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Former name | Nanyang Technological Institute (1981–1991) |
|---|---|
| Type | Publicresearch university[1] |
| Established | 8 August 1981; 44 years ago (1981-08-08)[2][3] (as Nanyang Technological Institute) 1 July 1991; 34 years ago (1991-07-01)[4] (as Nanyang Technological University) |
| Endowment | S$2.9 billion[5] |
| Chancellor | President of Singapore |
| President | Ho Teck Hua |
| Provost | Christian Wolfrum |
Academic staff | 1,590[6] |
Administrative staff | 6,407[6] |
| Students | 37,458[7] |
| Undergraduates | 24,800[6] |
| Postgraduates | 12,658[6] |
| Address | 50 Nanyang Ave, Singapore 639798 1°20′45″N103°40′48″E / 1.34583°N 103.68000°E /1.34583; 103.68000 |
| Campus | 50 Nanyang Ave, Singapore 639798 (Main campus) 11 Mandalay Road, Singapore 308232 (Novena campus) |
| Colours | Red Blue[8] |
| Affiliations | ACU,APRU,ASAIHL, ASPIRE,[9]AUN,DAAD, SATU,[10] STINT,[11]UAiTED, UCMSR,[12]WA,Global Alliance of Technological Universities |
| Website | ntu |
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Nanyang Technological University (NTU) is anationalpublicresearch university inSingapore. Founded in 1981, it is also the second oldestautonomous university in the country.
In response to Singapore’s economic restructuring in the 1970s amid a shortage of engineers,the government established theNanyang Technological Institute (NTI) in 1981 on the former campus ofNanyang University, with engineering and applied science-focused programmes that emphasised laboratory training and industrial attachments.[13]
NTI was elevated to full university status and officially inaugurated as NTU on 1 July 1991 through parliamentary legislation, incorporating theNational Institute of Education to support national goals of industrial upgrading and research-intensive higher education in science and technology.[14]
NTU's main campus, located in the western part ofSingapore, covers 200 hectares (2.0 km2; 490 acres) of land, making it the largest university campus in the country.[15]
The university also operates a medical campus inNovena, Singapore's healthcare district. As of 2024, NTU enrolled 37,458 students, and employed 7,997 faculty and staff.[16][17]
The university is organised into a number ofcolleges andschools, including the College of Engineering, College of Science, Nanyang Business School,Lee Kong Chian School of Medicine, College of Humanities, Arts and Social Sciences, College of Computing and Data Science,[18] Graduate College,National Institute of Education, andS. Rajaratnam School of International Studies.
Nanyang University (abbreviated Nan-tah,南大) was founded in 1955 on land donated by the Hokkien Huay Kuan, prior to Singapore's independence from British rule. Conceived as a Chinese-medium university, it was largely supported by the local Chinese community and became the first Chinese-language university in Southeast Asia.[19]
Nanyang University was located south of the present Nanyang Technological University grounds, centered on what is now Yunan Garden. The former administration building of Nanyang University now houses the Chinese Heritage Centre, which has been designated as anational monument.
In 1980, Nanyang University merged with the University of Singapore to form the currentNational University of Singapore. Nanyang Technological Institute (NTI), a tertiary institution affiliated to the National University of Singapore, was formed to take over Nanyang University's campus in 1981.[20][21]
NTI operated as an engineering institute for a decade and formed the academic and infrastructural foundation for the establishment of Nanyang Technological University.
As NTU subsequently grew into a full university, various efforts were made to have it claim the Nanyang University mantle. In 1996, the alumni rolls of Nanyang University were transferred from NUS to NTU. In 1998, the prominent local calligrapher and poet Pan Shou (Chinese:潘受), who had been the first vice-chancellor of Nanyang University[22], called for NTU to be renamed Nanyang University, as a way to "quieten the hearts of many" NU alumni.[23][better source needed]
In March 1991, the Singapore Parliament approved the formation of Nanyang Technological University. It was officially established on 1 July 1991, with theNational Institute of Education (NIE) incorporated into it.[24][25] The alumni rolls of the former Nanyang University were transferred to NTU in 1996. Historically, Nanyang Technological University admitted students jointly with the affiliatedNational University of Singapore and charged the same fees. Students made only one application, and they would be accepted by either university. This arrangement ended in 2004 as both universities began to distinguish themselves with an end of its official affiliation. Currently, students apply separately to both universities.[20][21] NTU became autonomous in 2006 and stands as one of the two largest public universities in Singapore today.[26]
Since the early 2000s, NTU has expanded its international engagement, graduate education, and academic profile.
