By Veena Bharwani

WE have a world-class education system and world-class universities.

And we are about to launch our fourth publicly-funded university in 2011 - which will no doubt, have high-quality programmes and enrol the best students.

But will the university have a world-class name to match its high-quality programmes?

Or will we end up with an uninspiring name like Changi University (the university's future location) or Singapore's Fourth University?

The university will enrol its first 500 students in 2011, on an interim campus. Its permanent campus, which will be along Upper Changi Road, near the Singapore Expo, will be ready in2013.

The Ministry of Education (MOE) announced yesterday that people are invited to come up with possible names for the new university.

They can submit their ideas from now till 30 Nov through http://www.moe.gov.sg/name-the-uni/ for the university's steering committee's consideration.

The website states that 'suggested names should be befitting of a premier educational institution in Singapore, and could reflect the qualities we hope to see in the new university and its students.'

The new university will offer programmes ranging from design and architecture, engineering and applied sciences, to business and information technology.

While it is a good idea to cast a wider net to ask for more suggestions on a creative name, the question on the minds of teachers, lecturers and the man-on-the street is - is this going to be a repeat of the Budget Terminal incident?

In 2005, the Civil Aviation Authority of Singapore spent $28,000 to launch a contest to name the then new budget terminal.

And the winning name was The Budget Terminal.

That same year, the Urban Redevelopment Authority spent $400,000 to find a brand name to sell major developments on Marina Bay, and eventually settled for - Marina Bay.

So can we come up with something creative this time?

Conference producer Rajesh Kumar, 32, ishopeful.

He said: 'We can name the university after a founding father or a past president like Wee Kim Wee or Ong Teng Chong. This will honour their memory.'

ACCURATE REFLECTION?

But others worry that some names may not accurately reflect the diversity of programmes offered by the university.

Singapore Management University (SMU) law lecturer Eugene Tan said: 'Take SMU for example. It has the word 'management' in it.

'Perhaps those in Singapore will know what SMU offers but foreign students will think it only has management-related courses.

'With restrictive names and phrases like these, perceptions are formed and are hard to change.'

MOE has appointed Far East organisation's chief executive Mr Philip Ng as chairman of the university's steering committee to oversee the setting up of the university.

Mr Ng, who has had previous experience in setting up SMU and Republic Polytechnic, will also embark on an international search for the university president.

He aims to identify a suitable candidate by early next year.

This article was first published in The New Paper on Aug 12, 2008.