SUSS in talks for centrally located campus that meets its unique needs

The Singapore University of Social Sciences (SUSS), which operates out of rented premises, is in talks with the Government for a centrally located campus that it can call its own.

- Sandra Davie

Singapore's sixth university, which has about 13,850 part-time and just over 4,000 full-time undergraduate students, would not say if it is considering specific sites, just that it is discussing various options that meet its unique needs.

The university wants a location that is convenient to get to from around the island, given its high proportion of students who are working adults, and a space that is purpose built to foster realistic learning that involves industry partners, said SUSS president Tan Tai Yong.

The update comes three years after SUSS first said it was in discussions with the Ministry of Education about a new campus. The school has been operating on rented premises since 2005.

Currently, the university rents space from the Singapore Institute of Management in Clementi Road, where it began as UniSIM, a private university launched by SIM.

Since UniSIM was converted to a publicly funded university in 2017, it has grown from 1,500 students to about 19,000 students, including those pursuing postgraduate qualifications and other courses. The university now offers more than 90 undergraduate and graduate degree programmes.