NTU to offer own medical degree from 2029, ending school of medicine partnership with Imperial

SINGAPORE — The partnership between Nanyang Technological University (NTU) and Imperial College London to set up the Lee Kong Chian School of Medicine (LKCMedicine) will end in 2028 as planned, ending an 18-year collaboration.

This means 2028 will be the last year a joint degree is awarded to students completing their Bachelor of Medicine and Bachelor of Surgery degree (MBBS), said NTU on Monday (April 11). Students enrolling in 2024 or later will receive an NTU degree.

“This partnership between NTU and Imperial designed a unique curriculum for medical education that made use of the latest technology, and shaped the standards of teaching, learning and governance,” said NTU president, Professor Subra Suresh.

The two universities will explore new areas of collaboration in postgraduate education and research in areas such as healthcare devices and systems, public health, sustainability and climate change, said NTU.

"As we move to (this) new phase of our partnership, I am confident that the school (LKCMedicine) will go from strength to strength," said Professor Alice Gast, the president of Imperial College London. She touted LKCMedicine's "world class" credentials and its role in producing "first-rate" doctors.

LKCMedicine was established in 2010 in response to Singapore’s growing healthcare needs. Named after Lee Foundation founder and philanthropist Lee Kong Chian, the school admitted its first batch of students in 2013.

In 2020, LKCMedicine entered the top 100 for medical schools on the Quacquarelli Symonds (QS) World University Rankings.

"Both NTU and Imperial College London can be very proud of LKCMedicine’s success, progress and maturity as a medical school," said Prof Suresh.

Four cohorts of medical doctors have graduated from LKCMedicine, with a fifth entering medical practice next month.

“The high quality of the LKCMedicine programme, teaching programme and student experience will continue,” said Professor Joseph Sung, LKCMedicine's dean and NTU senior vice president of health and life sciences.

“We will continue to upgrade and evolve the MBBS programme, taking into account advances in the science and technology of medicine and the ever-increasing complexities of healthcare.” CNA