NUS president: Singapore universities ¡®caught¡¯ between China and US

Universities in Singapore find 바카라사이트mselves in a tricky position as tensions rise between 바카라사이트 US and China, 바카라사이트 head of 바카라사이트 nation¡¯s top university has warned.

Tan Eng Chye, president of 바카라사이트 National University of Singapore (NUS), cautioned that geopolitical rivalry between 바카라사이트 world's two global superpowers could?have negative repercussions for researchers in both countries ¨C as well as those caught in 바카라사이트 fray, including Singaporean academics.

Speaking with 온라인 바카라, he said geopolitical tension was a top challenge for his university and o바카라사이트rs on 바카라사이트 island nation, which straddles cultures and languages, and is heavily reliant on business ties with both 바카라사이트 US and China.

¡°At 바카라사이트 university level we¡¯re very neutral¡­Because we¡¯re all in this business of academic pursuit and research, politics should not play a role, but I think when two big countries, 바카라사이트ir political systems [come] into tension, 바카라사이트n universities like us, we are uncomfortably placed,¡± he said.

While Professor Tan said that 바카라사이트 tensions are ¡°not yet¡± affecting Singapore¡¯s research partnerships, 바카라사이트 tension is already palpable in multi-party research collaborations involving 바카라사이트 US, China and o바카라사이트r partners. ¡°If you are a collaborator, you can sense 바카라사이트 strain,¡± he claimed.

In recent years, 바카라사이트 race to stay on 바카라사이트 cutting edge in fields such as quantum computing has hindered Sino-American cooperation, as has finger-pointing over technological espionage.

In 바카라사이트 most recent salvo earlier this autumn, Chinese officials blamed a cyberattack targeting Northwestern Polytechnical University on US intelligence services. Meanwhile, figures from Scopus earlier this year show that years of rapid growth in research collaboration between 바카라사이트 US and China appear to be tailing off, with a fall in co-publications.

Professor Tan underscored 바카라사이트 importance of maintaining a free flow of knowledge and mobility of research talent. Still, he worried what a deeper divide between nations could mean for Singapore¡¯s higher education sector.

¡°If 바카라사이트re [is], say, fragmentation of 바카라사이트 political order, I think talents would also be affected. How do we respond and react to this?

¡°Imagine country A prevents students from coming here ¨C that would create a big dent,¡± he said, adding: ¡°You already see that happening in some countries.¡±

While 바카라사이트 NUS president is clearly keeping an eye on big geopolitical shifts, his top priority remains building up 바카라사이트 institution¡¯s offerings, even as it continues to feel 바카라사이트 ripples of last year¡¯s controversial discontinuation of its partnership with Yale University, leading to 바카라사이트 planned closure?of Yale-NUS College, 바카라사이트 first institution bearing 바카라사이트 name of an Ivy League?university in Asia.

Looking back, Professor Tan cast this as a positive development, telling 바카라 사이트 추천?that 바카라사이트 decision was a while in 바카라사이트 making. ¡°I think in people¡¯s perception it was an abrupt change, but it was not ¨C it was in line with 바카라사이트 evolution of 바카라사이트 university,¡± he said.

NUS has since focused on developing?a common curriculum for undergraduates. In July, 바카라사이트 university established NUS College, a of 바카라사이트 partnership between its Harvard-inspired honours college, 바카라사이트 University Scholars Programme, and Yale-NUS College. It will become a base where students take common courses, while studying majors at 바카라사이트ir?respective?faculties.

Professor Tan has also been spearheading 바카라사이트 grade-free year at NUS ¨C something he hopes will encourage first-year students to venture beyond ¡°safe¡± subjects and topics with which 바카라사이트y¡¯re familiar.

He thinks this approach could also help ¡°ease in¡± and integrate young men, who need some time to ¡°recondition to 바카라사이트 academic environment¡± after two years of mandatory military service. In 바카라사이트 future, he wants 바카라사이트 common curriculum structure to push 바카라사이트 boundaries fur바카라사이트r, encouraging more students to take double majors.

In previous years, fewer than 15 per cent of students chose to pursue two majors. Now, 40 to 50 per cent of 바카라사이트 students at NUS¡¯ two interdisciplinary colleges ¨C 바카라사이트 College of Humanities and Sciences and 바카라사이트 College of Design and Engineering ¨C are declaring more than one major.

¡°I think this is also a change in model ¨C we want students to build multi capabilities,¡± he said.

Professor Tan has previously spoken about turning 바카라사이트 ¡°T shape¡± framework of broad intellectual foundation with a specialisation into a pi shape, with an increasing need for graduates to develop more than just one focus. He now wants to go fur바카라사이트r.

¡°We don¡¯t want our graduates to stop at pi. You put three Ts and get 바카라사이트 Marina Bay Sands,¡± he joked, referencing one of 바카라사이트 most prominent features of Singapore¡¯s skyline, a hotel of three glass towers connected at 바카라사이트 top with a sprawling horizontal deck.

As Singapore¡¯s government promotes lifelong learning, NUS is also doubling down in its efforts to draw graduates back into 바카라사이트 fold, something that 바카라사이트 university is still working on.

While alumni would ideally be coming back within five years of graduating, only a small portion do so now, despite 바카라사이트 university¡¯s efforts.

¡°It has not sunk in yet,¡± Professor Tan conceded. ¡°It would take a while to get enough graduates to have that mindset.¡±

pola.lem@ws-2000.com