Community Leadership And Social Innovation Centre (CLASIC)
Leading innovation to impact communities
The Community Leadership And Social Innovation Centre (CLASIC) of the Singapore Institute of Technology (SIT) curates social innovation projects carried out in collaboration with community partners.
CLASIC curates, tracks, and optimises community initiatives and projects by leveraging the interdisciplinary knowledge, expertise, and skills of SIT faculty, students, and staff across different academic clusters.
Why get involved in community projects?
At SIT, we nurture our students to be 'Grounded in the Community' because it is part of the university’s DNA. Our Centre works closely with partners and stakeholders to provide avenues for our students, who we call SITizens, to give back to society through social innovation. This includes the design of projects that complement our faculty’s expertise and their professional practice.
By being involved in community projects, students and faculty can play an important role in enhancing the quality of life for beneficiaries. At the same time, such projects also allow them to gain greater awareness of prevailing social issues.
Our vision
We envision CLASIC as an enabler of community initiatives. Our objective is to play a key role in elevating SIT as the partner of choice for community-related projects and initiatives.
What we do
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Coordinate and monitor the inclusion of social context elements in SIT’s curriculum
SIT will progressively incorporate social context elements in all its degree programmes by 2023. These elements will comprise at least 2 credits and include topics from the ‘Singapore: Imagining the Next 50 Years’ e-module; the updated UCM3001 Change Management module; or other custom modules.
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Curate community-related projects by tapping into faculty’s expertise and students’ knowledge
SIT integrates social context teaching and learning elements, activities, and projects within its academic programmes. In addition, the university also provides opportunities for SITizens to be involved in making a positive impact in the community through social innovation projects. This immersion aims to impart the SITizen-DNA, particularly ‘Grounded in the Community’, to all students.
By using the skills and knowledge gained in their learning journey at SIT on projects that promote social good, SITizens can develop meaningful interactions with the community and our community partners.
- Students can participate in social innovation projects with community partners to fulfil their required interdisciplinary requirements learning credits. These projects may comprise any local community innovation projects spearheaded by our partners or stakeholders, including:
- SIT’s Innovation and Technology Transfer (ITT) division
- Community programmes organised by our Student Life division
- YES!Programme led by a group of SIT faculty members
- CLASIC-curated projects in partnership with community and industry leaders
- CLASIC works with SIT faculty, professional officers, and staff to coordinate their involvement in these community-related projects. We also connect and collaborate with community and industry partners to curate these opportunities.
- Students can participate in social innovation projects with community partners to fulfil their required interdisciplinary requirements learning credits. These projects may comprise any local community innovation projects spearheaded by our partners or stakeholders, including:
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Connect to SIT's workplace learning and training
The National Centre of Excellence for Workplace Learning (NACE@SIT) is a partner of CLASIC and one of the centres located in SIT. NACE@SIT focuses on enhancing work processes and organisational efficiency through workplace learning and training workshops. Companies seeking to access workplace learning and training benefits can connect with NACE@SIT through our Centre.
Projects
Current Projects
Improving accessibility at Kwong Wai Shiu Hospital
Kwong Wai Shiu Hospital (KWSH) is collaborating with NACE@SIT in the planning, design, and development of its new nursing home.
Redesigning a Seniors’ Corner
SIT was commissioned to redesign a communal space for seniors that would facilitate community bonding and socialisation.
Inspiring STEM education in secondary schools through SIT’s YES!Programme
SIT’s annual Young Engineers’ Space Programme (YES!Programme) was first conceived in October 2016. It aims to create a positive and enriching service-learning environment for SIT’s undergraduates. The four-month programme allows SIT undergraduates to hone their mentorship skills and inspire secondary school students to learn more about STEM.
Enhancing control of water usage and cost with Ecosoftt-CLASIC smart meter
Stepping out with the aim of helping low-income households better manage their water usage and bills, CLASIC and water solutions provider Ecosoftt developed and installed smart water meters to monitor water usage at different outlets in these households.
Completed Projects
Encouraging healthy eating habits in children and parents through mobile app gamification
Many studies show that children who learn about healthy eating habits early on in life tend to maintain these habits in adulthood. Inspired by the NTUC Bright Horizon Fund (BHF), which uses targeted interventions to support children from low-income families, a group of SIT faculty members came together to raise awareness about the nutritional values of food and inspire healthier eating habits.
Designing a recycling receptacle to promote green living
As part of their efforts to promote correct recycling practices and encourage higher recycling rates among Singaporeans, the National Environment Agency (NEA) invited SIT students to contribute proposed designs for a recycling receptacle for households in Singapore.
Facilitating digital literacy to address life after retirement in seniors
One of the challenges faced by the National Council of Social Services (NCSS) is to ensure that online services for senior users and their caregivers who are not digitally literate are made accessible.
Enhancing online social service programme delivery
The Singapore Muslim Women’s Association (PPIS) approached CLASIC for assistance when they encountered challenges in pivoting from face-to-face to online-based social service programmes during the pandemic.
Collaborations
Tech for Good 2022
Organised by Engineering Good and co-produced by SIT, Tech for Good is an annual innovation challenge that celebrates assistive technology and inclusivity.
Engineering Good is a not-for-profit organisation that focuses on improving the lives of Persons with Disabilities (PwDs) and low-income families through the use of infocomm technologies and engineering design.
Our team
Dr Yaacob Ibrahim (Professor)
Director, Community Leadership And Social Innovation Centre (CLASIC)
Dr Intan Azura Mokhtar (Associate Professor)
Deputy Director, Community Leadership And Social Innovation Centre (CLASIC)
Mr Dan Chia
Assistant Director, Community Leadership and Social Innovation Centre (CLASIC)
Get in Touch
Connect with us to discover how you can get started on community projects.