Approximately 65% of NTU's faculty and staff are foreign nationals, placing it among the world’s top 100 universities with the highest proportion of international faculty, according to QS. (NTU was ranked joint 3rd in the world on this metric, alongsideNUS.)[27]
The university is also highly international in its student body: 31% (8,089) of students are foreign nationals, with 58% of them pursuing postgraduate degrees.[27] It remains one of the few top 100 universities with more than 60% of foreign faculty.
In 2013, a public debate overacademic freedom in Singapore arose afterCherian George, an outspoken academic at the Wee Kim Wee School of Communications known for his criticism of the government, was denied tenure.[28] Although George had been recommended for tenure by the Wee Kim Wee School, his application was rejected by a university-level committee that included representatives from theGovernment of Singapore.[29] The decision prompted a petition by students at the Wee Kim Wee School, but George's subsequent appeal was rejected by the university.[30]
In 2021, some applications for on-campus hostel accommodations in NTU were rejected due toCOVID-19 isolation protocols.[31] The university claimed that the rejections were due to a shortage of housing facilities, which at full capacity was still unable to house every applicant, as rooms were oversubscribed.[32] These rejections raised concerns, especially among international students, as returning students from Academic Year 2020–2021 were not granted on-campus accommodation despite the university's much-publicised policy of guaranteeing all incoming students a minimum of two years of campus housing.[33] NTU eventually reversed their decision on 2nd July 2021, prioritising on-campus accommodations for international students that resided on campus at the time, students under scholarship programmes with guaranteed housing, and all Year 1 and 2 students under the guaranteed hall stay policy.[34]
On its foundation in July 1991, NTU adopted the Coat of Arms granted to NTI (by theCollege of Arms of the United Kingdom in November 1982) as its coat of arms.
The Coat of Arms consists of a heraldic shield divided into two sections: the lower portion shows a stalking lion facing the spectator on a white background and the upper portion two atomic symbols, one on either side of a cog-wheel above a battlement on a red background.[35]
It isblazoned:
Argent a lion passant guardant proper on a chief embattled gules a cog-wheel between two conventional representations of an atom argent.
The lion represents close links between NTI and NUS, the battlement represents School of Civil and Structural Engineering, the atoms represents School of Electrical and Electronic Engineering and the cogwheel represents School of Mechanical and Production Engineering.
NTU has been listed among the World's Most Beautiful Universities, with the Art, Design and Media (ADM) building featured in a 2012 report byTravel + Leisure.[36]
Much of NTU’s campus layout dates back to the Nanyang Technological Institute (NTI) period between 1981 and 1982, when the master plan—centred on the central academic spine known as theNorth Spine—was designed by Japanese architectKenzō Tange[37] the recipient of the 1987Pritzker Architecture Prize. The North Spine was officially opened in 1986.[38]
Several landmark buildings on campus have since gained international recognition.The ADM building, featured in theTravel + Leisure report,[36] was designed by Singaporean architect Lee Cheng Wee.[39]
The Hive, another prominent campus landmark, was featured byTimes Higher Education[40],and was designed by British designerThomas Heatherwick.[41]
The formerNanyang University administration building was restored into the Chinese Heritage Centre and was gazetted as anational monument in 1998 – now overlooking the Yunnan Garden. The Yunnan Garden precinct has undergone restoration and redevelopment works that completed in 2021. This encompassed heritage conservation, landscaped public spaces, and upgraded facilities surrounding the Chinese Heritage Centre.[42]TheNanyang University Memorial and original Nanyang University Arch were also declared national monuments of Singapore in 1998.
