Republic Polytechnic

Republic Polytechnic

Politeknik Republik  (Malay) 共和理工学院 (Chinese)
Type	Public
Established	2002
Location	Woodlands, Singapore
Campus	20 hectares
Website	http://www.rp.edu.sg/

Republic Polytechnic (Abbreviation: RP) is a tertiary institution located in Singapore. Founded in 2002, it was the first school system in Singapore to use Problem-based learning (PBL) pedagogy for all its diploma programmes.^[1][2]

As an industry-oriented alternative to a broader based high school or post-secondary education, polytechnic graduates in Singapore are taught relevant and specific skills for the workplace. Valued as practice-oriented and knowledgeable professionals, polytechnic graduates are much sought after by the industry upon graduation although many continue to further their education and attain university degrees.

In contrast to polytechnics in the United States and the United Kingdom, polytechnics in Singapore admit majority of their students after middle school (secondary school), which is after 10 years of formal education. Diplomas in a specialized area of study, Biomedical Sciences for example, are generally awarded after completing 3 years of studies.

Republic Polytechnic's project team began operating in the premises of Data Storage Institute,^[3] National University of Singapore in January 2002. On 1 July 2002, it moved into Tanglin Campus which was previously occupied by the Ministry of Education, Singapore. The polytechnic opened its doors to the first intake of students in 2003 before moving to the current Woodlands campus in 2007. The polytechnic will see its twelve batch of students graduating in 2017, also the fifteenth anniversary of the polytechnic.

Schools and Centres

The Republic Polytechnic campus

Every diploma awarded by Republic Polytechnic is recognized for articulation into a bachelor's degree at a university in Singapore or a top university across the world.^[4]

As of 2016, RP has 7 schools and 1 academic centre which offers 41 full-time diplomas that train its students to be industry-ready upon graduation:^[5][6]

• School of Applied Science (SAS)
• School of Engineering (SEG)
• School of Hospitality (SOH)
• School of Infocomm (SOI)
• School of Sports, Health and Leisure (SHL)
• School of Technology for the Arts (STA)
• School of Management and Communication (SMC)
• Centre for Educational Development (CED)

Through its Problem-based Learning (PBL) pedagogy, students are given problem statements in class which are often presented in real world contexts related to their modules or their diploma programmes. Working in teams, students are required to explore, analyse, and develop a solution or a response to the problem statement. In the process, they draw on their prior knowledge, integrate new knowledge and skills to apply their collective know-how in tackling the issues. Such contextualized and authentic learning experience enables students to acquire a range of cognitive competencies and industry-ready skills upon graduation.

Keeping abreast of industry developments and requirements, the polytechnic’s curriculum is reviewed regularly. Some unique programmes available for full-time students include diplomas in marine science and aquaculture, outdoor and adventure learning, and customer experience management with business. The diploma in infocomm security management trains students in cybersecurity management for the digital age.

RP’s Industry Immersion Programme (IIP), or internship, is designed to give students a first-hand experience of the work environment and lets them apply the knowledge they have gained from the classroom. Each year, final-year students are placed on internship with over 1,200 industry partners. The duration ranges from 20 to 24 weeks and is an integral part of the diploma programme. Some students have also pursued their internships overseas during their 3rd year of study at RP. The countries include the United States, Australia and New Zealand, to destinations closer to home such as Indonesia, China and Myanmar.^[7]

The polytechnic also has a Continuing Education and Training (CET) learning arm for upskilling and lifelong learning. In line with Singapore’s SkillsFuture movement, these part-time programmes - short courses and certificates offered by the Academy of Continuing Education known as ACE@RP – allow learners to stay relevant in the current knowledge-based global economy.^[8] They include: 

• Part-time Diploma Programmes
• Specialist Diploma Programmes
• SkillsFuture Earn & Learn Programmes
• Short courses/ Workshops
• National Silver Academy Courses
• Modular Courses

Following the launch of the Earn and Learn Programme (ELP) for Logistics in 2015, the ELP for the Hotel Sector was rolled out in June 2016 with a record number of sign-ups. This work-study programme allows learners to pursue a Specialist Diploma while working at the same time – providing them opportunities to deepen sector-specific skills through classroom learning and real-world application.

To meet the growing demand for social media professionals, RP also introduced the Specialist Diploma in Communication Strategies for Social Media in late 2016, the first such programme of its kind offered by a polytechnic in Singapore. This one-year programme aims to increase the pool of digital/social media strategists who are able to harness social media effectively in engaging customers and achieving business outcomes.

