In response to Singapore’s economic restructuring in the 1970s amid a shortage of engineers, the government established the Nanyang Technological Institute (NTI) in 1981 on the former campus of Nanyang 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 the National 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 of Singapore, covers 200 hectares (490 acres) of land, making it the largest university campus in the country.[15]
The university also operates a medical campus in Novena, Singapore's healthcare district. As of 2024, NTU enrolled 37,458 students, and employed 7,997 faculty and staff. [16][17]
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 a national monument.
Nanyang Technological Institute (1981–1991)
In 1980, Nanyang University merged with the University of Singapore to form the current National 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.
Legacy of Nanyang University (1991)
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, who had been the first vice-chancellor of Nanyang University, called for NTU to be renamed Nanyang University, as a way to "quieten the hearts of many" NU alumni.[22][bettersourceneeded]
Present form
Establishment of Nanyang Technological University (1991)
In March 1991, the Singapore Parliament approved the formation of Nanyang Technological University. It was officially established on 1 July 1991, with the National Institute of Education (NIE) incorporated into it.[23][24] The alumni rolls of the former Nanyang University were transferred to NTU in 1996. Historically, Nanyang Technological University admitted students jointly with the affiliated National 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.[25]
Developments in the 21st century
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, alongside NUS.) [26]
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.[26] It remains one of the few top 100 universities with more than 60% of foreign faculty.
Controversies in the 21st century
In 2013, a public debate over academic freedom in Singapore arose after Cherian George, an outspoken academic at the Wee Kim Wee School of Communications known for his criticism of the government, was denied tenure. [27] 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 the Government of Singapore. [28] The decision prompted a petition by students at the Wee Kim Wee School, but George's subsequent appeal was rejected by the university.[29]
In 2021, some applications for on-campus hostel accommodations in NTU were rejected due to COVID-19 isolation protocols.[30] 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.[31] 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.[32] NTU eventually reversed their decision on 2 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.[33]
Coat of arms
On its foundation in July 1991, NTU adopted the Coat of Arms granted to NTI (by the College 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.[34]
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.
Campuses
Landscape and Architecture
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Academic instruction
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Featured places and health
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Administration, services and dining
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Arts venues
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Housing
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Libraries and study spaces
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Sports and recreation
NTU has been listed among the World's Most Beautiful Universities, with the Art, Design and Media (ADM) building featured in a 2012 report by Travel + Leisure.[35]
Much of NTU’s campus layout dates back to the NTI period between 1981 and 1982, when the master plan including the central academic spine known as the North Spine was designed by Japanese architect Kenzō Tange[36] the recipient of the 1987 Pritzker Architecture Prize. The North Spine was officially opened in 1986.[37]
Several landmark buildings on campus have since gained international recognition. The ADM building, featured in the Travel + Leisure report,[35] was designed by Singaporean architect Lee Cheng Wee. [38]
The former Nanyang University administration building was restored into the Chinese Heritage Centre and was gazetted as a national 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. [41] The Nanyang 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.[42]
The campus also served as the Youth Olympic Village for the inaugural Youth Olympic Games in 2010.[43]
Architecture/Facilities of NTU
Administration Building of Nanyang Technological University
Chinese Heritage Centre, formerly the Administration Building of Nanyang University
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 with Imperial College London. [45][46][47] 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 the Lee Foundation.[48][49] The School's primary clinical partner is the National Healthcare Group.[50]
Beyond its colleges and schools, NTU also hosts several autonomous and university-level units that anchor research, talent development and innovation: the new NTU Honours College (first intake of ~500 students in August 2025), SCELSE—a national Research Centre of Excellence and NTU autonomous institute—the Earth Observatory of Singapore (a University Research Institute since 2023), NEWRI (Nanyang Environment & Water Research Institute), ERI@N (Energy Research Institute @ NTU), the NTU Entrepreneurship Academy (NTUpreneur)—formerly the Nanyang Technopreneurship Center—and the Nanyang Centre for Public Administration (NCPA) housed under the School of Social Sciences (HASS).
Nanyang Business School
NBS's S3 building
Nanyang Business School (NBS) is the largest business school in Singapore.[51][52]
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.[53]
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. [54]
The School of Art, Design and Media is Singapore's first professional art school and offers an undergraduate programmes in Art, Design, and Media, as well as graduate degrees in arts research. Its building, which features a sloping grassy roof surrounding a central courtyard, is frequently featured in NTU's promotional materials.[55]
In 2016, NTU announced that they will be splitting the School of Humanities and Social Sciences to 2 separate schools: the School of Humanities (SOH) and School of Social Sciences (SSS) – to accommodate the rising intake of students.[56]
The College of Engineering is NTU's largest subdivision. It has been ranked among the world's top 15 schools of engineering and technology by QS 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.[58] It consists of five schools:[59]
School of Civil and Environmental Engineering (CEE),
School of Electrical and Electronic Engineering (EEE),
School of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering (MAE), and
School of Materials Science and Engineering (MSE).