The NTU Art & Heritage Museum is an approved public museum under the National Heritage Board's Approved Museum Scheme; benefactors who donate artworks and artefacts to NTU enjoy double tax deductions. There is a small lake between the Chinese Heritage Centre and Hall of Residence 4 called Nanyang Lake. Only members of NTU Anglers' Club permit holder, the fishing club at NTU, are allowed to fish in this lake.[43]
The campus also served as the Youth Olympic Village for the inauguralYouth Olympic Games in 2010.[44]
NTU is organised into several colleges and schools covering engineering, business, science, computing, humanities, education, and medicine.[45]
In 2010, NTU announced the formation of a pro-tem governing board to guide the establishment of the Lee Kong Chian School of Medicine, a collaboration withImperial College London.[46][47][48] The medical college was established in 2013. Prior to its opening in 2013, the school received record donations of S$400 million, including S$150 million from theLee Foundation.[49][50] The School's primary clinical partner is theNational Healthcare Group.[51]
The S. Rajaratnam School of International Studies (RSIS), named afterSingapore's former Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Foreign Affairs, offers graduate programmes ininternational relations and is an autonomous graduate institution of NTU. The school has the Institute of Defence and Strategic Studies.
Nanyang Business School (NBS) is the largest business school in Singapore.[52][53]
NBS houses the 165-square meter Centre for Applied Financial Education, the largest finance lab in Singapore. The lab is equipped with 60 dedicated Thomson Reuters Eikon terminals with Datastream, along with 24 Bloomberg terminals that will allow business students with access to real-time financial, economic and business information.[54]
In May 2023, NTU opened Gaia, a six-storey mass timber building. It is NTU’s eighth zero-energy building and at its opening, the largest wooden building in Asia.[55]
HASS consists of four schools:
The College of Engineering is NTU's largest subdivision. It has been ranked among the world's top 15 schools of engineering and technology byQS World University Rankings, and claimed to be the world's largest engineering college, with a student population of more than 10,500 undergraduates and 3,500 graduates.[59]
It consists of five schools:[60]
In addition to the 12 single degree programmes, the college also offers double degrees, double majors and integrated programmes as well as the only aerospace engineering programme in Singapore.[61]
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The College of Computing and Data Science (CCDS) was established in February 2024 following a restructuring of the university’s academic framework. It was formed through the reorganisation of theSchool of Computer Science and Engineering and the consolidation of computing-related disciplines previously housed under the College of Engineering.[62][63][64]
CCDS supports active research activities across a broad spectrum of computing and data science domains. It hosts research laboratories and centres such as the Generative AI Lab, Health Informatics Lab, Cyber Security Lab, Data Management and Analytics Lab, and the Centre for Brain-Computing Research, among others.[65][66]
As of 2024, the college consists of four schools and is home to 257 faculty members, 578 research staff, 134 administrative and technical staff, 4,227 undergraduate and 1,078 graduate students.[67]
NTU's Graduate College was formed on 1 August 2018 and is in charge of graduate programmes in NTU. One such graduate programme is the Interdisciplinary Graduate Programme (IGP), which leverages on professors from multiple schools or colleges in NTU to undertake interdisciplinary research and to act as advisors for IGP PhD students.[72] Another graduate programme is the Industrial Postgraduate Programme (IPP), which leverages on partnering industry companies to undertake industrial research and to act as advisors for IPP PhD students.[73]
The National Institute of Education (NIE), occupying 16 hectares (0.16 km2; 40 acres) in the western part of NTU's Yunnan Garden campus, is Singapore's main teaching college and is run in close collaboration with Singapore'sMinistry of Education. Full-time teachers inSingapore's public schools are required to complete a post-graduate diploma course at NIE, sponsored by Singapore'sMinistry of Education.[74]
NTU is a comprehensive national public research university with most students enrolled in full-time undergraduate and graduate degree programmes.[75]
It operates on a two-semester academic calendar, with the academic year typically running from August to May and an optional special term in between semesters.[76]
| Academic Year | Undergraduates | Graduate | Total Enrollment |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2023–2024 | 24,757 | 10,608 | 35,365 |
| 2024–2025 | 24,800 | 12,658 | 37,458 |
| 2025–2026 | 25,010 | 15,729 | 40,739 |
Source: NTU Institutional Statistics Unit | |||
As of 2026, NTU enrolls over 25,000 undergraduate students across its colleges and schools. The College of Engineering constitutes the largest academic division, followed by the College of Humanities, Arts and Social Sciences, College of Computing & Data Science, Nanyang Business School, College of Science, Lee Kong Chian School of Medicine and the National institute of Education.
