{"id":41172,"date":"2026-04-02T10:42:39","date_gmt":"2026-04-02T02:42:39","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/sgbuzz.com\/?p=41172"},"modified":"2026-04-02T10:42:39","modified_gmt":"2026-04-02T02:42:39","slug":"ai-in-higher-education-new-committee-in-singapore","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/sgbuzz.com\/?p=41172","title":{"rendered":"AI in higher education: New committee in Singapore"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><br \/>\n<\/p>\n<div>\n<p class=\"font-body-baseline-regular text-primary\" data-testid=\"article-paragraph-annotation-test-id\">SINGAPORE &#8211;<!-- --> A new committee will guide the next stage of <a href=\"https:\/\/www.straitstimes.com\/singapore\/politics\/moe-studying-the-impact-of-ai-on-learning-holds-off-on-such-tools-for-younger-pupils-desmond-lee?ref=inline-article\" rel=\"noopener\" class=\"gap-x-04 items-center inline text-primary-60 select-auto\" aria-label=\"link\" target=\"_blank\" data-testid=\"custom-link\"><span class=\"font-body-baseline-regular inline\" data-testid=\"paragraph-test-id\">AI use and adoption<\/span><\/a> across Singapore\u2019s higher-education sector.<\/p>\n<p class=\"font-body-baseline-regular text-primary\" data-testid=\"article-paragraph-annotation-test-id\">The Committee for Artificial Intelligence in Higher Education will provide strategic direction and oversight to improve collaboration across all institutes of higher learning (IHLs), said Education Minister Desmond Lee on April 1. <\/p>\n<p class=\"font-body-baseline-regular text-primary\" data-testid=\"article-paragraph-annotation-test-id\">It will also deepen sharing of good practices and developments in AI, he added. <\/p>\n<p class=\"font-body-baseline-regular text-primary\" data-testid=\"article-paragraph-annotation-test-id\">Mr Lee was speaking at The Straits Times Education Forum, titled AI in Higher Education: Hype or Hope?, held at Singapore Management University\u2019s (SMU) Yong Pung How School of Law on April 1. <\/p>\n<p class=\"font-body-baseline-regular text-primary\" data-testid=\"article-paragraph-annotation-test-id\">The 2026 forum, held in partnership with SMU, addressed the use of AI in higher education and discussed learning and assessments in the age of machines. <\/p>\n<p><iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"Use of AI in schools to be more coordinated across Institutes of Higher Learning with new committee\" width=\"500\" height=\"281\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/gs7EBxFw4z4?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe><\/p>\n<p class=\"font-body-baseline-regular text-primary\" data-testid=\"article-paragraph-annotation-test-id\">Chaired by Mr Lee, the committee will include Senior Minister of State for Education Janil Puthucheary, as well as the presidents, principals and chief executives of Singapore\u2019s universities, polytechnics, and the Institute of Technical Education (ITE).<\/p>\n<p class=\"font-body-baseline-regular text-primary\" data-testid=\"article-paragraph-annotation-test-id\">Mr Lee said that while individual institutions already have work groups to share best practices, a \u201csystem-level\u201d approach is now required to identify opportunities and address challenges collectively, as AI continues to evolve rapidly.<\/p>\n<p class=\"font-body-baseline-regular text-primary\" data-testid=\"article-paragraph-annotation-test-id\">\u201cBy strengthening sharing and coordination at the leadership level&#8230; we can build on existing efforts and move with greater purpose and ambition, not only adapting to change, but shaping it proactively as the future of higher learning and our campuses evolves,\u201d he said. <\/p>\n<p class=\"font-body-baseline-regular text-primary\" data-testid=\"article-paragraph-annotation-test-id\">Mr Lee said the Ministry of Education will strengthen research on how AI can advance tertiary-level teaching, by supporting inter-IHL AI projects through its Tertiary Education Research Fund. <\/p>\n<p class=\"font-body-baseline-regular text-primary\" data-testid=\"article-paragraph-annotation-test-id\">\u201cThis will bring together educators and researchers to explore innovative approaches to learning, generate evidence on what works, and translate these insights into teaching practice across our institutions,\u201d he added. <\/p>\n<p class=\"font-body-baseline-regular text-primary\" data-testid=\"article-paragraph-annotation-test-id\">He said that this work within the higher-education sector supports broader efforts led by the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.straitstimes.com\/singapore\/budget-2026-pm-wong-to-chair-new-national-ai-council-national-ai-missions-will-launch-to-drive?ref=inline-article\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" class=\"gap-x-04 items-center inline text-primary-60 select-auto\" aria-label=\"link\" target=\"_blank\" data-testid=\"custom-link\"><span class=\"font-body-baseline-regular inline\" data-testid=\"paragraph-test-id\">new National AI Council<\/span><\/a> chaired by the Prime Minister.<\/p>\n<p class=\"font-body-baseline-regular text-primary\" data-testid=\"article-paragraph-annotation-test-id\">Addressing the audience of 500 members of the public, Mr Lee noted that education systems have never been static, and have adapted alongside changes in society and technology. <\/p>\n<p><iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"AI in Higher Education: Hype or Hope? | The Straits Times Education Forum 2026\" width=\"500\" height=\"281\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/Zy7ucMmtDmg?