• Purpose-built campus within the Punggol Digital District supports both talent development and applied research 

• In partnership with JTC and IMDA as founding partners, and supported by SIT’s Innovation-as-a-Service (IaaS) platform, Punggol Digital District will be positioned as a precinct level test-bed that enables industry partners to co-develop, pilot and scale real world solutions.

• Global partnerships with Shanghai Jiao Tong University and SLAMTEC forged to advance global applied research and talent development

• SIT joins forces with SkillsFuture Singapore to enhance skills assessment capabilities to drive skills-based hiring and workforce development, with StarHub and Cragar Industries onboard as first movers  

Prime Minister and Minister for Finance Lawrence Wong and SIT President Professor Chua Kee Chaing takes a photo with SIT students at the official opening of SIT Punggol Campus on 16 September. (Photo: SIT / Keng Photography)

SINGAPORE, 16 September 2025 – The Singapore Institute of Technology (SIT) today marked the official opening of its new Punggol Campus, a milestone for Singapore’s university for industry. Officiated by Guest-of-Honour Prime Minister and Minister for Finance Lawrence Wong, the opening reinforces SIT’s mission in elevating applied learning, advancing skills-based hiring, and driving industry transformation.

Purpose-built within JTC’s Punggol Digital District (PDD) — Singapore’s first smart and sustainable ecosystem for key tech sectors — the SIT Punggol Campus is designed as a living lab and a dynamic platform where academia, industry and community collaborate and innovate. The campus’ teaching and research facilities and advanced digital infrastructure provide authentic, real-world learning experiences for SIT students, while accelerating the translation of ideas into market-ready solutions. 

View highlights of the Punggol Campus here. 

Transforming Punggol into Singapore’s Hub for Real-World Innovation

The SIT Punggol Campus will anchor PDD as Singapore’s first precinct-scale test-bed where companies can experiment, refine and scale solutions in areas such as smart city infrastructure, robotics, Artificial Intelligence (AI), quantum-safe cybersecurity and sustainability. Companies can rapidly co-create and pilot their solutions with PDD’s Open Digital Platform[1] and vibrant ecosystem of partners, reducing the cost of experimentation and time-to-market.

SIT’s Living Lab Network[2] will be integrated with PDD’s Open Digital Platform. With this integration, companies can interoperate and test technologies, from autonomous embodied AI-driven robots (e.g. for logistics delivery, facilities management and maintenance of public safety) to next-generation cybersecurity solutions, in PDD’s real-world environment. Thousands of students, faculty, and industry professionals will be able to collaborate on-site, accelerating technology transfer, creating new market opportunities and strengthening Singapore as a hub for innovation.

JTC CEO Ms Jacqueline Poh said, “For the first time in Singapore, we see a business park and university sitting side by side and fully integrated. Companies in PDD get direct access to young talent, while students can test what they learn in the real world. We designed the space to allow these connections to happen naturally every day.”

For this test-bed to thrive, a foundation of trust needs to be built. SIT is partnering IMDA to enable trusted interactions with robots through robust cybersecurity measures, and in refining safety standards for robotics. These efforts will facilitate safe and resilient robotics operations and secure communications for robotics deployed in public areas, and strengthen trust in digital interactions. There are also plans to partner other government agencies and industry partners for this precinct test-bed. 

Complementing this precinct-scale test-bed is SIT’s new Innovation-as-a-Service (IaaS) platform, which serves as a solutions-focused, open-innovation partner for industry. IaaS unites the innovation capabilities of SIT and its network – Singapore’s Institutes of Higher Learning (IHLs), SIT’s Overseas University partners, research institutions and industry partners to help companies, particularly Small and Medium-sized Enterprises (SMEs) and start-ups, develop and scale higher-value solutions. Acting as a focal point for applied research, test-bedding and talent development, IaaS offers direct access to expert resources, leading-edge infrastructure, applied research support and a pipeline of talent from students and academic staff.

