Success Factors that Improved the Asian

Universities

Professor Bertil AnderssonPresident, Nanyang Technological University (NTU), SingaporeKonferens om högre utbildning: Vi flyttar fram positionerna Universitetskanslersämbetet | Stockholms Universitet | Sverige

23 November 2015

The Tripartite Academic World

Asia (NTU)

USA (Harvard)

Europe (Stockholm University)

“Sometimes, we talk too much about competition here in Europe ... The rapid rise of academia in Asia is fantastic … A new part of this World is starting to contributing to the Global Knowledge.”Mr Leif Pagrotsky

Former Swedish Minister for Education, Research &

Culture, 2004 – 2006

The Heterogeneous Rise of Asia China: Rising (more quantity than quality)

India: Slowly developing (private sector leading)

Japan: Stagnant at a high level

Taiwan: Stagnant at a relatively high level or even declining

Hong Kong: High-level quantity & quality

Korea: Strong & rapid development

Singapore: Strong & rapid development

Malaysia / Thailand / Indonesia / Vietnam: Slow development

World of R&D (2014)

Source: Battelle, R&D Magazine

1940s 1970s 2010s

Global Scientific Output Trends: Major Contributor

of World Publications

Rank (Rank

in 2010)

Name of institution

Country

12 (31) National University of Singapore

Singapore

13 (74) Nanyang Technological University (NTU)

Singapore

25 (54) Tsinghua University China

28 (40) Hong Kong University of Science & Technology

Hong Kong

30 (23) University of Hong Kong

Hong Kong

36 (50) Seoul National University

South Korea

38 (25) Kyoto University Japan

39 (24) University of Tokyo Japan

41(47) Peking University China

19 Asian Universities in QS Top-100 (10 in Top-50)

Highest ranked Swedish University: 70th (Lund University)

Rank(Rank

in 2010)

Country

43 (79) KAIST – Korea Advanced Institute of Science & Technology

South Korea

51(42) Chinese University of Hong Kong

Hong Kong

51(105)

Fudan University China

56 (60) Tokyo Institute of Technology

Japan

57 (129)

City University of Hong Kong

Hong Kong

58 (49) Osaka University Japan

70 (94) National Taiwan University Taiwan

70 (151)

Shanghai Jiao Tong University

China

74 (102)

Tohoku University Japan

87 (112)

Pohang University of Science & Technology (POSTECH)

South Korea

Rank (Rank in

2010)

Name of institution Country

26 (34) National University of Singapore Singapore

42 (37) Peking University China

43 (26) University of Tokyo Japan

44 (21) University of Hong Kong Hong Kong

47 (58) Tsinghua University China

55 (174) Nanyang Technological University (NTU)

Singapore

59 (41) Hong Kong University of Science & Technology

Hong Kong

85 (109) Seoul National University South Korea

88 (57) Kyoto University Japan

9 Asian Universities in Times Higher Education Top-100 (5

in Top-50)

2 highest ranked Swedish universities: 28th (Karolinska Institutet) & 81st (Uppsala University)

Country No. of universities in QS Top-100

No. of universities in Times Higher Education Top-100

Singapore 2 2

Japan 5 2

China 4 2

Hong Kong 4 2

South Korea 3 1

Taiwan 1 –

Total 19 9Countr

yBest university in QS World University Rankings 2015 (Rank)

Best university in QS World University Rankings 2010 (Rank)

Malaysia Universiti Malaya (146) Universiti Malaya (207)

India Indian Institute of Science Bangalore (147)

Indian Institute of Tech Delhi (202)

Thailand Chulalongkorn Uni (253) Chulalongkorn Uni (180)

Indonesia

University of Indonesia (358) University of Indonesia (236)

Philippines

University of the Philippines (401-410)

Ateneo de Manila University (307)

No

rmal

ised

Cit

atio

n I

mp

act

Asian Normalised Research Impact Trends (NTU Top in

Asia)

Source: Thomson Reuters

No

rmal

ised

Cit

atio

n I

mp

act

Normalised Research Impact Trends (NTU vs Top

Universities)

Source: Thomson Reuters

OECD Global Schools Rankings (Top 10)

1) Singapore

2) Hong Kong

3) South Korea

4) Japan 4) Taiwan

Based on test scores in Maths & Science, at age 15, in 76 countries

6) Finland

7) Estonia

8) Switzerland

9) Netherlands

10)Canada

Sweden ranked 35th

Perceptions of Asian Students

Excellent & disciplined

Pressurised

Not creative

Attracted to study in the West

Gained independence in 1965 Population size: ≈ 5.47 million (2014) Land area: 718 sq km (2014)

