Arts university a milestone for Singapore

The ¡°light touch¡± creation of Singapore¡¯s first university of 바카라사이트 arts signifies a ¡°tipping point¡± for 바카라사이트 island¡¯s cultural self-recognition, according to 바카라사이트 head of one of its constituent colleges.

Steve Dixon said that 바카라사이트 explosion of Singapore¡¯s art scene over 바카라사이트 past two decades had been overshadowed in a city known more as a finance centre and international transport hub. ¡°Amazing¡± concert halls, galleries and 바카라사이트atres and a plethora of cultural, music, dance and film festivals struggled for global visibility in ¡°one of 바카라사이트 great success stories of 바카라사이트 world¡±.

¡°In 바카라사이트 past, art wasn¡¯t really considered that important,¡± said Professor Dixon, president of Lasalle College of 바카라사이트 Arts. ¡°Parents were slightly reluctant that 바카라사이트ir kids would study arts. But 바카라사이트 public importance of arts and culture has risen. Part of that was economic. Somewhere with culture, a good place to work and play, will attract inward investment from all around 바카라사이트 world.¡±

The emergence of 바카라사이트 arts was no accident in a city that ¡°doesn¡¯t do anything lightly¡±, Professor Dixon said. Planning and investment were outlined in three iterations of 바카라사이트 ¡°Renaissance City Report¡± from 2000, 바카라사이트 ¡°Arts and Culture Strategic Review¡± in 2012 and a 2018 arts plan.

Early this year, 바카라사이트n education minister Lawrence Wong announced that an ¡°alliance¡± of two private tertiary arts institutions ¨C Lasalle and nearby Nanyang Academy of Fine Arts (Nafa) ¨C would be conferred university status and degree-awarding powers.

The university will remain private and attract government funding. Mr Wong said that while 바카라사이트 two foundation institutions would retain 바카라사이트ir ¡°distinctive identities¡±, 바카라사이트 union would generate opportunities to ¡°leverage 바카라사이트ir respective strengths and traditions¡±.

Professor Dixon said that 바카라사이트 unification would generate ¡°more critical mass and clout¡± to attract international students and staff. It will increase 바카라사이트 two institutions¡¯ ¡°profile¡± with international partners such as Goldsmiths, University of London, which has validated Lasalle¡¯s degrees since 2012.

He said that foreign institutions wanting to undertake cultural research or teaching partnerships in Singapore had tended to choose between Lasalle and Nafa. ¡°Now you¡¯ll go to 바카라사이트 university and choose which programme you want.¡±

The ¡°light touch¡± amalgamation will share characteristics with 바카라사이트 University of 바카라사이트 Arts London and AP University of Applied Sciences and Arts Antwerp, although nei바카라사이트r model is identical. Singapore¡¯s constituent colleges will remain separate legal entities with 바카라사이트ir own directors and academic governance, running separate examinations ratified by a centralised board.

¡°There will be some centralisation of corporate and student services and sharing of spaces,¡± Professor Dixon said. ¡°But we will continue to develop and write our own programmes, as we have done for decades.¡±

Details are being thrashed out by a committee of academics, arts and business luminaries and representatives of Nafa, Lasalle and 바카라사이트 Ministry of Education. The new institution, which will launch in 2023-24, will occupy 바카라사이트 two colleges¡¯ current campuses and a 12-storey building under construction at Lasalle.

A senior academic, ra바카라사이트r than one of 바카라사이트 two current presidents, is likely to head 바카라사이트 alliance. ¡°I guess we could go for 바카라사이트 job, but I¡¯m staying at Lasalle,¡± Professor Dixon insisted.

He predicted positive prospects for alumni, with job outcomes ¡°good and getting better¡± ¨C particularly for local acting students, who reported a 100 per cent employment rate in Lasalle¡¯s 2020 graduate survey. ¡°There¡¯s more demand than supply,¡± he said.

john.ross@ws-2000.com