Annual Report 2022/2023

Joint Message from Chairman and Principal & CEO

This past year, the easing of the pandemic safety restrictions has allowed us to restart physical events and international engagements, bringing much cheer to all Singaporeans and the RP community.

We were especially proud to celebrate RP's 20th Anniversary in 2022, with many activities that highlighted our achievements and values. For instance, our staff participated in the RP20 Ceremonial Tree Planting event to support the Singapore Green Plan 2030 and strengthen our commitment to sustainability. We also had various occasions where we came together to bond, appreciate each other's contributions, and thank our industry partners for their continuous support.

Anticipating industry needs

At RP, we strive to anticipate and respond to the ever-evolving needs of industry and society, and to provide our students with industry-relevant and future-ready education. In 2023, we are excited to introduce new programmes and initiatives across our schools.

Our School of Management and Communication has launched two full-qualification Continuing Education and Training (CET) programmes, focusing on digital media engagement, content marketing, analytics, and insights. These will equip practitioners with the latest knowledge and skills in these fast-changing fields and help them make meaningful contributions in their various jobs and roles.

Our School of Hospitality has introduced a new Pre-Employment Training (PET) programme – the Diploma in Tourism Management with Technology, which combines the best of hospitality and digital technologies. This programme prepares students for various roles in the tourism industry including customer service, operations, innovation, and entrepreneurship. This will be underpinned with fundamental knowledge in data analytics, sustainability, and leadership.

Our School of Technology for the Arts has also launched a Common Arts, Design and Media Programme that allows students to explore and experiment with various disciplines before specialisation. This interdisciplinary approach promotes creativity, collaboration, adaptability, and prepares students for a wide range of careers in the arts, design, and media industries.

Furthermore, RP offers new minor programmes that allow students to broaden their perspectives and skills beyond their core disciplines. These minors in business, digitalisation, and sustainability complement the existing offerings and enable students to tailor their learning journey in line with their interests and aspirations.

We believe that these new programmes and initiatives will further enhance the quality, relevance, and impact of RP's education and research, as well as contribute to Singapore's human capital development and innovation ecosystem.

Laser focus on sustainability

With all eyes on climate change and the Singapore Green Plan, RP is also working hard to contribute to this realm. We are working with partners to create a talent pipeline for urban agriculture and agritechnology with partnerships to add value in this rapidly growing space.

We launched The Greenhouse, a new facility for training in urban agricultural operations and plant development in August 2022. This is to support Singapore's goal of producing 30% of the country's nutritional needs by 2030. This agritechnology test bed includes a climate-controlled glasshouse and laboratories, enabling over 700 students each year to experiment with farming techniques and other plant growing methods.

The RP-Shimadzu Sustainable Technology and Analytical Laboratory (STAR Lab) launched recently with the same intent. The learning platform, developed in collaboration with precision instruments manufacturer Shimadzu, is crucial in developing new analytical methods such as nutrient profiling of agri-food products, specialty chemicals, and materials with a sustainable focus.

RP's inaugural Sustainable Urban Agriculture Forum, in partnership with IPI (Innovation Partner for Impact) Singapore and Trendlines Agrifood Innovation Centre, was held in October at the Agri-food Tech Expo Asia 2022. The event was attended by global industry experts and government agencies. During the event, we launched the Urban Agriculture Centre of Innovation (UA COI) established with the support of Enterprise Singapore. The UA COI is led by RP to drive research and development and to build partnerships across the urban agricultural landscape.

Accolades and achievements

RP students consistently excel in their fields, and the past year was no exception. Notably, Jovinn Toh, a graduate from RP School of Hospitality brought pride to Singapore by winning the country's first Gold medal in the Hotel Reception skills area at the WorldSkills Competition 2022 Special Edition. Jovinn also earned the WorldSkills Best of Nation Award, given to the highest-scoring competitor from Team Singapore.

In addition, a team of students from RP School of Management and Communication’s Diploma in Business was one of the top five in the Lee Hsien Loong Interactive Digital Media (IDM) Smart Nation Award. They created an Augmented Reality card game that raised awareness about the risks of online activities and fake news. This award acknowledges IDM projects by polytechnic students who leverage technology to enhance lives, create opportunities, and strengthen communities.

Partnering for success

Our partnerships with industry partners are pivotal to the success of the institution. These collaborations ensure that the curriculum remains current and relevant and that students are equipped with the necessary competencies to succeed in their future careers. Additionally, these partnerships facilitate knowledge transfer between industry and academia and provide staff and students with lifelong skills, exposure to exciting projects, and opportunities to solve real-world problems.

In 2022/2023, RP signed several Memoranda of Understanding (MOUs) across all schools with reputable partners, including SMRT Corporation Ltd, Gardens by the Bay, People's Association (PA), M1 Limited, NielsenIQ, National Supercomputing Centre (NSCC) Singapore, AI Singapore, the Association of Singapore Attractions, GlobalTix Pte Ltd, Priva Group, Ripe Fresh, and Sembcorp Industries. In addition, RP has established overseas partnerships with Politeknik Negeri Batam to enhance RP's aerospace engineering training, and Outward Bound Vietnam to facilitate the exchange of knowledge and best practices in outdoor and adventure learning.