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe><\/p>\n<figure class=\"landscape inline-media-wrapper\" data-testid=\"inline-media-test-id\">\n<div class=\"flex flex-col items-start relative w-fit\"><picture><source media=\"(max-width: 480px)\" srcset=\"https:\/\/cassette.sphdigital.com.sg\/image\/straitstimes\/df73effe2caee4c8faa0f9192511f2fbc518b7e5818c7841bff19e7e81e6e9cd?w=480\"\/><source media=\"(min-width: 481px) and (max-width: 720px)\" srcset=\"https:\/\/cassette.sphdigital.com.sg\/image\/straitstimes\/df73effe2caee4c8faa0f9192511f2fbc518b7e5818c7841bff19e7e81e6e9cd?w=720\"\/><source media=\"(min-width: 721px)\" srcset=\"https:\/\/cassette.sphdigital.com.sg\/image\/straitstimes\/df73effe2caee4c8faa0f9192511f2fbc518b7e5818c7841bff19e7e81e6e9cd?w=900\"\/><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/cassette.sphdigital.com.sg\/image\/straitstimes\/df73effe2caee4c8faa0f9192511f2fbc518b7e5818c7841bff19e7e81e6e9cd\" alt=\"Mr Lee said the Ministry of Edcuation (MOE) will strengthen research on how AI can advance tertiary-level teaching, by supporting inter-IHL AI projects through its Tertiary Education Research Fund.\u00a0\" class=\"aspect-landscape flex items-start shrink-0 object-cover landscape article-landscape mobile:w-auto tablet:w-auto\" data-testid=\"image-test-id\" loading=\"lazy\"\/><\/picture><\/div><figcaption class=\"mobile:mx-16 tablet:mx-00 flex flex-col gap-08 py-16 desktop:pb-24\">\n<p class=\"font-eyebrow-baseline-regular text-secondary\" data-testid=\"inline-media-caption-test-id\">Education Minister Desmond Lee said his ministry will strengthen research on how AI can advance tertiary-level teaching, by supporting inter-IHL AI projects through its Tertiary Education Research Fund.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p class=\"font-eyebrow-baseline-regular text-placeholder\" data-testid=\"inline-media-credit-test-id\">ST PHOTO: SHINTARO TAY<\/p>\n<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p class=\"font-body-baseline-regular text-primary\" data-testid=\"article-paragraph-annotation-test-id\">However, the rapid rise of AI marks a \u201cmajor technological shift\u201d that brings both opportunities and risks, he said.  <\/p>\n<p class=\"font-body-baseline-regular text-primary\" data-testid=\"article-paragraph-annotation-test-id\">AI excels in \u201chorizontal\u201d capabilities, or general tasks like summarising information, while \u201cvertical\u201d capabilities involve deep, domain-specific expertise and real-world judgment, said Mr Lee. <\/p>\n<p class=\"font-body-baseline-regular text-primary\" data-testid=\"article-paragraph-annotation-test-id\">\u201cWe must equip students not just with the ability to use \u2018horizontal\u2019 AI tools, but with the depth of knowledge and judgment to use them well in \u2018vertical\u2019 applications that will be true game changers,\u201d he added.  <\/p>\n<p class=\"font-body-baseline-regular text-primary\" data-testid=\"article-paragraph-annotation-test-id\">These abilities will be built gradually from primary school to the IHL level, and will \u201cfundamentally reshape the classroom and campus\u201d into spaces for active questioning, problem solving, teamwork and continuous learning, said Mr Lee. <\/p>\n<p class=\"font-body-baseline-regular text-primary\" data-testid=\"article-paragraph-annotation-test-id\">AI will be <a href=\"https:\/\/www.straitstimes.com\/singapore\/politics\/moe-studying-the-impact-of-ai-on-learning-holds-off-on-such-tools-for-younger-pupils-desmond-lee?ref=inline-article\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" class=\"gap-x-04 items-center inline text-primary-60 select-auto\" aria-label=\"link\" target=\"_blank\" data-testid=\"custom-link\"><span class=\"font-body-baseline-regular inline\" data-testid=\"paragraph-test-id\">introduced only at the Primary 4 level<\/span><\/a>, under close supervision and \u201clow exposure\u201d, he said, with priority given to learning the fundamentals.<!-- --> <\/p>\n<p class=\"font-body-baseline-regular text-primary\" data-testid=\"article-paragraph-annotation-test-id\">Later on, AI usage will increase, with such tools functioning like a teacher \u2013 prompting students to think and asking them questions \u2013 rather than spoon-feeding answers or giving lazy shortcuts. <\/p>\n<p class=\"font-body-baseline-regular text-primary\" data-testid=\"article-paragraph-annotation-test-id\">At the IHL level, students must both make use of AI and deepen independent thinking, said Mr Lee.<\/p>\n<p class=\"font-body-baseline-regular text-primary\" data-testid=\"article-paragraph-annotation-test-id\">This vision requires a rethink of how educators teach and do their work, he added, with such efforts already in place across Singapore\u2019s campuses.<\/p>\n<p><iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"Singapore to introduce Artificial Intelligence (AI) into formal education\" width=\"500\" height=\"281\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/G21Gd5jEOtE?