[11 June 2001]
Local Universities to establish the Singapore Universities Student Exchange Programme

The National University of Singapore (NUS), Nanyang Technological University (NTU) and Singapore Management University (SMU) will sign a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) to establish the Singapore Universities Student Exchange Programme (SEP) on Monday, 11 June 2001. The signatories of the MOUs are NUS Vice-Chancellor Professor Shih Choon Fong, NTU President Dr Cham Tao Soon and SMU President Professor Janice Bellace.

Mooted by NUS Vice-Chancellor Professor Shih Choon Fong in September last year, the Singapore Universities SEP is a cross-campus study programme involving NUS, NTU and SMU. "The cooperation between the three universities will create a broader range of educational choices and opportunities in Singapore. This exchange programme will certainly provide our students with an enriched and a more varied university education," said NUS Vice-Chancellor Professor Shih Choon Fong.

The programme will enable students from the three universities to interact and benefit from the divergent expertise and experiences that each university has to offer. It is designed to enhance the learning experience of these students and cater to their needs by supplementing and complementing their undergraduate degree programmes; and creating an opportunity for cross-disciplinary and inter-campus study.

"Education in the New Economy is about exposure and experiences. This MOU is a testament to that. With this collaboration, students will be able to learn first-hand the strengths and unique features of each of the local universities, an experience which can only be enriching." said SMU President Professor Bellace. "I am delighted that the boundaries of education are once again being expanded."

"The student exchange programme among local universities benefits students as they now have a much wider variety of courses to choose from. Although students in this scheme do not experience the cultural diversity gained from foreign exchange programmes, they still gain in terms of exposure to a different environment and different teaching styles. NTU students benefit by enrolling in courses not available at NTU," said NTU President Dr Cham Tao Soon.

Pilot Project
A pilot project will be launched in July 2001 with a review to be held at the end of the first semester of 2001-2. Each university will send up to 20 students per semester to the other two universities. The students will have the flexibility to:

a. spend the entire semester pursuing modules at the host university; or
b. combine the time-tables of modules from both the home university and host university

Credits for work undertaken at the host university will be recognised by the home university. Hostel accommodation at NUS and NTU will be provided for a small number of exchange students doing a full semester at both universities. As in other student exchange programme, tuition fees will be waived.

Selection of Students
The home university will select students for the exchange programme. The selected exchange students must propose an appropriate programme of study at the host university which should also fulfil the student's degree requirements at the home university. Generally, these students are expected to meet the pre-requisites for the proposed modules. NTU and SMU students may select modules from any faculty of NUS, except the Faculties of Dentistry and Medicine.