Big blow to Education
Article obtained from Channelnewsasia.com, 23/5/07
Student's future in doubt
This article highlights the shock closure of the University of New South Wales Asia campus in Singapore. Many enlisted students have been left in a loss and their future hanging in thin air.
Firstly, let me identify two issues in this episode. Firstly, it would be the impact on Singapore’s education. NSW Asia offers a wide range of courses from business to biosciences. The pullout of the university has a great significance in that it is a stumbling block in Singapore’s efforts to become a global schoolhouse. Singapore is a country that has limited resources and to increase its status and reputation on the world map, foreign talent is crucial. NSW in Singapore was expected to help to increase international students from 80,000 to a massive 150,000. Imagine the revenue which would be brought in and the impact it would have on Singapore. Foreign talent would be drawn in, and local students will get to experience a novel way of education not found in local universities. The biochemistry industry is also booming in Singapore now, and NSW offers such courses too. Without NSW, the previously enlisted students would lose out as most cannot afford to go overseas and they have to miss a portion of university schooling due to the sudden pullout. Hence, the loss of the university is definitely a big blow to Singapore’s hopes of expanding its industries and reputation as an educational powerhouse.
Firstly, let me identify two issues in this episode. Firstly, it would be the impact on Singapore’s education. NSW Asia offers a wide range of courses from business to biosciences. The pullout of the university has a great significance in that it is a stumbling block in Singapore’s efforts to become a global schoolhouse. Singapore is a country that has limited resources and to increase its status and reputation on the world map, foreign talent is crucial. NSW in Singapore was expected to help to increase international students from 80,000 to a massive 150,000. Imagine the revenue which would be brought in and the impact it would have on Singapore. Foreign talent would be drawn in, and local students will get to experience a novel way of education not found in local universities. The biochemistry industry is also booming in Singapore now, and NSW offers such courses too. Without NSW, the previously enlisted students would lose out as most cannot afford to go overseas and they have to miss a portion of university schooling due to the sudden pullout. Hence, the loss of the university is definitely a big blow to Singapore’s hopes of expanding its industries and reputation as an educational powerhouse.
artist's impression of the would be campus of NSW Asia
The second issue is the accountability of the University and the Economic Development Board who initiated the project. From the perspective of a student, I might think that they were irresponsible. I believe that more effort should have been done to promote the university to local and foreign students. Could the university actually not afford to run with a financial burden, or were they just being cautious? Could the EDB have helped in easing costs the university would have to incur? From the student’s point of view, it is definitely a big issue as such decisions have made or broken their future. However, we have to think in the shoes of the university. I believe I lack understanding in that area. NSW is after all still a company which has to earn money, and if I were in their position, $140 million is too much a risk of a financial burden. It would be more worth it withdrawing then going bust in the middle of a business endeavour. Hence, looking from the economic side, the situation seems much more justifiable.
In conclusion, after reflecting on the article, my views have changed to a more balanced viewpoint. The two issues on the balance scale are definitely student welfare and financial issues. Would Singapore tilt the scale in favour of students, or would they be more cautious with such ventures in the future? Risky ventures might end up resulting in an economic downturn for Singapore. Hopefully, much more consideration and weighing of priorities would be done in the future to prevent such episodes from occurring again.
In conclusion, after reflecting on the article, my views have changed to a more balanced viewpoint. The two issues on the balance scale are definitely student welfare and financial issues. Would Singapore tilt the scale in favour of students, or would they be more cautious with such ventures in the future? Risky ventures might end up resulting in an economic downturn for Singapore. Hopefully, much more consideration and weighing of priorities would be done in the future to prevent such episodes from occurring again.
