image: The Memorandum of Understanding for the Nanyang Technological University-Karolinska Institutet joint Ph.D. program in Biomedical Science was signed by KI President Professor Harriet Wallberg-Henriksson (seated, in yellow) and NTU Provost Professor Bertil Andersson (seated, red tie). view more
Credit: Nanyang Technological University
Nanyang Technological University (NTU), Singapore and the Swedish medical university Karolinska Institutet (KI), today announce a new collaboration to jointly offer a Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) programme in Biomedical Science.
This collaboration with one of Europe's largest medical universities is the latest initiative by NTU to strengthen its ties with world renowned universities. It is a testimony of the high stature NTU enjoys among the leading universities of the world. The collaboration is a major milestone for NTU as it is the University's first joint PhD programme in Biomedical Science and its third joint PhD programme with top European universities in just five months. Apart from KI, NTU separately signed agreements with Imperial College, London in May 09 and with Technische Universität München (TUM), Germany in Aug 09.
"The launch of this joint PhD programme enforces NTU's ambitions and strategy to strengthen its research base in the biomedical and health sciences in line with the priorities of the NTU Board," says NTU Provost Professor Bertil Andersson. "I am pleased to note that Karolinska Institutet, a world renowned medical university, is our partner for NTU's first joint PhD programme in Biomedical Science research. Together, we will build on and strengthen existing research projects between KI and NTU professors, foster collaborations that can capitalise on KI's strength in translational research, and expose students to cutting-edge bioscience investigations aimed at improving the health of people. I am confident of the success of this programme."
"I think the fact that NTU now has three joint PhD programmes with three very distinguished universities, Imperial, TUM, and now KI, speaks volumes of the leaps NTU has made in today's very competitive university landscape," adds Professor Andersson.
For KI, the joint PhD programme with NTU is an important step in its effort to establish strong long-term research collaborations with top class institutions of the world in its quest to be the top European university in medicine. KI President Professor Harriet Wallberg-Henriksson and a KI delegation are visiting NTU today to launch the NTU-KI joint PhD programme and to further strengthen bilateral ties.
"Education is today global. Universities must produce scientists with the necessary skills to operate not only nationally, but on the world stage. Our collaboration with NTU is of high significance as it offers a unique opportunity to broaden collaboration with Singapore to approach the technical field, in line with ongoing collaborations with the technical universities in Sweden. This will hopefully attract many more researchers for future collaborative projects between KI and Singapore," says Professor Wallberg-Henriksson.
The Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) for the NTU-KI joint PhD programme was signed by Professor Wallberg-Henriksson and Professor Bertil Andersson.
Successful candidates of the four-year programme shall receive a PhD degree issued under the seal of KI and a PhD degree issued under the seal of NTU. The degree certificates will state that the degrees were awarded within a joint PhD programme between KI and NTU.
The programme commences in the 2009/2010 academic year and offers up to four places a year. NTU and KI will select and admit students for the joint programme, where candidates are to satisfy the prevailing KI and NTU admission criteria. Entry to the programme is competitive as the programme offers candidates opportunities for top-level research and the exchange of scientific ideas, in addition to a unique cultural learning experience.
Students are expected to spend approximately equal proportions of their PhD candidature (approximately two years each) at KI and at NTU. Exact proportions of time spent will depend on the nature of the research project.
Candidates admitted to the programme will be eligible for the Nanyang President Graduate Scholarships or the NTU Research Student Scholarships.
The joint PhD programme brings the existing partnership between NTU and KI to a higher level, capitalising on a general collaboration framework agreement signed between the two universities in October 2008. NTU and KI had also signed an agreement in January 2008 to promote undergraduate and faculty exchange. For a start, NTU and KI host about three students in each direction every semester.