WARWICK SINGAPORE OFFICE

The University was one of two foreign universities courted by the Singapore government in 2004, as part of the Republic’s ambitions to become a regional hub for higher education. Although the Warwick Senate eventually voted to reject the Singapore campus proposal, the University’s feasibility study uncovered significant scope for research and teaching partnerships in Singapore, and set up a representative office in the city-state in December 2006.

The office was upgraded to a branch office in 2013, to enable Warwick to fully leverage on the presence of a regional base to expand its student recruitment, partnerships, alumni, and fundraising interests across the region.

As a result of this evolution and growth in the Singapore office, the work it carries out has become more complex and challenging. The office currently advances the University’s interests on multiple fronts that are separate, yet interconnected and mutually reinforcing. For instance, partnership work helps to raise Warwick’s profile with regional universities, indirectly supporting student recruitment at the postgraduate level. Alumni engagement activities organised by the office strengthens the University’s alumni network and generates positive word-of-mouth and top-of-mind awareness, which again feeds into student recruitment. Public lectures by distinguished Warwick academics held in partnership with the likes of British Council and regional institutions not only address the University’s impact agenda, but strengthens Warwick’s reputation for excellence in specific fields. Importantly, the physical base in the heart of Southeast Asia allows Warwick to be plugged into regional networks.

Snapshot of the Singapore office activities

‘Knowledge is GREAT’ lecture by Professor Peter Abrahams, Emeritus Professor of Clinical Anatomy, Warwick Medical School, organised in partnership with British Council Singapore on 18 April 2017 at the National Gallery. The talk drew over 150 members of the public and Warwick alumni despite torrential rain and flash floods island-wide.	Professor Tobias Preis speaking to professionals and Warwick alumni working in the data science sector in Singapore at a lecture on his research, hosted by Google Singapore on 23 August 2018.