UNSW Asia

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The University of New South Wales Asia (Abbreviation: UNSW Asia; Chinese: 亚洲新南威尔斯大学) is a new university slated to open in 2007 in Singapore. It will be the first international university campus for the University of New South Wales, and the first foreign university to be established in the Asian city-state. It will be Singapore's fifth university, and the third to be privately funded and operated after the Singapore Management University (2000) and SIM University (2005).

1 History
2 Programs and research
3 People
4 Campus
5 External links
6 See also

[edit] History

[edit] Programs and research

As a full university, UNSW Asia will be an English-medium institution offering undergraduate, postgraduate and research programs across multiple disciplines grouped into the two clusters, namely science, engineering and health; and commerce and humanities.

Six bachelor degree programs will be offered for undergraduates, namely those in science, engineering, commerce, international studies, design and media, and will have corresponding honours courses. Undergraduates may pursue a single major or a double major program, which includes Science/Commerce, Science/Media, Science/International Studies, Commerce/International Studies, Commerce/Media, International Studies/Media, Engineering/Commerce and Engineering/International Studies. Other programs may be added by the university in due course, such as those in medical sciences and health administration.

Emphasis will be made on research work with the establishment of research centres, and will involve research programs funded and conducted by members of both the Asian and Australian campuses. UNSW Asia will specialise in research relevant to the Asian region, however, and work closely with research and industry trends in Singapore.

All degrees conferred by UNSW Asia will be awarded by the University of New South Wales, and all academic programs of the Asian campus will be governed and treated on equal standing with those in the Australian campuses under the UNSW Council.

[edit] People

UNSW Asia aims to establish a high international profile by allocating at least 70% of its intake to non-Singaporeans. Applications are expected to be open in January 2006 for the pioneering batch of about 500 to 600 students, and will begin classes in March 2007. Prior to that, however, the university will commence a 40-week Foundation Studies program [1] in January 2006 as an independent pre-university course for prospective students, including a course in the English language. Open only to non-Singaporean students, it will initially offer courses in commerce and the physical sciences. Successful completion of the course will guarantee a place in UNSW Asia, although they may also apply to enter the Australian campuses.

The university expects to have a full student population of about 15,000 after 15 to 20 years.

[edit] Campus

A site in Changi [2] was allocated for the building of the university's permanent campus. The only university to be sited in the eastern part of Singapore, it is located between Upper Changi Road East and Changi South Avenue 1, sited next to the Changi Business Park and about 400 metres away from the Expo MRT Station [3].

An international design competition was held to design the campus masterplan [4] and the library building, with acclaimed Singapore-based Kerry Hill Architects winning the competition in an announcement on 28 June 2005 [5]. Other finalists in the competition were Singapore-based WOHA, and three Australia-Singapore partnerships of FJMT/Architects 61; BVN/RSP Architects; and CM+/Geoff Malone International.

Construction of the campus is expected to begin in 2006, and the first buildings ready for occupation in late 2008, which would include the library, science/engineering building, academic/administrative building, teaching suites, research laboratories and sports facilities. While the campus is being built, the university will commence classes in 2007 at the current temporary campus of the Republic Polytechnic at 1 Kay Siang Road in Tanglin [6].