Newspaper article
University of New South Wales Singapore campus to shut in JuneBy Pearl Forss, Channel NewsAsia Posted: 23 May 2007 1715 hrs
SINGAPORE: The University of New South Wales (UNSW) will close its campus in Singapore next month. The announcement came less than two months after its grand opening. The school said it was facing a financial shortfall of $15 million a year due to lower-than-anticipated student enrolment numbers. Its target was 300 students in its first semester. But it only got 148 students, 100 of whom are Singaporeans. If it were to continue building its campus in Changi, it would have to borrow $140 million. The school said both factors led to an unsustainable financial burden and it decided to call it quits in Singapore. Students have already paid their fees, which range between S$26,000 and S$29,000 a year. UNSW says these students will be offered a place at its home campus in Sydney. There will also be scholarships to help with the cost of travel and accommodation. UNSW has already invested over S$22 million (A$17.5 million) in its Singapore campus. It was invited by Singapore's Economic Development Board in 2004 to establish what would have been the first private comprehensive university in Singapore. The EDB had said the school was expected to contribute at least $500 million a year to the economy in direct spending. The EDB refuses to reveal how much it invested in the school. The episode is clearly damaging to Singapore's aim to be a global schoolhouse. But the EDB, which drives the global schoolhouse initiatives, believes it will still reach its target of attracting 150,000 international students by 2015. There are currently 80,000 foreign students in Singapore. Aw Kah Peng, EDB's Assistant Managing Director, said: "The learning point is that we have to continue working very hard. Truly, with every institution, it will be different. With each one, we have to put everything we can to think about all these issues of whether we can make it work, how long it will take for us to make it work, what will it take for us to make it work. We will then have to step forward on that basis." UNSW says it would have stayed on in Singapore if it has been allowed to scale down its student enrolment numbers to 2,000 students by 2012. But this would be quite far from the original bargain with the EDB which had set a target of 15,000 UNSW students by 2020. The UNSW closure does not mean that the EDB will no longer work with the school. The EDB says there are many areas of cooperation between UNSW and Singapore which are mutually beneficial. These include foundation schooling for university entry, research collaborations, University of New South Wales school competitions and joint programmes with Singapore institutions. EDB says it will continue to pursue these areas and strengthen its relationship with UNSW. - CNA/ir
Reference Article
Students shocked by UNSW Singapore campus closureBy Pearl Forss, Channel NewsAsia Posted: 23 May 2007 2311 hrs
SINGAPORE: The decision to shut down the University of New South Wales (UNSW) Singapore campus comes as a shock to many students. The UNSW says students will be offered a place at its home campus in Sydney and there will also be scholarships to help with the cost of travel and accommodation. These scholarships will be based on needs and not on academic achievements. But most students Channel NewsAsia spoke to were not quite convinced. Many had chosen the Singapore campus because they could not afford to go to Australia. And though the school is helping out financially with the scholarships, it is not clear at this point in time how much exactly the school is willing to fork out. Still, the university claims that about half its students have indicated that they would like to go to Australia to continue their studies. Most of the local students who enrolled in the university come from the polytechnics. "It's quite an inappropriate time, with our exams coming as well. If they decide to close down after one semester, they should have done adequate research to see if this whole university was even feasible in the first place," said a student. "Knowing that the school is a creditable one, it is unbelievable that this thing can happen," said another. "I do not know what is the next step I need to do. To transfer to another school or go to Sydney? What is the option for us? Now, they have not known what are the private institutes we can go to to transfer in Singapore," said a third student. The school says that it is also in talks with local institutions and other universities in the region to offer these students a place to continue their education. But this is little consolation for the 48 foreign students who wanted an Australian degree and Singapore cost of living. "The school is offering us to go back to Australia to study, but I cannot go back. I end up paying something like $30,000 and I can do nothing. I've spent the money and yah, it's pretty hard for me now," said a student from Hong Kong. "I hope not to go back to Indonesia. I'm seeking to go overseas because it's a better education but now this happens, it's a bit confusing for me," said a student from Indonesia. "Before this, I was in Los Angeles. I was going to go to UNSW in Sydney but I ended up coming here because Singapore is also a good place. It's a good name, it's a good school, so I thought I'll give this a try, moved everything from LA, came here....I don't know what I'm going to do right now," said a student from the US. - CNA/ir
