View of Singapore from “the boat in the sky”

As I’m currently in Singapore on university business, these posts are primarily for my colleagues back at home, but for anyone else interested, this is what I’m up to.

NUIS: Newcastle University in Singapore, runs 4 programmes in conjunction with Singapore Institute of Technology (SIT). The programmes are hosted by 2 polytechnics, with Marine Engineering and Chemical Engineering at Ngee Ann and Mechanical Engineering and Food Science at Nan Yang. There are currently 23 full time staff and ~300 students based here, as well as several “adjunct” staff, local experts who contribute as guest lecturers. The poly libraries provide local support and access to print materials and Newcastle provides distance support and access to e-resources. You can see our library guide for NUIS students here

My brief is to learn more about how things work here so that we can ensure we are providing the best possible support for both staff and students. I’ve already spent a day meeting the Dean, chief administrator, SIT rep and Operations Director, which has helped clarify some of the systems and processes involved in a 3 way agreement such as this. I’m already realising the truth of Ehsan ( the Dean)’s comment that “once you have been here you won’t be the same Moira”. Is it the climate, the culture, different attitudes, different kinds of conversations? I’m not sure, but one certainly quickly slips into a different mind set.

Tomorrow, I’ll be visiting one of the libraries, as well as giving talks to some of the student groups