Work-study as Integral Component of Undergraduate Degree Programmes at Autonomous Universities

Ms Foo Mee Har asked the Minister for Education (a) how pervasive is work-study an integral component of undergraduate degree programmes offered by our autonomous universities; and (b) what is the current percentage of degree programmes that have compulsory internship as part of the course work.

The Autonomous Universities (AUs) work closely with industry partners and sector agencies to equip students with industry-relevant skills. As part of this effort, the AUs have included work-study elements in their curriculum which typically involve an industry stint for workplace learning.

This is done in two main ways. The first approach is through internships. Currently, internships are compulsory for around 70% of our degree programmes, and are typically between 6 to 12 weeks long. For programmes where internships are not compulsory, students are encouraged to take up internships.

The second approach is through SkillsFuture Work-Study Degrees. One key feature is the joint development and co-delivery of the curriculum by the AUs and employers. This training includes both theory and practice, through a combination of institution-based learning and structured on-the-job training. The work component of the Work-Study Degree is also more significant than internships, typically about 30% of the programme duration. The number of Work-Study Degree programmes has increased from 10 in 2017 to 30 in 2019, spanning a range of disciplines such as Data Science, Engineering and Hospitality Business. As at 2019, around 350 students have enrolled in a Work-Study Degree.

We will continue to work with our AUs to expand work-study opportunities for our students. We target to put 12% of each cohort to undertake work-study programmes by 2030.