New scholarship programme to develop highly-skilled engineering professionals to help accelerate economic growth in the manufacturing industry.
Singapore—Engineers in training can look forward to a new vocation-driven engineering doctorate from July 2014. A*STAR and the University of Warwick’s Warwick Manufacturing Group (WMG) are rolling out an Engineering Doctorate (EngD) scholarship programme in Advanced Manufacturing, a first of its kind in Singapore. Graduates of the programme will be conferred an EngD degree by the University of Warwick, which is renowned for its degree programmes on manufacturing, and is ranked in the top 10 in the UK. The programme is funded by the A*STAR Graduate Academy (A*GA).
The EngD degree is equivalent to a traditional PhD in engineering, but provides a more industry-oriented education. While a traditional PhD programme in engineering centers on academic research, the EngD programme focuses on applied research that results in innovative solutions for significant industry problems. The programme will leverage on the collaboration research projects between A*STAR’s Singapore Institute of Manufacturing Technology (SIMTech) and WMG. Instead of producing a doctoral thesis, EngD candidates are evaluated on their portfolio, which comprises coursework, project reports, and publications that demonstrate their innovation and project leadership abilities.
Under this programme, SIMTech will serve as a link between industry and the University of Warwick to develop and align the research project syllabus with the current needs of the manufacturing industry. The programme will help candidates understand issues in the area of manufacturing processes, automation, and systems and develop skill sets to tackle real-world engineering problems, thus adding value to the manufacturing industry.
About the A*STAR-WMG EngD Programme
The programme, known as the A*STAR-University Of Warwick Engineering Doctorate (EngD) Programme, comprises two years of studies at WMG in the UK, and two years based in A*STAR’s SIMTech in Singapore. Students will be attached to SIMTech to conduct applied research based on real-world engineering problems and work closely with the industry in order to propose innovative solutions. Full details of the programme are available in Annex A.
SIMTech will lead in applied research projects relevant to the needs of the manufacturing industry while WMG will provide taught classroom modules on related subjects. These include aspects of manufacturing significant to the economy, such as 3D Additive Layer Manufacturing, big data analytics, biomedical manufacturing, and robotics. Together, SIMTech and WMG will train students in R&D innovation, project management and technology commercialisation, and will co-assess the students’ quality of work.
Prof. Alfred Huan, Executive Director of the A*STAR Graduate Academy, said, “The partnership with the University of Warwick and the Warwick Manufacturing Group in the A*STAR-WMG EngD programme broadens our collaborations with universities. With its strong link and relevance to industry, the EngD programme will nurture talents who are strong in applied research and will be ready to lead and drive innovation.”
Dr Lim Ser Yong, Executive Director of SIMTech, said, “There is an increasing need to nurture and invest in a quality talent pool that is aligned with the industry’s demands for cutting edge innovation with real world impact. It is our privilege to collaborate with Warwick Manufacturing Group, which has established its reputation for its practical approach to education that meets both business and industry’s needs. The A*STAR-WMG EngD Programme will leverage on WMG’s strengths and SIMTech’s capabilities in manufacturing R&D to develop the skill sets necessary for accelerating economic competitiveness and future growth.”
Chairman and Founder of WMG, Prof. Lord SK Bhattacharyya said, “I am pleased to embark on another collaboration with SIMTech through the A*STAR-WMG EngD programme in Singapore. WMG endeavours to provide students with academic excellence with a clear focus on addressing issues pertinent to the manufacturing sector. I believe that both WMG and A*STAR’s SIMTech’s combined strengths in education and research will empower them with the know-how and experience to stay ahead in today’s ever changing economic landscape.”
This is the third educational programme that SIMTech has entered into with WMG. In 2006, SIMTech signed a tripartite agreement with WMG and the Singapore Institute of Management to launch the Master of Science in Engineering Business Management programme, and later the Supply Chain and Logistics Management programme. More than 50 individuals have since graduated.
For media enquiries, please contact:
Ms Lynn Hong Xiuling
Senior Officer, Corporate Communications,
Agency for Science, Technology and Research
Tel: +65 6419 6597
Email: hongxl@scei.a-star.edu.sg
Ms Tricia Huang
Deputy Executive Director, A*STAR Graduate Academy
Agency for Science, Technology and Research
Tel: +65 6826 6306
Email: tricia_huang@a-star.edu.sg
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