Joint Message

TP's inspiring vision of Creating Tomorrow has resonated with many who aspire to achieve personal and professional success. This vision has led TP to hit a significant milestone of being the top polytechnic among first-choice applicants in both the 2023 Early Admissions Exercise and the 2024 Joint Admissions Exercise, for the first time in our history!

Absolutely. TP is dedicated to empowering all our PET and Continuing Education & Training (CET) students to create their tomorrow and shape the future. This commitment includes placing greater emphasis on sustainability and the growing importance of Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Generative AI (GenAI) tools. With these sought-after skills, TP graduates will flourish in the evolving 21st-century global workforce.

On the CET front, our new offerings for career upgraders include short courses such as Future Foods and Sustainable Nutrition and A Systems Thinking Approach to Sustainability. We also launched new part-time and post-diploma courses, such as the Specialist Diploma in Sustainable Built Environment and the Specialist Diploma in Sustainable Fashion, in collaboration with the Building and Construction Authority and the Singapore Fashion Council, respectively. 

Speaking of new initiatives, one of TP’s top highlights took place in November of this reporting year. Our inaugural TP-ECOllab Symposium 2023: Enabling Green Resilience debuted to a roaring success, welcoming 500 students, educators, industry professionals and workplace eco-champions who were satiated with insights, practical applications, and industry best practices.

We are delighted to share that TP has also produced our first-ever Sustainability Report. This initiative builds on our steadfast commitment to transparency and accountability.

We invite you to visit our website, www.tp.edu.sg/sustainability, to access the report and learn more about our sustainability journey, progress, and goals. You will also discover how TP embraces the living laboratory concept, offering students hands-on experiences that deepen their understanding of sustainability.

2023 saw the meteoric rise of GenAI tools and its far-reaching applications. GenAI is poised to revolutionise all industries by boosting the creative potential of the workforce, streamlining routine tasks and optimising current workflows and processes. To stay ahead of the curve, TP took proactive steps and established our AI task force in July 2023.

Committed to TP's long-term goals and objectives, this multidisciplinary team comprises leading experts from our various academic schools and administrative departments. The task force actively studies and analyses GenAI's impact on current and future job roles. We intend to keep this task force live to support the continual update of near- and mid-term recommendations that evolve alongside AI's rapid advancements. For example, TP has introduced GenAI content as an agile response, and plans are underway to formally integrate GenAI into TP's curricula to strengthen AI competency among our students.

We also developed a new workshop to enable staff to master the art of effective prompt engineering. D-R-E-A-M with GenAI rolled out in September 2023, and to date, over 300 of our colleagues have enhanced their skills to unlock the unlimited potential of popular GenAI tools like ChatGPT.

TP also launched two new technology- and AI-driven facilities in January 2024. We opened the doors to our Interactive Digital Experiments with AI Studio (IDEAS), a dynamic, experimental studio supported by industry leaders Adobe, Amazon Web Services and Stuck Design. IDEAS is where students can explore the intersection of design and technology, work on real-world projects, receive mentorship opportunities, and get exposure to current industry practices.

Another facility launched was the Enabling Technology Collaboratory (ETC). This multidisciplinary centre focuses on integrating technologies such as AI, machine learning, the Internet of Things (IoT), and immersive media to address real-world issues. The ETC provides training for in-demand skills, co-creates innovative solutions, and fosters industry-academia applied research.

We also teamed up with Zscaler, a global leader in cloud security. This partnership will help enrich the curriculum of TP’s Diploma in Cybersecurity & Digital Forensics, provide opportunities for TP staff to upskill, and enable students to enrol in its certification programmes. This initiative is part of our ongoing efforts to address and close the growing global cybersecurity skills gap.

TP joined forces with the Environmental Management Association of Singapore, LS 2 Holdings, Republic Power, Cleantools, Karcher, and Nilfisk in establishing a new facility, the Enviro Tech Innovation Hub at TP (ETIH@TP).

ETIH@TP will be dedicated to advancing public hygiene and integrated facilities management. It also serves as a platform for developing the cleaning industry's capabilities, co-creating and testing innovative solutions, and curating and delivering relevant CET courses to train and upskill the industry’s workforce.

TP is also proud to cement our reputation as Singapore’s top provider of design education with yet another Crowbar Awards Institution of the Year title win. It is no mean feat for TP’s School of Design to score this prestigious achievement a consecutive seven times!

Finally, we congratulate our colleagues on receiving two Gold, three Bronze, and one Commendation at the 2023 MOE Innergy Awards.

TP also had the distinction of clinching the most awards among Post-Secondary Education Institutions at the Public Sector Transformation (PST) Awards 2023. Our colleagues received six PST awards in four award categories: Dare to Do Award, Exemplary Innovator Award, Exemplary SkillsFuture @ Public Service Award, and Exemplary Service Excellence Award. Kudos to our colleagues for their commitment to innovation and service! 

Peter and I extend our heartfelt gratitude to our dedicated staff, incredible students, supportive alumni, and generous donors. Your unwavering commitment and contributions have been the bedrock of our many successes this year.

We look forward to embarking on the next exciting leg of our shared Creating Tomorrow journey. Together, we will embrace new challenges, seize new opportunities, and continue to shape a brighter, more sustainable future for all.