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.[60]
Schools within the College of Engineering
School of Civil and Environmental Engineering (CEE)
School of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering (MAE)
School of Electrical and Electronic Engineering (EEE)
School of Electrical and Electronic Engineering complex
College of Computing and Data Science
College of Computing and Data Science
The College of Computing and Data Science (CCDS) was established in February 2024 following a restructuring of Nanyang Technological University’s academic framework. It was formed through the reorganisation of the School of Computer Science and Engineering and the consolidation of computing-related disciplines previously housed under the College of Engineering. [61][62][63]
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. [64][65]
College of Science
School of Biological Sciences
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.[66]
The School of Physical and Mathematical Sciences was established in 2005 and offers various disciplines in physics, applied physics and mathematical sciences. The school offers data science programmes together with the College of Computing and Data Science.[68]
The Asian School of the Environment is a new interdisciplinary School established in 2015 to focus on Asian environmental challenges, integrating Earth systems, environmental life sciences, ecology, and the social sciences to address key issues of the environment and sustainability.[69]
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.[71] 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.[72]
The National Institute of Education (NIE), occupying 16 hectares (0.16km2; 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's Ministry of Education. Full-time teachers in Singapore's public schools are required to complete a post-graduate diploma course at NIE, sponsored by Singapore's Ministry of Education.[73]
Academics
NTU is a comprehensive national public research university with most students enrolled in full-time undergraduate and graduate degree programmes. [74]
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. [75]
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.
Undergraduate Research
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.
Graduate program
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. [77][78]
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. [79]
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.[80]
Scholarships
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.[81]
Collaborations
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. [82]
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. [83][84]
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.[85]
Research institutes and centres
NTU hosts several national-level research entities, including Research Centres of Excellence (RCEs) and University-level Research Institutes. [86][87]
As of the mid-2020s, NTU hosts two Research Centres of Excellence.
The Institute for Digital Molecular Analytics and Science (IDMxS) is an interdisciplinary RCE supported by the Ministry of Education, Nanyang Technological University, and the National University of Singapore, with research spanning molecular analytics, data science, and engineering.
The Singapore Centre on Environmental Life Sciences Engineering (SCELSE) is a unique[citation needed] interdisciplinary RCE, funded by National Research Foundation, Singapore Ministry of Education, Nanyang Technological University and National University of Singapore. Hosted by the NTU in partnership with NUS, SCELSE is linking new insights from the Life Sciences with expertise from the emerging technologies in Engineering and Natural Sciences to understand, harness and control microbial biofilm communities. The union of these fields has established a new discipline of Environmental Life Sciences Engineering.
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 in Earth Sciences and conducts fundamental research on earthquakes, volcanoes, tsunamis & climate change in and around Southeast Asia, towards safer and more sustainable societies.
Libraries
NIE library
NTU operates a network of eight libraries, collectively housing over two million print, digital, and audiovisual resources accessible 24/7 online for staff and students. [88] Lee Wee Nam Library supports engineering and science collections with study spaces including wellness areas like the 'Hygge'. [89]
Other key branches include the Business Library for finance and marketing materials, Chinese Library specializing in Chinese literature and history, Humanities and Social Sciences Library with Singapore-focused collections, Communication and Information Library for media studies, Art, Design & Media Library featuring AV setups, Wang Gungwu Library at the Chinese Heritage Centre on overseas Chinese history, and the Medical Library at Novena.
Student Life
Student governance and organizations
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.
Clubs and societies
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.
Residential Life
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 [90] live on campus, and every incoming freshman is guaranteed two years of hall accommodation. [91] 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. [92]
On-campus housing
Hall of Residence 5
Student accommodation
Hall of Residence 9
Transportation
NTU shuttle bus operating the Campus Weekend Rider
Transportation to and around NTU is provided by means of campus shuttle buses.[93] The Campus Loop Red and Blue services circle the campus, while the Campus Rider service connects the campus to the Pioneer MRT station.
NTU is planned to be served directly by 3 new MRT stations on the Jurong Region Line, which is expected to open around 2029: JW3 (Nanyang Gateway), JW4 (Nanyang Crescent) and JW5 (Peng Kang Hill). [94][95] Construction is ongoing on campus, with worksites along Nanyang Avenue and Nanyang Drive.
Entrepreneurship
NTU's entrepreneurship ecosystem is anchored by NTUitive, 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. [96][97]
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. [98][99][100]
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. [101][102] As of the mid-2020s, NTU spin-off companies have collectively licensed over 1,000 technologies, with reported combined valuations exceeding S$800 million. [103]
NTU was #40 worldwide in 2024 in terms of aggregate performance across THE, QS, and ARWU.[111]
Young university rankings
NTU is #1 in both the Times Higher Education Young University Rankings 2023 and the QS "Top 50 Under 50" 2021.[112] NTU has been ranked as the world's #1 young university by QS since 2015.[112]
Subject/area rankings
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.[113]
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.[114][115]
Nie Chenxi – Standing Committee Member, Deputy Director, 14th National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference, People's Republic of China
Low Yen Ling – Senior Minister of State, Ministry of Culture, Community and Youth & Ministry of Trade and Industry; Chairperson of Mayors' Committee & Mayor, South West District; Member of Parliament for Chua Chu Kang GRC
Masagos Zulkifli – Minister for Social and Family Development & Second Minister for Health; Minister-in-charge of Muslim Affairs; Member of Parliament for Tampines GRC
Teo Ser Luck – former Member of Parliament for Pasir Ris-Punggol GRC, Mayor, and Minister of State; President, Institute of Singapore Chartered Accountants
↑Office of Housing & Auxiliary Services. "Getting Around NTU". Nanyang Technological University. Archived from the original on 1 March 2021. Retrieved 4 March 2021.
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