The IaaS platform tackles common challenges in innovation, such as limited resources, lack of access to advanced facilities and expertise and difficulties in moving ideas to market. Through IaaS, companies can tap into SIT’s purpose-built infrastructure, connect with its network of trusted partners such as A*STAR’s SIMTech, Innovation Partner for Impact, Singapore’s IHLs, and leverage PDD’s test-bed capabilities to trial solutions in live operational environments. IaaS’ end-to-end support from problem definition and prototyping to piloting and scaling, lowers the barriers to innovation, and accelerates the delivery of impactful, market-ready solutions.

Building on this commitment to collaborative innovation, SIT has also widened its global ties by forging new partnerships with leading Chinese institution Shanghai Jiao Tong University (SJTU) and robotics innovator SLAMTEC to advance applied learning, research, and innovation in fields critical to Singapore’s future economy. The partnership will harness SJTU’s applied research strengths, and SLAMTEC’s expertise in robotics and embodied intelligence, to co-develop solutions with real-world impact. Joint research projects will contribute to innovations at the precinct test-bed, in target key areas such as robotics applications, maritime technologies, and embodied AI.

The collaboration will open new opportunities for SIT students to participate in student mobility programmes at SJTU’s Student Innovation Centre, and to work on real-world projects at the upcoming SIT-SJTU-SLAMTEC Joint Innovation Lab. For example, the Joint Innovation Lab will use the demanding dynamics of sports for test-bedding, to push robotic agility, intelligence and human-machine interaction. The capabilities developed will have industry applications in logistics, healthcare and smart cities. The collaboration will also extend to academic and industry exchange programmes that will give both students and faculty valuable international exposure, fostering cross-cultural learning, and a deeper understanding of global industry practices. The alliance also extends to Continuing Education and Training (CET), with joint programmes designed to address the evolving manpower needs of industry.

From left: SIT staff Mohamed Shazni Bin Badaruzaman, SIT alumnus Sheikh Hamid, SIT student Shathiya Sulthana, SIT President Prof Chua Kee Chaing, Minister for Education Desmond Lee, Prime Minister and Minister for Finance Lawrence Wong, Chairman for SIT Board of Trustees Bill Chang, Assistant Professor Kyrin Liong, SIT student Chan Jun Kai, and SIT staff Joanita Bte Jasmen. (Photo: SIT / Keng Photography)

Driving the Shift Towards Skills Validation and Skills-Based Hiring

As part of its next 10-year strategic plan, SIT is strengthening its Competency-based Education[3] (CBE) approach to advance applied learning pedagogy and ensure workforce readiness. As Singapore’s first university of applied learning, SIT has established itself as a pioneer in CBE, ensuring its learning outcomes align with industry needs. Building on this foundation, SIT is partnering with SkillsFuture Singapore (SSG) on a new initiative to enhance capabilities in skills assessment and validation.

SIT and SSG will lead the effort in skills validation to support skills-based hiring, workforce development and lifelong learning. By formalising and strengthening skills recognition and validation, SIT and SSG aim to ensure that competencies gained through both formal and informal learning are validated and trusted in the workplace. This enables employers to confidently identify and leverage the full range of talents within their teams, while employees can pursue targeted professional development knowing that their acquired skills can be validated and hence valued. As technology and industry needs evolve, such robust recognition systems allow the workforce to adapt swiftly and effectively, improving overall competitiveness.

SIT and SSG will engage employers and industry experts to develop customised assessments that are aligned with industry requirements, reinforcing a “skills-first” approach to talent acquisition and workforce development.  Technology-enabled tools and globally aligned frameworks will also be developed to ensure skills are validated efficiently and consistently. From October 2025, SIT will roll out online skills assessments for AI-related skills and cross-cutting competencies such as problem-solving and effective communication, for employers to understand their organisation’s skills stock and for individuals to understand their skills proficiency and skills gaps. To ensure global relevance, SIT has also signed Memoranda of Understanding (MOUs) with Educational Testing Service (ETS) in USA and Stichting Cito Instituut voor Toetsontwikkeling (CITO) in the Netherlands, bringing international assessment expertise to Singapore.

