SUSS aims to deliver programmes with a strong social focus

SINGAPORE — The Singapore University of Social Sciences (SUSS) will step up its efforts to ensure that its students go through a curriculum with a strong social focus regardless of their course of study.

Set up as a private university in 2005, the school formerly known as SIM University is undergoing restructuring to be the country’s sixth autonomous university.

Speaking to the media ahead of the second reading of the SUSS Bill in Parliament yesterday, SUSS president Cheong Hee Kiat (picture) said the university is looking at offering social science courses as core modules, such as in areas of social research, the environment and ethics.

It will also organise activities where students can apply these skills. For example, students studying electronics could be asked to simplify devices for the seniors in the society.

Some of these courses are already available to the full-time students, but SUSS is looking at introducing them to the part-time courses as well. More social science-related disciplines will also be introduced over the next one to two years.

While some students might eventually forget about the social science courses after taking such modules in their first year, Prof Cheong added: “If we bring it into his curriculum for the rest of his time with us ... hopefully it will make the student think about this long after he has graduated from us.”

And he hopes they will apply what they have learnt about social sciences into their own fields.

Even as SUSS joins the national university system where the autonomous status will provide an “enhanced standing” and better recognition among employers, Prof Cheong said the university will continue to keep an open door to applicants, regardless of their qualifications.

It will continue to accept students with varying qualifications, be it A-Levels or polytechnic graduates, or others looking to take part-time courses. At times, SUSS will also recognise the training an applicant has completed in the industry.

Currently, SUSS has about 890 full-time students and 13,180 part-time students. It offers more than 60 programmes, including full-time degree programmes in law, early childhood education and logistics, and has about 145 faculty members.

Prof Cheong said it will be working with the Ministry of Education on expanding the university’s future intakes for part-time and full-time courses. More resources will be also available to provide better quality of education for its students, he said.

In line with SkillsFuture, Prof Cheong said the school will continue to provide for students who are “learning on the go” through various courses. Siau Ming En