A building within the Republic Polytechnic campus

Campus

On 31 July 2007, RP's Woodlands campus was officially opened by Singapore's Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong.^[9] The campus was designed by Japanese architect, Fumihiko Maki^[10] and DP Architects. Completed in 2006, the new campus is able to cater 13,000 students. It is conceived as a campus with a central nucleus which contains 11 learning Pods (8-9 storeys high) which are unified by 2 elliptical decks of common facilities, namely The Lawn and The Agora.^[11]

Also known as a Paperless Campus, RP's Woodlands campus is backed by IT-supported network for both academic and administrative functions.^[12][13] It employs the latest technology, through a wireless IT infrastructure supported by a comprehensive hardware-software system. In line with its green approach, environmentally friendly features such as fritted glasses, flooring made from recycled nylon and tyres, and sunshade louvres were integrated in the building design.^[14] Instead of the conventional air-conditioning system, the campus is equipped with tanks containing chilled water, which are recharged at night using low tariff electricity. This significantly reduces overall electric consumption.^[15]

In 2008, RP earned the ASEAN Best Practices for Energy Efficient Buildings Competition under the New and Existing Buildings category.^[16] RP was also honoured with the President*s Design Award in 2009.^[17] The campus was also the first to win the First-ever Singapore Green Mark Plantinum award for its eco friendly design.^[18]

Facilities

• Republic Polytechnic Industry Centre (RPIC) – The RPIC is a six-storey building that houses state-of-the-art laboratories and learning facilities to support research, innovation and enterprise. With a gross floor area of over 11,000 square metres, it is a learning hub for students and staff with joint laboratories that provide opportunities to work on real-life innovative projects across a range of industries that include food manufacturing, hospitality, advance manufacturing and logistics, among others.
• The Republic Cultural Centre (TRCC) – TRCC is the focal point for the artistic development of students, and also a cultural space that facilitates the integration of the community through the common appreciation of the arts. Designed by Maki & Associates, TRCC has three main performing arts venues: a) 1,000-seat Theatre, b) 300-seat Studio and, c) 120-seat Lab. In addition to these performing spaces, TRCC also houses rooms and studios for practice, rehearsal and recordings that support curriculum, student development. 
• Career Centre – As part of Education and Career Guidance (ECG) efforts, the RP Career Centre, which commenced operations in October 2015, provides career advisory services to help students discover their passions, strength and interests. The Career Centre lets them explore various career pathways and acquire the skills and abilities to make informed career decisions. 
• Library – With a range of learning resources available, the 2100-seater RP library is open from 8.00am - 9.00pm from Mondays to Fridays, 8.30am - 1.00pm on Saturdays and is closed on Sundays and public holidays.

Sports^[19]

• Indoor competition hall ideal for sporting games such as basketball, volleyball and netball
• Multi-purpose outdoor courts which can be used either as three basketball courts, three volleyball courts or one futsal court
• Multi-purpose indoor hall for holding any type of indoor competition or event including the games of floorball, frisbee or captain’s ball
• Swimming complex with an Olympic-size swimming pool, a warm-up pool and a baby wading pool
• Badminton hall comprising 6 badminton courts
• 4 tennis courts
• Martial arts room
• Aerobics studio
• Football/rugby field
• Indoor & outdoor rock wall and an outdoor adventure learning centre

Business Excellence Awards and Achievements

Republic Polytechnic’s pursuit of excellence has been rewarded with the achievement of various international and national accreditations, including ISO 9001, ISO 14001, OHSAS 18001, ISO 22301, Singapore Quality Class (Star), People Developer, Innovation Class, and Service Class.

In recognition of HR policies in the company that promote work-life harmony, RP was presented with the “Best Companies for Mums” award in 2014. The polytechnic also clinched seven HR awards at the Singapore Human Resource Awards 2016, a celebration of leading organisations and HR practitioners in their drive for impactful human capital strategies. In addition, RP is the only organisation to win the Corporate HR Champion Award in 2016, a testament to RP’s HR practices, strategies and development. The polytechnic was also accorded the Community Chest SHARE Gold Award for the outstanding contributions in support of Community Chest from 1 April 2015 to 31 March 2016.

In 2009, RP received the Green Office Label, awarded under Project Eco-Office by the Singapore Environment Council, reaffirming the institution as an environmentally-friendly work place that is committed to good practices that minimize wastage of energy and resources.

