Taking a step further to invest in the growth and development of its employees, NUS has launched a new Master’s degree sponsorship scheme to encourage staff to pursue postgraduate education, in line with the University’s commitment to fostering a strong culture of lifelong learning.

Under the new NUS Master’s Sponsorship scheme – a first for the University – executive and administrative (E&A) staff who have been with NUS for at least three years may apply for a full tuition fee sponsorship to pursue a relevant part-time NUS Master’s degree, as long as it is not already government-subsidised. The employee should also have a good track record of strong work performance, and obtain endorsement from the relevant Head of Department. The sponsorship award is bond-free, and staff can choose from a wide variety of close to 70 Master’s degree programmes offered by the University’s 16 colleges, faculties and schools. Admission to the relevant Master’s degree course is based on merit, and notwithstanding the tuition fee sponsorship, NUS employees are still subject to the same admission requirements as external applicants.

NUS’ Chief People Officer Mr Kevin Chua said: “At NUS, our people are our greatest asset, and we believe in providing a wide range of opportunities to help our staff upskill, deep-skill, and learn continuously across a wide range of areas. This will help them to develop the necessary agility to navigate the workplace of the future. The programmes and policies we have put in place, including the new NUS Master’s Sponsorship scheme, underscore the University’s deep commitment in preparing our staff to embrace the future economies, and empowering them to take charge of their lifelong learning.”

News about the NUS Master’s Sponsorship scheme was well-received by staff like Mr Nisar Keshvani, Associate Director (Strategic Communications) with the Faculty of Arts & Social Sciences, who said it was “a great opportunity allowing employees to upskill, upgrade and pursue lifelong education at the workplace”.

“Making it accessible to staff is walking the talk, and setting an example as a forward-looking employer of choice that believes in continuous learning. I am certain many colleagues will look forward to pursuing this opportunity, and contribute their newly acquired knowledge and skills to NUS,” he added.

Ms Bell Yeo, Manager (Residential Life) with the Office of Student Affairs, who is currently pursuing a Master of Social Sciences (Communication) at the Faculty of Arts & Social Sciences, also welcomed the move to support staff who wish to pursue postgraduate studies in NUS.

“In the course of my work, I have grown to become passionate about the ways we can use data-backed communication strategies to inform and shape narratives, and I look forward to contributing in that manner as I progress through my studies, and beyond,” said Ms Yeo. “I urge fellow colleagues to consider the myriad ways you can upskill in NUS, and join me in the further pursuit of knowledge too.”

Apart from the NUS Master’s Sponsorship scheme, the University has rolled out other initiatives in recent years to help its over 5,000 E&A staff embrace continuous learning, adopt new and emerging skillsets, and be future-ready.

These include the Talent Development Sponsorship Scheme, introduced in 2021, which offers subsidies of up to S$20,000 for eligible staff who wish to take up Executive, Graduate, or Professional Certificates and Qualifications and part-time Bachelor programmes offered by NUS, as well as part-time Master’s degree programmes offered by other reputable Institutes of Higher Learning apart from NUS.

The University also set up a Skills Transformation Fund for eligible staff in 2021, with yearly-top ups that employees can tap on to offset fees incurred for job-related trainings and certifications. Through the fund, employees can take up Continuing Education and Training (CET) courses offered by NUS’ various schools and faculties, as well as digital learning courses offered by reputable online education platforms, such as LinkedIn and Coursera.

Read the press release here.