NANYANG Technological University (NTU) yesterday signed an agreement with Imperial College London that will see both universities collaborate on a joint Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) programme.

The memorandum of understanding was signed at NTU by Professor Roy M. Anderson, rector of Imperial College, and NTU president Su Guaning.

The joint PhD programme will offer degrees in bioengineering, chemical and biomolecular engineering, before subsequently being extended to all engineering and science disciplines.

Successful candidates will receive a PhD degree jointly issued by NTU and Imperial College.

Dr Su said: 'The collaboration will benefit our students and strengthen the research collaboration between the two universities.'

The collaboration is the first time both universities are offering a joint PhD programme with a partner university.

Prof Anderson told The Straits Times: 'Imperial College has about 250 students in any given year from Singapore, mainly from the engineering discipline. But increasingly today, the scope is expanding to medicine, biomedical sciences and business.'

On the number of places on offer, he added: 'We will see what the demand is like. The programme can be expanded to whatever scale the demand reflects.'

The four-year programme will see NTU students spend their first and final years in NTU, and their second and third years at Imperial College. Students of Imperial College will spend their first and final years in London and the other two at NTU.

The first intake of students is expected in October.

Prof Anderson, who heads the science advisory board of the World Health Organisation's Neglected Tropical Diseases programme, also threw his support behind the idea for a new medical school in Singapore.

'There are many research areas a new medical school can focus on, particularly in the fields of public health, infectious diseases and genomics.

'It will provide a conducive environment to diagnose and cure infectious diseases as well as chronic ailments such as diabetes and heart disease.'

AMRESH GUNASINGHAM

This article was first published in The Straits Times.