Singapore University of Social Sciences Bill

Deputy Speaker, Sir, the Government's decision to make UniSIM, now SUSS, Singapore's sixth Autonomous University, is a good decision. It is a good decision on three counts.

One, there is no other University in Singapore that currently occupies and claims that unique domain space of the applied social sciences. As Singapore's social demographics change and the needs and demands in society become graver and more challenging, the need for more in-depth analyses and application of social science studies becomes correspondingly very critical.

The second reason why SUSS is a good decision is this. UniSIM was a private school with a known brand and history of more than 20 years. The Government's support of this private university will help fulfil its promise to create more University places in the public education space. This is a promise that was made when Minister Lawrence Wong was helming the tertiary education space in MOE then. SUSS will, indeed, help meet the brewing aspirations of many fresh undergraduates and working adults to get a first degree.

But the most important reason why this Bill reflects a good decision is this. UniSIM's, and now SUSS', unique experience of primarily catering to busy working adults pursuing further studies falls squarely in place with Singapore's SkillsFuture movement. Our SkillsFuture movement is an important shift which encourages lifelong learning and skills mastery, and it features a very important type of education for our future economy.

Perhaps less known to the public is the fact that SUSS, then UniSIM, is a forerunner in the provision of e-learning in the Singapore tertiary space. Even before other universities jumped on the bandwagon of digital education, before the term "online learning" became a mantra, the former UniSIM had been investing in and learning the business of e-learning and blending it with face-to-face class interactions. The purpose was to deliver programmes anytime, anywhere, on any PDA, via multi-media channels and blended learning, to meet the demanding schedules of its busy adult learners. At a time when most tertiary institutions are doing the catch-up on online and blended learning, SUSS is already way ahead in digital education and catering to an adult learner population in a fast-paced work setting.

Sir, the Bill appears to be uncomplicated − the formalisation, scoping and funding of the new AU − SUSS from its former private school status. Clause 3 sets out the function of the university company. The main object of SUSS will be to "provide lifelong learning programmes, with a disciplinary focus in the social sciences, for adults". Clause 8 provides for Parliament to give funding and requires that the moneys given may only be applied for such objects. But the devil is in the details.

So, I would like to be assured by the Minister in three specific areas so that SUSS would not end up becoming just like another ordinary University, losing its edge and the opportunity to help put Singapore on the map of future learning.

The first is to do with positioning. SUSS' positioning, both in terms of what it offers and who the target learners are. Whilst Social Science is an appealing focus, a search online would reveal that branches of Social Science can cover a full spectrum from anthropology, education, social work, business studies, economics, political science, psychology to sustainability studies. But at the same time, to add to the complication, there are also talks amongst many education experts that there is a need, like what Assoc Prof. Daniel Goh said, to ensure that subjects are not taught in silo. There is a real need to blend some of the subjects, and that is what many educators are talking about. I, therefore, would like to seek the Minister's views on the long-term positioning of a University such as SUSS.

In addition, if SUSS is to provide lifelong learning programmes for adults, I seek the Minister's clarification on what "adult learners" actually are. I mean, who are they really? The current age of SUSS' undergrads today is 29 years old, I was told. Although this is older than the 19-year-olds who normally enter the other Universities, how would SUSS cater to working adults who are much older and, especially, those who decide to take up new skills or a new second or third career? In a world where old jobs disappear and future jobs requiring new skills emerge, is there an intent for MOE to give these older learners more than one bite of the cherry in their pursuit of tertiary studies? Can they pursue several tertiary level courses throughout their lifetime? Is there a space for that?

My second query is in the area of resourcing and funding. SUSS will need to be sufficiently resourced to allow it to acquire the faculty to deepen the disciplinary focus of Social Sciences and to conduct applied research in the Social Sciences.

In addition, there is a great opportunity to further propel the SUSS' traditional strength in online and blended learning. SUSS can become a regional or global lead in not just a provider of digital education for adult learners but also a provider of expert services, consultancy in education technology and design.

The current UniSIM financial model that was inherited appears to be an entrepreneurial model using primarily part-time faculty members to support a large proportion of part-time adult learner undergrads. Whilst the entrepreneurial and nimble spirit of SUSS should never be lost, the new AU must receive a funding support that allows it to delve deeper into its social science domain and also not to lose its traditional strength.

My third concern is on how a University like SUSS would be evaluated by the Ministry, the Government, by its learners and also the public. The commonly held success criteria by which Universities are gauged include the popular ranking systems − research robustness, publications in journals and the like. SUSS will need to establish a set of KPIs and criteria that reflect its desired positioning in the overall tertiary education landscape.

I, therefore, seek clarification from the Minister on his views on how is he going to evaluate a university like SUSS; and, for that matter, how he intends to measure the success and significance of all his tertiary institutions in the future learning landscape. After all, what gets measured gets done.

In conclusion, Deputy Speaker, Sir, I am in full support of the Bill. SUSS presents an exciting opportunity to paint and deliver the vision of what future learning for Singapore's working adults and Singapore's lifelong learning adults can be. I strongly urge MOE to seize this opportunity to strengthen the new SUSS, fully invest in it, so that it will take off and it will soar as the very unique provider for a very unique group of learners in a very unique education age.