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
Agency overview
Jurisdiction	Government of Singapore
Agency executive	Mr David Wong, Chairman, RP Board of Governors
Parent agency	Ministry of Education

Republic Polytechnic (Abbreviation: RP) is a tertiary institution located in Singapore. It was the first school system in Singapore to use Problem-based learning (PBL) pedagogy for all its diplomas.^[1]^[2] As an industry-oriented alternative to a broader based high school education, polytechnic graduates in Singapore are sought after for work or many continue to complete university degrees. In contrast to polytechnics in the United States and UK, 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, for example Biomedical Science, are awarded after completing 3 years of studies.

RP'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 shifted into Tanglin Campus which was previously occupied by the Ministry of Education, Singapore. It opened its doors to the first intake of students in 2003 before moving to the current Woodlands campus in 2007.

Campus

The Republic Polytechnic campus

A building within the Republic Polytechnic campus

The Republic Polytechnic Cultural Centre

On 31 July 2007, RP's Woodlands campus was officially opened by Singapore's Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong.^[4] The campus was designed by Japanese architect, Fumihiko Maki^[5] 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.^[6]

Also known as a Paperless Campus, RP's Woodlands campus is backed by IT-supported network for both academic and administrative functions.^[7]^[8] It employs state-of-the-art technology, through its solid 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.^[9] Replacing 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.^[10]

In 2008, RP earned the ASEAN Best Practices for Energy Efficient Buildings Competition under the New and Existing Buildings category.^[11] While in November 2009, RP was awarded the Green Office Label under Project Eco-Office by the Singapore Environment Council. The Green Office Label (2001-2011) reaffirms RP as an environmentally friendly work place.^[12]^[13] RP was later honoured with the President*s Design Award in 2010.^[14] The campus was also the first to win the First-ever Singapore Green Mark Plantinum award for its eco friendly design.^[15]

Schools and centres

RP partners with local and overseas universities for advanced standing arrangements for its diploma programmes. Graduates who are interested in continuing their education overseas typically can obtain up to 1.0 - 1.5 years exemptions from a degree programme.^[16] As of 2015, RP has 7 schools and 2 academic centres and offers 42 full-time diplomas that train its students to be industry-ready upon graduation:^[17]^[18]

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)
Academy for Continuing Education @RP (Continuing Education and Training)
Centre for Educational Development (CED)

RP believes in maximising students’ learning experience and has designed its curriculum to inculcate critical thinking, communications and problem-solving skills 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 will explore, analyse, and develop a solution or a response to the problem statement. In the process, RP students need to draw on their prior knowledge, integrate new knowledge and skills and apply their collective know-how in order to meet the requirements of the problem statement to tackle the issues. Such highly contextualised and authentic learning experience therefore enables students to acquire and internalise a range of cognitive competencies and industry-ready skills, and stand them in good stead when they transit to the workforce upon graduation.

RP regularly review the breadth and depth of its curriculum to keep abreast of industry developments. With effect from Academic Year 2016, RP will be introducing the following new diploma - Diploma in Engineering Design with Business, School of Engineering

Achievements

The brains behind the winning Underwater Robotics submissions with their medals, together with Professor Oussama Khatib of Stanford University, President, International Foundation of Robotics Research.

RP School of Applied Science partnered National University of Singapore in 2009 to launch a revolutionary project that "coaxes silkworms to spin high-strength silk fibres" that are stronger than kevlar^[19]^[20]
A team of Diploma in Biomedical Engineering students from School of Engineering developed possibly the world's first iPhone-based portable brain control system^[21]
The team which developed the iPhone based portable brain control system won the Institution of Engineers Singapore (IES) Design 2011 Gold Award.^[22] They will represent Singapore in the 5th International Convention on Rehabilitation Engineering and Assistive Technology (I-CREATe) in Bangkok, Thailand.^[23]
RP School of Hospitality opened a $2 million restaurant training laboratory, Oliva, which is fully manned by RP's hospitality students.^[24]
RP School of Sports Health and Leisure developed a high-tech test of balance and stability^[25]^[26]
RP School of Engineering clinched medals from three categories in the 17th Singapore Robotic Games.^[27]^[28]^[29]

Industry collaborations

On 26 January 2011, RP partnered with the integrated resort, Resorts World Sentosa (RWS). Top performers from RP School of Hospitality will be selected to participate in a specialisation track in Theme Park and Attraction Management.^[30]^[31]^[32]

RP and EON Reality, on 16 November 2010, signed a Memorandum of Understanding. The collaboration aims to expand the Interactive Digital Media (IDM) industry through student internship programmes, academic module development, laboratory research and more.

