NTU, Technion announce new collaboration to jointly offer PhD programme

Singapore's leading science and technology university, Nanyang Technological University (NTU), and Israel's number one university, Technion-Israel Institute of Technology (Technion), today announced a new collaboration to jointly offer a Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) programme.

The NTU-Technion Joint PhD degree programme is a university-wide agreement and is expected to commence with Materials Science and Bioengineering. Significantly, the joint PhD degree will also start with projects related to the Technion research programme funded by Singapore's National Research Foundation (NRF), which aims to address the clinical need for cardiac restoration therapy using a tissue-engineering based approach. The new PhD joint programme is therefore timely and will play an important role in furthering Singapore's quest to be a world leader in the field of cardiac restoration therapy.

One of the world's top science and technology research universities, Technion is famed for producing the majority of leaders in Israel's high-tech companies. Known as "Israel's MIT," Technion has earned a worldwide reputation for its pioneering work in areas such as medicine, water management, nanotechnology, biotechnology, materials engineering and aerospace.

The Implementation Agreement for the NTU-Technion Joint PhD degree programme was signed today by Technion President Professor Peretz Lavie and NTU President Dr Su Guaning, at the Technion campus in Technion City, Haifa, Israel.

"This agreement marks a new chapter in the history of cooperation between our institutions, a further attestation of our shared commitment to delivering the best education and training for our graduate students and faculty," says Dr Su Guaning. "The agreement will increase contact and mutual support between students and researchers of Technion and NTU, as well as strengthen graduate education opportunities at the two universities.

"The Technion is delighted to launch the joint PhD programme with NTU, one of the leading technological universities in the world," says the Technion president, Professor Peretz Lavie. "Combining the knowledge and talents of our institutes will ensure the high quality and excellence of the scientific and technological leaders in Singapore and Israel."

The first batch of students under the joint PhD programme is expected to enrol in January 2011, with each university offering up to five places a year. Candidates, who will be selected by NTU and Technion, will have to meet the prevailing admission criteria of both universities.

Students will be co-supervised by faculty members from both institutions and have the opportunity to spend time at the host institution. Successful PhD candidates will be jointly issued a PhD degree under the seals of Technion and NTU. Entry to the programme is expected to be competitive as the programme offers opportunities for top-level research in addition to a unique cultural learning experience.

Apart from Technion, NTU has established joint PhD programmes with other top universities including UK's Imperial College, London in May 09, Technische Universit-t M-nchen (TUM), Germany in Aug 09, and with Sweden's Karolinska Institutet in Sep 09.

Professor Peretz Lavie and Dr Su Guaning today also signed a second agreement to increase the level of exchanges between the two established science and technology universities. The agreement, which is expected to commence in the 2010/2011 academic year, provides funding for joint PhD students and post-doctoral fellows on exchange from both NTU and Technion.

Under the programme, NTU and Technion will each take in up to two post-doctoral fellows a year. Those accepted into the programme will receive a stipend of up to US$15,000 from the host university.

NTU and Technion will also each admit up to five PhD students a year, who will receive a stipend of up to US$13,000 from the host university to cover living expenses. Tuition fees for these students will be waived.

The two new agreements sealed today bring the existing partnership between NTU and Technion to a higher level, where both universities can continue to leverage on their complementary strengths to enrich the quality of higher education internationally, redefine PhD education and attract the brightest minds from all over the world.