Singapore school shaping China's decision-makers

More Chinese students are obtaining master's degrees at Singapore's Nanyang Technological University, and the institution is working to further strengthen its links with China.

About 190 Chinese master's graduates received their diplomas from NTU this month at a convocation ceremony in Beijing.

It was the ninth time the university had held convocations for its Chinese graduates - the first was in Qinhuangdao, Hebei province, in 2006.

A total of 360 Chinese students graduated from NTU's seven master's programs and one fellowship program this year, and the subjects studied included managerial economics, public administration, financial engineering, education and technopreneurship.

Among them was Liu Xiya, a deputy at the National People's Congress and principal of Chongqing's Xiejiawan Primary School.

She has already implemented curriculum reforms at the school, and said her studies at NTU broadened her horizon and introduced her to new ideas.

"Only a fifth of my courses at NTU were about specific teaching methods, and the rest were about education philosophies and practices in other countries," said Liu, who earned a master's in education. "I learned a lot and benefited a lot."

Song Zhaohu, who earned a Master of Science in managerial economics, said the NTU courses provided a good mix of eastern and western cultures and had enhanced his strategic thinking.

Song, a program manager at an aerospace science and technology corporation, said: "Our company requires an internationalized management team that is familiar with the aerospace industry as it is experiencing a strategic transformation.

"The theoretical knowledge and practical skills I gained from NTU are really helpful in my work."

The graduates included 50 Chinese officials who studied managerial economics and public administration.

NTU President Bertil Andersson said the university's China-based graduates are growing into an important and influential group of decision-makers with established ties to Singapore.

"Since 1992, NTU has provided training to more than 16,000 senior Chinese officials in different areas, such as public administration, economic management, urban planning and the management of higher education institutions," he added.