Universities and Colleges in Singapore

The principal universities are National University of Singapore (founded in 1905); Nanyang Technological University (founded in 1981 as Nanyang Technological Institute); Singapore Management University (2000); Singapore Institute of Technology (2009); and Singapore University of Technology and Design (inaugurated in May 2012). Established in 1980, with the merger of the University of Singapore (1905) and Nanyang University (1956), NUS is the largest university in Singapore with a total student body of 36,000 students from 100 countries (2011). Nanyang Technological University was set up in 1981 to provide higher learning and research facilities in the areas of engineering and technology and currently has 33,000 from 90 countries. Singapore Management University was established in 2000 for tertiary business and management studies. SIM University, a private university founded in 2005, offers academic programmes aimed for adults and working professionals. There are several other private universities, most of which in partnership with business schools or technology institutes in Europe or the USA. Overall the relationship between business and higher education in Singapore is highly developed with an emphasis on retraining and education of older adults; other business-related tertiary institutions include Singapore Polytechnic, Ngee Ann Polytechnic, Temasek Polytechnic, and Nanyang Polytechnic.

Other tertiary institutions include National Institute of Education (founded 1950, as Teachers’ Training College, becoming part of Nanyang Technological University in 1991); Institute of Technical Education (1992); and Republic Polytechnic (2002). There is virtually no illiteracy among people aged 15-24.