Growing demand prompts university to offer more customised programmes
Dr. Wu wants the Nanyang Centre for Public Administration, housed at the historic Chinese Heritage Centre, to become a full-fledged school of public affairs that also offers undergraduate degrees.
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NTU opens centre for China’s officials
Growing demand prompts university to offer more customised programmes
By Cai Haoxiang
14 December 2009
The Nanyang Technological University (NTU) has set up a centre for public servants from China seeking further studies here, a move prompted by the growing demand from these officials.
The new Nanyang Centre for Public Administration, which opened earlier this month, will allow NTU to offer more programmes customised to meet the needs of these senior- and middle-level officials.
‘It also promotes Singapore and showcases its public excellence and economic management,’ the centre’s dean, Dr. Wu Wei, told The Straits Times.
The NTU has been offering tailor-made programmes to China’s public servants since 1992, when it introduced short-term courses on issues of public governance such as education, health, economic and urban management.
It later introduced two master’s programmes and in 2007, set up the China Programme Office to run its offerings for the officials.
The courses are all conducted in Chinese and are under the purview of the new centre, which is introducing a new research component to its master’s courses wherein students will undertake projects for implementation at home.
The idea for the centre was sparked during Foreign Minister George Yeo’s visit to China in July last year, when he dubbed the programmes Singapore’s ‘jewels’.
Plans for it were drawn up this year after consultations with senior Chinese government officials, who also wanted training in two areas: urban development and environmental protection.
China’s leaders, said Dr. Wu, see the need to tackle the serious environmental problems arising from its development. Also, the NTU’s College of Engineering had done good work in that area, he said, citing water technology as one area.
The centre, which will come under the umbrella of NTU’s College of Humanities, Arts and Social Sciences, plans to hire three to five more faculty members. That will expand the faculty to at least 10 full-time and seven adjunct members, which include former transport minister Yeo Cheow Tong and MP Chan Choo Sen.
Since the start of the programmes 17 years ago, more than 8,000 China officials have completed the short-term courses. These last from two weeks to several months.
The two master’s programmes are for one year. First to be introduced was the Master of Science in Managerial Economics, which focuses on economic policy management and business strategies in East Asia. It began in 1998 and was for senior officials. Its popularity gave birth to a Master of Public Administration (MPA) in 2005.
Both programmes are dubbed the ‘Mayor’s Class’ as their students tend to be high-fliers earmarked to be mayors. Each programme costs about $20,000.
Increasing enrolment hit a record 142 this year and, together with past graduates, the master’s pool will grow beyond 900.
Among them is Mr. Ren Xiaotie, the vice-director of Guangdong province’s quality and technology supervision administration. He is pursuing an MPA.
‘My government sent us here to understand advanced governance techniques. Singapore’s advantage is its cultural affinity with China, so we can understand issues better,’ said the 46-year-old.
Dr. Wu said the knowledge gained has helped advance the career of officials. Citing Mr. Luo Zhihu, Dr. Wu said the 45-year-old rose from department head to be mayor of Hulunbuir in Inner Mongolia two months after he got an MPA in January 2007.
Home for the new centre will be the NTU’s historic Chinese Heritage Centre, with its distinctive Chinese architecture.
Its academic board, made up of government officials and business leaders, is chaired by Professor Alan Chan, dean of the College of Humanities, Arts and Social Sciences. It also has an advisory board of prominent alumni.
Looking ahead, Dr. Wu’s goal is for the centre to become a full-fledged school of public affairs that will offer undergraduate degrees as well.
Today, it will hold its first event, a public forum on ‘China after the Financial Crisis’ at Suntec City. Acting Minister for Information, Communications and the Arts Lui Tuck Yew is scheduled to attend.
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