Notable alumni

• Yip Pin Xiu - World Paralympics Gold Medal 2016
• Michelle S. Ng - 1st Runner-up, The Amazing Race Asia (Season 4, 2010)
• Benjamin Kheng - Member of The Sam Willows pop band
• Tosh Zhang - YouTuber, Singapore Celebrity (Actor, Singer, Host, Rapper)
• Ian Fang - Mediacorp Actor

Key Milestones

• July 2002 – Start of operations at the temporary Tanglin campus, Republic Polytechnic was official established a month later
• July 2003 – Start of classes for pioneer batch of students in RP’s three schools: School of Applied Science, School of Engineering and School of Information and Communications (now known as School of Infocomm)
• January 2005 – Launch of School of Technology for the Arts
• November 2005 – The Republic Polytechnic Centre building was officially opened
• December 2005 – Launch of School of Sports, Health and Leisure
• March 2006 – Official move to Woodlands campus
• July 2007 – Official opening of The Republic Cultural Centre
• March 2008 – Launch of School of Hospitality 
• November 2009 – Signing of the Memorandum of Agreement with Singapore Sports School
• September 2010 – Opening of Centre for Continuing Education and Training
• May 2012 – Re-launch of Centre for Professional Development as the Academy for Continuing Education @RP and launch of the first part-time diploma
• October 2012 – Launch of the Centre for Enterprise and Communication
• April 2013 – Official launch of the Centre for Innovation for Supply Chain Management
• April 2016 – Centre for Enterprise and Communication was renamed School of Management and Communication
• August 2016 – Launch of Republic Polytechnic Industry Centre (RPIC)

Industry collaborations

Republic Polytechnic collaborates with industry partners to establish and maintain close industrial linkages, ensuring a mutually beneficial arrangement between the polytechnic and the industry.

Some examples include: 

• On 4 November 2016, RP signed three Memoranda of Understanding (MoU) with key MICE partners in a three-year collaboration providing industry-relevant learning experiences for 600 students from the School of Hospitality. Two new MOUs were signed with SingEx Holdings Pte Ltd (SingEx) and Koelnmesse Pte Ltd, and a MoU was renewed with Singapore Association of Convention and Exhibition Organisers and Suppliers (SACEOS)^[20]
• The RP-Hexagon Manufacturing Intelligence (HMI) Joint Laboratory was launched on 29 June 2016. Students studying for the Diploma in Industrial and Operations Management (DIOM) from the School of Engineering at RP are able to enhance their capabilities and skills in the field of engineering through this new lab^[21]
• On 9 June 2016, RP’s new customer experience laboratories were launched. The facility will cater to around 1,000 students, mainly from the School of Hospitality's Diploma in Customer Experience Management with Business (DCXB). An inaugural collaboration between RP and partners ASICS, Cumulus Nimbus, ZA and Ma Cherie, the facility includes a retail lab stocked with lifestyle products. It also includes a contact centre that trains students in responding to customer queries, and a customer relationship management lab where students can interact with different consumer market segments^[22]
• In May 2016, RP’s School of Infocomm and Samsung launched a new Android training and development laboratory to equip its infocomm students with the skills to develop Android software applications. The RP-Samsung Mobile Lab is a first among the institutes of higher learning in Singapore
• In September 2016, RP’s School of Applied Science inked a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with Rolls-Royce, allowing students from the Diploma in Materials Science opportunities to work on aircraft component failure inspection and non-destructive testing R&D projects with the company. Rolls-Royce will also lend its aerospace and technological expertise to co-develop and enhance RP’s curriculum in the areas of advanced materials and composites
• In December 2015, RP’s School of Management and Communication jointly launched the Youth Livelihood Programme (YLP) with World Vision Singapore. Students from the Diploma in Social Enterprise Management will partner with youth counterparts from Cambodia to exchange entrepreneurial and business skills for sustainable livelihood. Through the collaboration, RP students are allowed the opportunity to apply classroom concepts in social entrepreneurship and business to real communities
• In September 2014, RP’s School of Technology for the Arts signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with digital music instrument manufacturer CME. Students from the Diploma in Sonic Arts will benefit from internship and R&D opportunities in the development of web-based music and music technology education
• In March 2014, RP’s School of Sports Health and Leisure partnered the Football Association of Singapore to provide students from the Diploma in Sports Coaching with the opportunity to attain the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) ‘C’ coaching licence upon graduating from the polytechnic. The partnership will give students an early head-start in sports coaching careers

References