Undergraduate students are required to complete a set of Interdisciplinary Collaborative Core (ICC) courses, introduced as part of a university-wide curriculum reform.
Most undergraduate courses combine lectures, tutorials, laboratory sessions and project-based assessments. Final-year students typically complete a capstone project or final-year project particularly in engineering and science programs, involving independent research or applied design under faculty supervision, industry partners or research institutes.
NTU places emphasis on undergraduate research, with students participating in faculty led projects through programmes such as the Undergraduate Research Experience on Campus (URECA) and overseas research attachments. Many undergraduates also engage in internships, industry-linked projects and/or overseas exchange programmes as part of their degree requirements.
NTU offers a broad range of graduate programmes, including coursework-based and research-based master's degrees, as well as Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) programmes across science, engineering, computing, medicine, education, business and the humanities.[78][79]
Doctoral education at NTU is research-intensive, with PhD candidates typically supported through scholarships, research assistantships or teaching assistantships. Graduate students are closely integrated into NTU's research ecosystem, which allows them to contribute to national and international research initiatives.[80]
NTU also offers professional graduate degrees, including the Master of Business Administration (MBA), specialized master's programmes in engineering and computing and joint or dual-degree programmes with international partner universities.The university also maintains over 50 joint, dual, and double-degree programmes with international partner institutions, particularly in Europe, North America, and Asia.[81]
The NTU Honours College was established to provide an interdisciplinary, cohort-based honours education for high-performing undergraduates across the university. The programme admits students from multiple colleges and schools, with its first intake of approximately 500 students in August 2025.
NTU is a participating institution in the Singapore International Graduate Award (SINGA), a national doctoral scholarship programme administered by the Agency for Science, Technology & Research (A*STAR). This programme supports PhD candidates worldwide and is jointly offered by A*STAR, Nanyang Technological University, the National University of Singapore, and the Singapore University of Technology and Design.[82]
NTU maintains extensive global academic and industry partnerships to advance research, education, and innovation. Key collaborations include the CREATE campus with research centres alongside MIT, ETH Zurich, Technical University of Munich, Cambridge University, and others in areas like electromobility, sustainability, and AI.[83]
Notable joint initiatives feature the Centre for Lifelong Learning and Individualised Cognition (CLIC) with University of Cambridge, seed funds with Imperial College London for blue-sky research in health, AI, and urban resilience, and the Fraunhofer-NTU Research Centre.[84][85]
Industry ties span over 700 companies via corporate labs and NTUitive spin-offs (e.g., Nanofilm, Eureka Robotics), plus partnerships with P&G, Schaeffler, and the Millennium Technology Prize as Asia's first academic partner.[86]
NTU hosts several national-level research entities, including Research Centres of Excellence (RCEs) and University-level Research Institutes.[87][88]
As of 2026, NTU hosts 2 Research Centres of Excellence.[89]
NTU hosts several University-level Research Institutes that support interdisciplinary and applied research aligned with national priorities:
The Earth Observatory of Singapore (EOS), which was previously established as a Research Centre of Excellence, transitioned to a University-level Research Institute in July 2023. EOS specializes inEarth Sciences and conducts fundamental research onearthquakes,volcanoes,tsunamis &climate change in and aroundSoutheast Asia, towards safer and more sustainable societies.
NTU operates a network of 8 libraries:
They collectively house over two million print, digital, and audiovisual resources accessible 24/7 online for staff and students.[90]
The Lee Wee Nam Library supports engineering and science collections with study spaces including wellness areas like the 'Hygge'.[91]Other key branches include the Business Library (finance and marketing), Chinese Library (Chinese literature and history), Humanities & Social Sciences Library (Singapore studies and research), Communication & Information Library (media and communication studies), and Art, Design & Media Library (visual and audiovisual materials).
Additional facilities include the Wang Gungwu Library at the Chinese Heritage Centre, which focuses on the history of overseas Chinese, and the Medical Library at Novena.
Student life at NTU is largely self-directed. The Nanyang Technological University Students’ Union (NTUSU) is the main representative body for undergraduates. Membership in NTUSU is compulsory for all full-time undergrads (and certain postgraduates in NIE).
