Globalisation is changing the way business works, so education has to change too. It is because of this that the brand new School of Physical and Mathematical Sciences at NTU has signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the School of Chemistry of Southampton University. It will mean that undergraduates from Singapore will be able to go to Southampton for up to a year to take classes and to participate in research. Likewise, Southampton students will be able to come to NTU. "We are delighted that we have signed an MOU with NTU and look forward to developing close links between the two Schools of Chemistry in both teaching and research programmes. Having such links will give huge academic and cultural benefits to our students and staff through the exchange programmes we will develop" said Jeremy Kilburn, head of Southampton’s School of Chemistry. Why Southampton? According to Prof Leung Pak Hing, Associate Chair (Academics), School of Physical & Mathematical Sciences at NTU, the two schools’ interests are a good match, "synthesis, the making of new substances and materials, is at the centre of what we both do. Southampton has just completed a state of the art building for synthesis, and we at NTU will have ours ready in 2007. Even though this is a new division, Southampton has been impressed with our vision, our curriculum and the quality of the young staff that we have recruited."
NTU students going to Southampton will be in for a great experience. Southampton has one of the top ratings for research – 5A – and “excellent” for its teaching. Strong links with industry have been essential to achieve both of these accolades. But there is more to a University than that. Southampton is proud of the facilities it has built up for the students, which include a new fitness centre and nightclub and huge library
renovations. And Southampton is an easy place to get to – just over an hour by train from the centre of London, and with its own international airport linking it with top European destinations.
And Professor Leung regards the agreement with Southampton as just the beginning "We expect more agreements with other prominent universities to be signed in the very near future."