SINGAPORE: The University of New South Wales (UNSW) will close its campus in Singapore next month. The announcement came less than two months after its grand opening. The school said it was facing a financial shortfall of $15 million a year due to lower-than-anticipated student enrolment numbers. Its target was 300 students in its first semester. But it only got 148 students, 100 of whom are Singaporeans. If it were to continue building its campus in Changi, it would have to borrow $140 million. The school said both factors led to an unsustainable financial burden and it decided to call it quits in Singapore. Students have already paid their fees, which range between S$26,000 and S$29,000 a year. UNSW says these students will be offered a place at its home campus in Sydney. There will also be scholarships to help with the cost of travel and accommodation. UNSW has already invested over S$22 million (A$17.5 million) in its Singapore campus. It was invited by Singapore's Economic Development Board in 2004 to establish what would have been the first private comprehensive university in Singapore. The EDB had said the school was expected to contribute at least $500 million a year to the economy in direct spending. The EDB refuses to reveal how much it invested in the school. The episode is clearly damaging to Singapore's aim to be a global schoolhouse. But the EDB, which drives the global schoolhouse initiatives, believes it will still reach its target of attracting 150,000 international students by 2015. There are currently 80,000 foreign students in Singapore. Aw Kah Peng, EDB's Assistant Managing Director, said: "The learning point is that we have to continue working very hard. Truly, with every institution, it will be different. With each one, we have to put everything we can to think about all these issues of whether we can make it work, how long it will take for us to make it work, what will it take for us to make it work. We will then have to step forward on that basis." UNSW says it would have stayed on in Singapore if it has been allowed to scale down its student enrolment numbers to 2,000 students by 2012. But this would be quite far from the original bargain with the EDB which had set a target of 15,000 UNSW students by 2020. The UNSW closure does not mean that the EDB will no longer work with the school. The EDB says there are many areas of cooperation between UNSW and Singapore which are mutually beneficial. These include foundation schooling for university entry, research collaborations, University of New South Wales school competitions and joint programmes with Singapore institutions. EDB says it will continue to pursue these areas and strengthen its relationship with UNSW. - CNA/ir
Reference Article
Students shocked by UNSW Singapore campus closureBy Pearl Forss, Channel NewsAsia Posted: 23 May 2007 2311 hrs
SINGAPORE: The decision to shut down the University of New South Wales (UNSW) Singapore campus comes as a shock to many students. The UNSW says students will be offered a place at its home campus in Sydney and there will also be scholarships to help with the cost of travel and accommodation. These scholarships will be based on needs and not on academic achievements. But most students Channel NewsAsia spoke to were not quite convinced. Many had chosen the Singapore campus because they could not afford to go to Australia. And though the school is helping out financially with the scholarships, it is not clear at this point in time how much exactly the school is willing to fork out. Still, the university claims that about half its students have indicated that they would like to go to Australia to continue their studies. Most of the local students who enrolled in the university come from the polytechnics. "It's quite an inappropriate time, with our exams coming as well. If they decide to close down after one semester, they should have done adequate research to see if this whole university was even feasible in the first place," said a student. "Knowing that the school is a creditable one, it is unbelievable that this thing can happen," said another. "I do not know what is the next step I need to do. To transfer to another school or go to Sydney? What is the option for us? Now, they have not known what are the private institutes we can go to to transfer in Singapore," said a third student. The school says that it is also in talks with local institutions and other universities in the region to offer these students a place to continue their education. But this is little consolation for the 48 foreign students who wanted an Australian degree and Singapore cost of living. "The school is offering us to go back to Australia to study, but I cannot go back. I end up paying something like $30,000 and I can do nothing. I've spent the money and yah, it's pretty hard for me now," said a student from Hong Kong. "I hope not to go back to Indonesia. I'm seeking to go overseas because it's a better education but now this happens, it's a bit confusing for me," said a student from Indonesia. "Before this, I was in Los Angeles. I was going to go to UNSW in Sydney but I ended up coming here because Singapore is also a good place. It's a good name, it's a good school, so I thought I'll give this a try, moved everything from LA, came here....I don't know what I'm going to do right now," said a student from the US. - CNA/ir
