UOM) at a signing ceremony. Nanyang Polytechnic will be the partner Polytechnic for this collaboration.

The School of Nursing, Midwifery and Social Work at UOM will be offering a Bachelor of Science with Honours in Nursing Practice together with SIT. The inaugural batch of students will comprise part of the 1,000 students which SIT will enrol in its upcoming August 2011 intake.

The University of Manchester

UOM is one of the United Kingdom’s top universities. As a member of the Russell Group of research universities, they boast some 25 Nobel Laureates among its present, former student and staff. They were the first university in England to establish a Nursing degree in 1969 and it was placed top of the table for nursing and midwifery research in the 2008 UK Research Assessment Exercise.

With a rapidly ageing population, the opening of Khoo Teck Puat Hospital in 2010 and Jurong General Hospital slated to open in 2014, the demand for degree-level nurses has increased significantly to meet Singapore’s growing healthcare needs. The Nursing Practice degree programme will complement students’ training in the current polytechnics’ nursing diploma courses and enable the graduates to progress in management, clinical or education career paths.

Commenting on the partnership, Professor Dame Nancy Rothwell, President and Vice-of The University of Manchester, said: “We are delighted to be working in collaboration with SIT and Nanyang Polytechnic to launch this honours degree programme for registered nurses (B.Sc (Hons) Nursing Practice). We are anticipating a fruitful collaboration and we look forward to admitting the first cohort of students in September 2011. It will be extremely exciting for my colleagues here at Manchester to work with this inaugural group of students and to watch their progress throughout the programme. As we move forward and admit more students, we are confident that we will attract a highly motivated group of students and that graduates from the programme will contribute widely to the Singapore healthcare system.”

The SIT-UOM partnership came into fruition after consultation with the Ministry of Health (MOH) to identify student intake numbers and the specific skill-sets needed to meet the growing expectations of the healthcare sector. UOM’s Nursing Practice degree programme challenges undergraduates to a higher level of thinking and builds on their leadership skills, further enhancing the quality of healthcare education and development of the nursing profession in Singapore.

“Partnership with a reputable and globally recognised university such as UOM’s School of Nursing, Midwifery and Social Work will provide diploma-prepared nurses the opportunity to receive high-quality tertiary education locally. The SIT-UOM nursing degree will enhance the quality of our nursing workforce and further prepare future nursing leaders with the right competencies and mindset to manage Singapore’s healthcare needs”, says Ms Pauline Tan, Chief Nursing Officer, Ministry of Health.

About the Nursing Practice Degree Programme

UOM’s Nursing Practice degree programme emphasises methods of teaching and learning underpinned by relevant pedagogic approaches and technologies that maximise involvement of the student. The linking of theory to practice will help to foster an aptitude and skill for life-long learning in pursuit of excellence in the nursing practice. The School has a wealth of experience using different approaches to learn in large and small group methods, problem based learning and increasingly, distributed and on-line approaches. A wide range of student-centred teaching and learning methods is used within the programme to promote the critical thinking, problem solving and reflective skills required for modern nursing practice.

On the partnership, NUH Director of Nursing, Adjunct Associate Professor Lee Siu Yin says, “The SIT-UOM programme provides an additional avenue for nurses to upgrade themselves academically, allowing them to progress in tandem with advancements in other healthcare professions. The training will enable nurses to stay relevant and be better equipped to navigate an increasingly complex and demanding practice environment”.

Nursing Scholarships

At the signing ceremony, SIT will announce that 20 scholarships will be offered to SIT-UOM students by the various public hospital groups such as Alexandra Health Pte Ltd, Jurong Health Services, National Healthcare Group, National University Health System and Singapore Health Services. Students with a good academic track record, relevant work experience and who display the passion for nursing will be eligible to be considered for the scholarships. SIT is working to secure more scholarships for its pioneer cohort of nursing undergraduates with full details to be revealed at a later date. Based on the estimated cohort size of 75 students, this will mean that at least 25% of our students would be on scholarships.

“We aim to provide degree programmes that are directly relevant to the needs of the industry. Working hand-in-hand with industry partners, we to ensure that our students can graduate with the knowledge that their degrees are highly sought after. The number of healthcare providers who have come forward to offer scholarships to students in our nursing practice degree programme further demonstrates the strong industry support that we have”, says Professor Tan Chin Tiong, President, SIT.

SIT Admission Exercise

SIT’s admission exercise opens on 1 February 2011. Interested students can apply via the SIT website at www.SingaporeTech.edu.sg. SIT takes a holistic approach in assessing applicants, taking into consideration academic results, extra-curricular interests and the candidate’s passion and personal qualities. Relevant work experience will also be considered and all shortlisted applicants will be assessed through interviews. For specific programmes, students may also have to submit portfolios or essays.

SIT welcomes applications from polytechnic diploma holders who are in the workforce, as their experience and industry knowledge will bring valuable insights into the classroom and add value to the strong industry relevance of SIT’s degree offerings.