Marina Bay Sands and RP signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) on 9 September 2010.^[33]

On 27 July 2010, International Business Machines (IBM) and RP, signed an agreement that makes the institution the first IBM Authorised Training Partner in ASEAN to offer professional certification and training on mainframe technology in Singapore and the region.^[34]^[35]

To facilitate and support the growth of the sports industry, and to enhance the capability and professionalism of stakeholders in the industry, RP signed a Memorandum of Understanding with Singapore Sports Council on 13 May 2010.^[36]^[37]

On 28 April 2010, RP signed a Memorandum of Understanding with High Tech Computer Asia Pacific Pte. Ltd (HTC) in which they will collaborate to train RP students in mobile application technology.^[38]

Notable Alumni

Tabitha Nauser - 2nd Runner-up, Singapore Idol (Season 3, 2009)
Michelle S. Ng - 1st Runner-up, The Amazing Race Asia (Season 4, 2010)
Benjamin Kheng - Member of The Sam Willows pop band

Publications

References

Pre-university centres and post-secondary institutes in Singapore

Pre-university centres

Integrated Programme	Six-year Anglo-Chinese School (Independent) Dunman High School Hwa Chong Affiliate Programme Nanyang Girls' High School Hwa Chong Institution National Junior College NUS High School of Math and Science Raffles Programme Secondary: Raffles Institution/Raffles Girls' School Junior College River Valley High School School of the Arts Temasek Junior College Victoria-Cedar Alliance Programme Victoria School Cedar Girls' Secondary School Victoria Junior College CHS-SNGS-SCGS Joint Integrated Programme Catholic High School CHIJ St Nicholas Girls' School Singapore Chinese Girls' School Eunoia Junior College Four-year National Junior College School of the Arts

Centralised Institute	Three-year Millennia Institute (MI)

Junior Colleges	Two-year Anderson (AJC) Anglo-Chinese (ACJC) Catholic (CJC) Eunoia (EJC) Hwa Chong Institution (HCI) Innova (IJC) Jurong (JJC) Meridian (MJC) Nanyang (NYJC) National (NJC) Pioneer (PJC) Raffles Institution (RI) St. Andrew's (SAJC) Serangoon (SRJC) Tampines (TPJC) Temasek (TJC) Victoria (VJC) Yishun (YJC)

Polytechnics

Nanyang (NYP) Ngee Ann (NP) Republic (RP) Singapore (SP) Temasek (TP)

Institute of Technical Education

ITE College East (ITE CE-SM) ITE College West (ITE CW-CK) ITE College Central (ITE CC-AM)

Education in Singapore

Schools	Primary schools Secondary schools (ed) Pre-University Centres International schools Madrasahs

Technical and vocational institutes	Institute of Technical Education Singapore Hotel and Tourism Education Centre

Polytechnics	Singapore Polytechnic Ngee Ann Polytechnic Temasek Polytechnic Nanyang Polytechnic Republic Polytechnic

Universities and colleges	National University of Singapore Nanyang Technological University Singapore Management University Singapore University of Technology and Design Singapore Institute of Technology SIM University

Programmes	Edusave Gifted Education Programme Integrated Programme Special Assistance Plan President's Scholar Provisional Admission Exercise Third Language Programme for Rebuilding and IMproving Existing schools Trim and Fit Direct School Admission

Examinations	Singapore Examinations and Assessment Board Primary School Leaving Examination Singapore-Cambridge GCE 'O' Level Singapore-Cambridge GCE 'A' Level International Baccalaureate Ten year series H3 Pharmaceutical Chemistry

Co-curriculars	Co-curricular activity National Physical Fitness Award Singapore Youth Festival List of youth organisations Boys' Brigade National Cadet Corps National Civil Defence Cadet Corps National Police Cadet Corps Outward Bound Singapore Red Cross Youth Singapore Scout Association Girl Guides Singapore St. John Ambulance Brigade Infocomm Club

Libraries	National Library Board

Ministry of Education

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