Singapore Polytechnic (Abbreviation: SP) is an institution of higher learning in Singapore. It is also the first polytechnic established in Singapore. It was founded on 27 October 1954 to provide studies, training and research in technology, science, commerce and the arts. The former campus was originally located at Prince Edward Road and was relocated to its present-day location at Dover next to Dover MRT Station in 1978. As an industry-oriented alternative to a broader based junior college 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 its students after secondary school which is after 10 years of formal education. Diplomas in a specialised area of study, for example Biomedical Science, are awarded after completing 3 or 2 years of studies.
2010 saw Singapore Polytechnic's 50th graduation ceremony and 150,000th graduate. In 2018, Singapore Polytechnic became the first polytechnic to achieve a milestone of 200,000 graduates
Academic Schools and Departments
Singapore Polytechnic offers full-time diploma courses and a range of continuing education programmes. It has eleven academic schools:
- School of Architecture and the Built Environment (ABE)
- SP Business School (SB)
- School of Chemical and Life Sciences (CLS)
- School of Computing (SoC)
- School of Electrical and Electronic Engineering (EEE)
- School of Life Skills and Communication (LSC)
- School of Mechanical and Aeronautical Engineering (MAE)
- School of Mathematics and Science (MS)
- Professional & Adult Continuing Education (PACE) Academy
- Media, Arts and Design School (MAD)
- Singapore Maritime Academy (SMA)
Courses
- Applied Chemistry
- Biomedical Science
- Biotechnology
- Chemical Engineering
- Food Science & Technology
- Nutrition, Health & Wellness
- Perfumery & Cosmetic Science
- Architecture
- Civil Engineering with Business
- Facilities Management
- Integrated Events & Project Management
- Landscape Architecture
- Accountancy
- Banking & Finance
- Business Administration
- Common Business Programme
- Financial Informatics
- Human Resource Management with Psychology
- Aeronautical Engineering
- Aerospace Electronics
- Bioengineering
- Common Engineering Programme
- Computer Engineering
- Electrical & Electronic Engineering
- Engineering with Business
- Mechanical Engineering
- Mechatronics & Robotics
- Optometry
- Applied Drama & Psychology
- Creative Writing for Television & New Media
- Common Infocomm Technology Programme
- Infocomm Security Management
- Information Technology
- Marine Engineering
- Maritime Business
- Nautical Studies
- Digital Animation
- Game Design & Development
- Interior Design
- Media & Communication
- Music & Audio Technology
- Experience & Commuication Design
- Visual Effects & Motion Graphics
Facilities
Retail and Dining
Food outlets
- 6 foodcourts (including Koufu Food Court)
- McDonald's
- KFC
- Starbucks Coffee
- Subway
- Cafe @ Moberly
- Long John Silver's
- Bang Deli
- Old Chang Kee
Retail Outlets
- Dover Mart
- Popular Bookstore
Sports
- Sports Complex, with a full-length football pitch and running track
- Swimming complex
- 4 Tennis Courts
- 3 Badminton Courts
- 1 Gym
- 3 Basketball Courts
The Sports Arena, completed in 2015 has 12 badminton courts, 2 Basketball courts, 4 Squash Courts, 1 Multipurpose Hall and 2 Volleyball Courts. Other facilities include an external rock climbing wall and 2 rooftop Basketball Courts.
Moberly is the oldest block of SP. Once a British army barracks, the building has been refurbished into a recreational hub. It contains seven pool tables (3 on level 1, four on level 2), jamming studios, karaoke rooms, a café and a mini museum.
Other facilities
- The alumni clubhouse, Singapore Polytechnic Graduates Guild (SPGG), is next to the campus, and contains a bowling alley, swimming pool, pool room, a gym and a restaurant.
- Two libraries: the Main Library and Hilltop Library. The Main Library houses the first Makerspace in a Singapore library.
- Aerohub: A four-storey building that houses an aircraft hangar, laboratories and a Research & Development centre. There are 4 aircraft in the hangar: Hawker HS125-700A, King Air B90, A4SU Super Skyhawk and Bell UH-1H Helicopter.
Awards and certifications
The Polytechnic has been awarded the Singapore Quality Class as well as the ISO 9001 and ISO 14001 certifications. It has also won the Singapore Public Service Award for Organisational Excellence and the People Developer and Family Friendly Awards.
SP received the President's Award for the Environment in 2010. Some of the key green initiatives by SP over the years included spearheading the adoption of Marina Reservoir to keep it clean and organising the Singapore International Water Festival to engage youths on environmental and water issues.
In 2011, SP won the South West Environment and Community (ECo) Award (Community Category). The award recognises exemplar efforts of organisations that have contributed to environmental and community sustainability in the district.
SP also clinched the inaugural ASEAN People’s Award in 2015 for its contributions toward the region’s community-building efforts.
Scholarships and Outstanding Talent Programme
Currently, SP offers the following scholarships
- SP Scholarship
- SP Engineering Scholarship
- SP Sports and Arts Scholarship
Singapore Polytechnic Outstanding Talent (SPOT) Programme
SPOT is a talent development and enrichment programme. All SP Scholars will automatically be placed under this programme. Other eligible students will be invited to join SPOT based on their year 1 semester 1 academic results or lecturers' recommendation.
Early Admissions Exercise (EAE)
EAE is an admissions exercise that allows students to apply and receive conditional offers for admission to polytechnic based on their aptitudes and interests before taking their O-Level exams. This exercise replaced the Direct Polytechnic Admissions (DPA) Exercise and Joint Polytechnic Special Admissions Exercise (JPSAE).
Notable alumni
- Tanya Chua – 3-time Best Female Vocalist Golden Melody Award-winning singer-songwriter
- Taufik Batisah – Singapore Idol winner and singer
- Kelly Poon – Project SuperStar winner and Mandarin pop singer
- Shih Choon Fong – Former President of National University of Singapore and Founding President of King Abdullah University of Science and Technology
- Chai Keong Toh – Chair Professor, IEEE and IET medalist, electrical engineer, computer scientist
- Cedric Foo – Member of Parliament, Singapore
- Liang Eng Hwa – Member of Parliament, Singapore
- Vicki Lau – Hollywood visual effects artist
- Pek Jin Shen – Hip hop artist and songwriter