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe><\/p>\n<p class=\"font-body-baseline-regular text-primary\" data-testid=\"article-paragraph-annotation-test-id\">At the National University of Singapore, AI is used to drive productivity by freeing up educators from repetitive tasks, Mr Lee said, citing an AI tool used to grade English competency tests for 3,000 students annually. <\/p>\n<p class=\"font-body-baseline-regular text-primary\" data-testid=\"article-paragraph-annotation-test-id\">This tool has saved over 100 man-days of work while maintaining 95 per cent accuracy, he added. <\/p>\n<p class=\"font-body-baseline-regular text-primary\" data-testid=\"article-paragraph-annotation-test-id\">Similarly, staff at the ITE are using AI tools to generate initial drafts of teaching materials, which they then customise for their students\u2019 specific needs, Mr Lee said. <\/p>\n<p class=\"font-body-baseline-regular text-primary\" data-testid=\"article-paragraph-annotation-test-id\">The five polytechnics have started a joint project using AI analytics to identify at-risk or underperforming students early, allowing for more timely intervention, he said. <\/p>\n<p class=\"font-body-baseline-regular text-primary\" data-testid=\"article-paragraph-annotation-test-id\">At the Singapore University of Social Sciences, an adaptive learning system flags individual learning gaps and provides real-time feedback and hints to help learners level up. <\/p>\n<p class=\"font-body-baseline-regular text-primary\" data-testid=\"article-paragraph-annotation-test-id\">Meanwhile, students must also be equipped to apply AI meaningfully within their disciplines, said Mr Lee, while strengthening \u201cuniquely human abilities\u201d such as critical thinking and cross-cultural understanding that AI cannot replicate. <\/p>\n<p class=\"font-body-baseline-regular text-primary\" data-testid=\"article-paragraph-annotation-test-id\">He cited examples from the Singapore University of Technology and Design, where master\u2019s degree students used custom-built AI agents to translate urban planning ideas into instantaneous visuals and provide technical feedback. <\/p>\n<p class=\"font-body-baseline-regular text-primary\" data-testid=\"article-paragraph-annotation-test-id\">At SMU, students in a \u201cStorytelling with AI\u201d course created marketing videos that have impressed industry representatives.<\/p>\n<p class=\"font-body-baseline-regular text-primary\" data-testid=\"article-paragraph-annotation-test-id\">Equipping students with skills continues after graduation and throughout their careers, said Mr Lee, adding that a new tool developed by SkillsFuture Singapore and the Singapore Institute of Technology is meant to help individuals assess their AI readiness and find suitable courses.<\/p>\n<p class=\"font-body-baseline-regular text-primary\" data-testid=\"article-paragraph-annotation-test-id\">From the second half of 2026, all IHLs will offer selected AI-related courses at significant discounts for their alumni for a period of one year, he added. <\/p>\n<p class=\"font-body-baseline-regular text-primary\" data-testid=\"article-paragraph-annotation-test-id\">\u201cIf we treat AI as a shortcut to simply bypass thinking, we will diminish the very purpose of education,\u201d Mr Lee said. <\/p>\n<p class=\"font-body-baseline-regular text-primary\" data-testid=\"article-paragraph-annotation-test-id\">\u201cBut if we treat AI as a catalyst tool, a powerful tool to sharpen what truly matters in education, it can strengthen our IHLs and our people.\u201d <\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p><br \/>\n<br \/><a href=\"https:\/\/www.straitstimes.com\/singapore\/parenting-education\/new-committee-to-guide-the-use-of-artificial-intelligence-in-singapores-higher-education-sector\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Read Full Article At Source <\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>SINGAPORE &#8211; A new committee will guide the next stage of AI use and adoption across Singapore\u2019s higher-education sector. The Committee for Artificial Intelligence in&#8230;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":41176,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"fifu_image_url":"","fifu_image_alt":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[2611],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-41172","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-buzz-headlines","wpcat-2611-id"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/sgbuzz.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/41172","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/sgbuzz.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/sgbuzz.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sgbuzz.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sgbuzz.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=41172"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/sgbuzz.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/41172\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sgbuzz.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/41176"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/sgbuzz.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=41172"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sgbuzz.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=41172"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sgbuzz.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=41172"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}