ABSTRACT
A main driver for the development of Singapore’s university system was that it had to be “fit for purpose”. From the early days of the Republic, the Singapore Government realised that people were its most important if not the only asset, and education was essential to building a successful nation. The universities have responded to the changing needs of the society and the economy, and have played a role in transforming the country from an industrial economy into a knowledge-based economy – and now an innovation-led economy. Significant investment in R&D from the late 1990s also contributed to the transformation of the economy. At the same time, the universities had to respond to the aspirations of young Singaporeans to pursue their interests and develop their capabilities.
