Professor Low Teck Seng met an enthusiastic pioneer team of corporate and academic staff for the first Meet-the-Staff-cum-Sharing session on 27th June 2002 at Data Storage Institute (DSI), the polytechnic’s first ‘home’.

The session began with a brief self-introduction by members of the staff before ice-breaking games. The session continued with departmental presentations from the Principal’s Office, Human Resource, Corporate Communications, Industry and International Services, Estates, Academic Affairs, Finance and Information Technology. Mr Eden Liew, Deputy Principal, spoke to the staff on the raison d’etre for polytechnics, student profile and entry requirements.

Professor Low provided much food for thought with his exciting vision for Republic Polytechnic (RP). Having been tasked with creating a new cohort of students capable of taking on challenges in the New Economy, The Republic would have to ensure that besides gaining domain knowledge, our students would be acquiring essential learning and problem-solving skills. The acquisition of these crucial skills form the cornerstone of The Republic’s distinctive pedagogy, Problem-Based Learning, which would be a prominent part of an adventurous approach in polytechnic education. In addition to these skills, they should cultivate an appreciation for the arts as well as affirm their loyalty to the country through participation in our national education programme. This vision of holistic training meant that The Republic would have to be organized differently; it should also adopt new management practices and teaching methods.

Professor Low went on to outline key strategies for attaining the polytechnic’s vision. First, The Republic would be a flexible and nimble organization. It would respond quickly to changes. We would become a learning organization with an open communications culture. Finally, our staff would become an IT-savvy and technocratic work force. Professor Low reiterated senior management’s commitment to The Republic’s vision and assured staff that they would take the lead in transforming The Republic into a premier learning institution through regular staff dialogue and sharing sessions which would become a permanent feature of the corporate calendar. The new ideas and initiatives generated through such sessions and the concerns raised by staff would help us to chart the right corporate directions towards our common goal.

In his concluding remarks, Professor Low urged every member of the staff to do his or her best to achieve The Republic vision of a wireless campus committed to PBL, the integration of IT and life-long learning skills as well as national education and the arts.

© July 2002, Republic Polytechnic.