Leading organisations such as StarHub Ltd and Cragar Industries Pte Ltd will be among the first to implement these assessments to evaluate and enhance the technical competencies of their workforce, with a particular focus on AI-related skills. The assessments will enable companies to take stock and understand the skillsets of their employees, visibility into the skill stock of their staff, help hiring managers recruit with more confidence, and support employees in their upskilling and career growth.

Mr Tan Kok Yam, Chief Executive of SkillsFuture Singapore said, “SSG eagerly looks forward to the new partnership forged with SIT, that will bring to bear its capabilities and experience in Competency-based Education to the adult learning space. Stronger skills validation will raise confidence among learners and employers alike in the quality of training, and will also help the training sector improve its offerings over time.”

SIT President Professor Chua Kee Chaing said, “The SIT Punggol Campus is more than a new home – it is a platform to advance applied learning, innovation, and skills recognition. By bringing industry, community, and academia together in one integrated precinct, we are helping Singapore build a future-ready workforce and drive innovation that benefits both the economy and society. This campus reflects SIT’s commitment to preparing our students not just for their first job, but for lifelong growth and impact. By deepening our focus on research-driven solutions and fostering a culture of innovation, we are equipping our community with the tools and skills to address real-world challenges, and to lead transformative change in industry and society.”

Honouring Donors Who Made the Punggol Campus Possible

As part of the campus opening celebrations, SIT recognised its benefactors who gifted to named facilities in the Punggol Campus, including The Ngee Ann Kongsi, Mr Kwek Leng Beng and City Developments Limited, Dr Chua Thian Poh, OCBC, Estate of Eng Liat Kiang, Singapore Hokkien Huay Kuan, Mrs Wong-Mah Jia Lan, Diana Koh Foundation, AM Family Capital Foundation and the Foundation of Rotary Clubs Singapore.

The milestone event recognised SIT donors who have supported the SIT Punggol Campus. (Photo: SIT / Keng Photography)

Mr Kwek Leng Beng, Executive Chairman, Hong Leong Group Singapore and City Developments Limited (CDL), said, “My heartfelt congratulations to SIT on the opening of its new Punggol Campus. With its unique location in the heart of Punggol Digital District, the campus enables students to engage closely with industry, turning education and research into practical solutions that benefit both business and society. Together with CDL, I am honoured to support this vision and to help empower students to reach their fullest potential and make a meaningful impact in Singapore and beyond.”

Mr Sherman Kwek, Group Chief Executive Officer, CDL, said, “At CDL, we believe that education is one of the most powerful investments in our future. Our partnership with Mr Kwek Leng Beng in supporting SIT reflects a shared commitment to nurturing the next generation of leaders, innovators, and changemakers. We warmly congratulate SIT on this milestone and the beginning of an exciting new chapter at this impressive campus.”

Mr Nicholas Chua, Chief Executive Officer, Ho Bee Land, said, “Ho Bee Land and Chua Foundation are proud to be the first donors to the SIT Punggol Campus, reflecting our enduring belief in the power of education to transform lives. We are delighted that the Ho Bee Auditorium and Discovery Hub will be a vibrant space for learning and collaboration. We look forward to SIT nurturing future leaders and innovators who will lead with skill, character, and a spirit of service to contribute to the progress of our society.”

Mr Tan Teck Long, Deputy CEO, OCBC, said, "SIT's new campus in Punggol is beautifully designed for its purpose, where academia and industry are closely integrated with the community. Our partnership with the university, with which we will be neighbours when we move into OCBC Punggol in 2027, is anchored in our shared goals to strive for innovation, technological advancement, and community development. The OCBC Analytics and Innovation Lab at SIT Punggol Campus epitomises this vision. It will not only serve as a hub for students and faculty members to gain hands-on experience with financial analysis tools and the creation of fintech AI applications, but also host educational outreach programs such as workshops on financial literacy, financial planning, and retirement planning for the wider Punggol community."