English as the working language

3rd richest country in the World (2014): GDP per capital S$ 71,318 (≈ €49,100)

GERD target: 3.5%

Multicultural, highly cosmopolitan & diverse with people of Chinese, Malay, Indian & other ethnicities

A rapidly emerging country when it comes to Academia & Research

6 universities (including NTU & NUS) + A*STAR

Asia ‘Lite’

Singapore

Singapore – East Meets West

The Singapore Government “Walks the Talk” for the

Knowledge Society

*Does NOT include basic funding for the universities

Source: A*STAR5-year

Science & Technology

plan for research funding

• Research, Innovation & Enterprise Council (RIEC): Chaired by the Prime Minister of Singapore, it brings together world-leading experts & 9 Cabinet Ministers to ADVISE the Singapore Cabinet on national research & innovation policies & strategies to drive the transformation of Singapore into a knowledge-based economy

2016-2020

S$19 billion est.(120 billion SEK)

15% increase

1991: Establishment of Nanyang Technological University (NTU)

Total student population: ≈ 33,200 24,300 undergraduates ≈ 8,900 graduate students

International students: 15% of undergrads (11.6% for AY15) 53% of Masters 76% of PhDs

Total staff strength: ≈ 7,310 ≈ 1,660 faculty, with 967 international faculty ≈ 2,890 research staff ≈ 2,760 admin & support staff

The NTU College Structure College of Engineering College of Business College of Science

70% of international faculty

& research staff

NTU’s Basic Facts & Figures

College of Humanities, Arts & Social Sciences Lee Kong Chian School of Medicine National Institute of Education

NTU – A Fast Rising University

74th in

2010

4th in

2012

174t

h in 2010

Recently ranked the world’s no. 1 fastest rising young university by Times Higher Education

Ranked 13th in QS World University Ranking- Quantum leap of 61 places over 5 years

Ranked 55th in Times Higher Education World University Rankings - Quantum leap of 119 places over 5 years

Ranked 1st in QS Top-50 under 50

Ranked 6th in Engineering & Technology (QS Rankings by area)

NTU in 2000…

Educational Focus

Limited to Engineering & Business

Research not encouraged

Old academic structure

Ad-hoc recruitment / promotion

Totally in the shade of NUS…What catalysed the rapid climb?

Broadening of Academic Portfolio

• Life Sciences

• Humanities & Social Sciences

• Natural Sciences / Mathematics

• Art School

• Medicine (partnership with Imperial College London)

• Environmental Sciences

2002

2005

2005

2005

2010

2014

ACTION 1

Revitalising Human ResourcesACTION 2

American-based appointment, promotion & tenure system with high bar for success

Applied retroactively to all faculty at NTU (2007-2009) Out of 750 cases, one-third

did not make the cut

Strong emphasis on international recruitment: International stars & young upcoming post-docs (ERC-type)

Non-Fatalistic Strategy Strong governance: A high-

level & pro-active university Board

Top-down university management (with big ears)

Strategic plan with prioritised areas

Economical incentives for success

Strong follow-up culture from Board & Ministry

ACTION 3

Emphasis on ResearchACTION 4

For promotion & tenure

Start up research funding / seed funding

Initially reduced teaching load for new hires

Push for external competitive research funding

Establishment of interdisciplinary thematic research centres

Priority of research areas in so-called Peaks of Excellence

International academic & industrial partnerships

Reform of Education – Reduction in Passive Consumption of

Lectures

ACTION 5

New pedagog

y: ICT, MOOCs, Flipped classroo

ms

Elite programmes

Broader education; Inter-

disciplinarity

Humboldtian principle: All professors do research

Infrastructure InvestmentACTION 6

NTU investing >S$1.8 billion in new infrastructure Halls of residence for students; 50% more residential rooms

for students 16,000 students on campus;

1,000 professors Medical school 24-hours learning hubs Research labs Restaurants, cafes, etc

Universities Today are GLOBAL – Taking NTU to the World & Bringing the

World to NTU

Global international leadership

Global Dialogue at NTU (Partnerships with Times Higher

& the Nobel Foundation)

70% international

faculty & research staffAmbition that 80%

of all NTU undergraduate

students spend 1 semester abroad

International academic & industrial

collaborations

NTU satellites abroad eg.

London / Berkeley

ACTION 7

NTU’s Outbound &

Inbound Exchange

Mobility (AY

2014/2015)Singapore

students love Sweden; Swedish

students love Singapore

Asia & Singapore are developing very fast

What about Europe & Sweden?

Academically, the West has influenced the East

In future, will the East start to influence the West?

Thank youSingapore

Sweden