The Union consists of 16 academic constituent clubs (one for each school or college) and 3 non-academic constituent clubs – namely the Cultural Activities Club, Sports Club, and Welfare Services Club.
Through its elected Council and Executive Committee, NTUSU organizes student activities and serves as the liaison between the student body and the university administration. In addition, a Graduate Students’ Association represents postgraduate students.
Beyond the Union’s constituent clubs, NTU has numerous special interest groups and societies. Students can join over 100 clubs spanning arts, culture, sports, entrepreneurship and community service and more.Competitive teams (like cheer, sports and recreational games) also represent NTU in inter-varsity competitions.
NTU has 23 Halls of Residence for undergraduates, each accommodating between 500 and 659 residents. All halls are co-educational by floor or wing and offer both single and double occupancy rooms, with double rooms shared by residents of the same gender. Communal facilities are available in every hall and typically include lounges, air-conditioned reading rooms, pantries, and laundry rooms equipped with washing machines and dryers.
Each hall is managed by a student-run Hall Council. About 12,000 students[92] live on campus, and every incoming freshman is guaranteed two years of hall accommodation.[93] Hall councils organise inter-hall competitions, orientation activities and student welfare initiatives.
Senior students typically accrue “hall points” by participating in hall activities and committees to qualify for continued residency. Hall Councils also organize social events, welfare initiatives, and orientation activities for residents, contributing to a lively campus living experience.[94]
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Transportation to and around NTU is provided by means of campus shuttle buses.[95] The Campus Loop Red and Blue services circle the campus, while the Campus Rider service connects the campus to thePioneer MRT station.
NTU is planned to be served directly by 3 new MRT stations on theJurong Region Line, which is expected to open around 2029: JW3 (Nanyang Gateway), JW4 (Nanyang Crescent) and JW5 (Peng Kang Hill).[96][97] Construction is ongoing on campus, with worksites along Nanyang Avenue and Nanyang Drive.
NTU's entrepreneurship ecosystem is anchored byNTUitive, the university's innovation and enterprise company and wholly-owned subsidiary, which manages intellectual property, promotes innovation, supports entrepreneurship, and facilitates the commercialization of research through technology licensing, start-up incubation, and industry partnerships.[98][99]
The Overseas Entrepreneurship Programme (OEP) offers selected undergraduates with funded overseas internships of 6-12 months at technology start-ups in established innovation hubs such as Silicon Valley, Shenzhen, and Tel Aviv. The programme includes entrepreneurship-related coursework and requires participants to complete prescribed modules prior to departure. OEP operates under Singapore’s Global Innovation Alliance framework.[100][101][102]
Entrepreneurship initiatives at NTU are further coordinated through the NTU Entrepreneurship Academy (NTUpreneur), which supports student-led ventures via incubator spaces, seed funding schemes, innovation challenges, and mentorship programmes.[103][104]As of the mid-2020s, NTU spin-off companies have collectively licensed over 1,000 technologies, with reported combined valuations exceeding S$800 million.[105]
| University rankings | |
|---|---|
| Global – Overall | |
| ARWU World[106] | 88 (2025) |
| QS World[107] | 12 (2026) |
| THE World[108] | 31 (2026) |
| USNWR Global[109] | 28 (2025–2026) |
| Regional – Overall | |
| QS Asia[110] | 3 (2025) |
| THE Asia[111] | 4 (2025) |
| USNWR Asia[112] | 4 (2026) |
NTU was #40 worldwide in 2024 in terms of aggregate performance across THE, QS, and ARWU.[113]
NTU is #1 in both the Times Higher Education Young University Rankings 2023 and the QS "Top 50 Under 50" 2021.[114] NTU has been ranked as the world's #1 young university byQS since 2015.[114]
In the 2025 QS World University Rankings by Subject, NTU ranked among the global top 10 in several engineering and science-related subjects, and held the top national position in multiple disciplines.[115]
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Nanyang Technological University (NTU) has produced alumni who have held high office in government across Southeast Asia, led multinational corporations, and achieved distinction in academia, arts, sports and media.[116][117]
南大校园成立附属过大的南洋理工学院的院址。1991年它升格为南洋理工大学。
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