A proposal for a joint bachelor of science in physiotherapy between Trinity and Singapore Institute of Technology (SIT) was approved at last week’s University Council.
The joint degree, which comes after five years of partnership between Trinity and SIT, means students on the degree programme will spend the first two years in SIT and the final two in Trinity. The first intake of students will begin in September 2016.
SIT became a degree-awarding body for the first time last year and are now focussing their efforts on developing degree courses. The joint BSc in Physiotherapy is the first joint degree between the two institutions and will mean students also spend six weeks in Trinity for an “immersion programme” during the course of their studies. SIT will deliver part of the course, with their contribution to the teaching and delivery of the course planned to increase each year.
Speaking to The University Times, the Vice President for Global Relations and the former Trinity Academic Director at SIT, Juliette Hussey, said that Trinity would be looking to establish an exchange programme with SIT for students studying physiotherapy.
Emphasising the benefits of the partnership, Hussey said: “It increases the recognition of Trinity and the awareness of the excellence, particularly in health science education. There’s a lot more students at undergraduate and postgraduate level here from Singapore as a result of this engagement”.
The idea for a partnership between the two universities was first mooted at the end of 2010, when Trinity was approached by Singapore’s Ministry of Education, who were in the process of setting up SIT. The ministry proposed a number of joint degrees in physiotherapy, occupational therapy, radiation therapy and diagnostic radiography. While SIT previously awarded diploma courses in these areas, SIT wanted to introduce one-year programmes, to be undertaken after the diploma, that would award full degrees to their students.
Since 2012, Trinity has delivered programmes in physiotherapy and occupational therapy in Singapore with staff hired specifically for the programmes based there and with academic staff from Trinity sent to Singapore for short bursts of intensive teaching. Programmes in radiation therapy and diagnostic radiography were also established in 2013. According to the most-recent Senior Lecturer’s Report, there were 135 students SIT students registered in Trinity last year.
Hussey emphasised the “strong links in terms of health science between Singapore and Trinity”, stressing the fact that many Trinity graduates are in Singapore working in this field. Singapore has recently undergone a major development of its health services, and each year the Ministry of Health visits Trinity to interview students.
The possibilities of degree programmes in occupational therapy, diagnostic radiography and radiation therapy were explored in the early stages of discussions but it became clear that it would not be financially viable due to low demand from students.
As it stands, the one-year programmes already in existence in SIT will continue until 2019.
