Tamil Nadu govt. signs MoU with National University of Singapore to expand collaboration

The State government, through Guidance Tamil Nadu, and the National University of Singapore (NUS) signed a Memorandum of Understanding to expand collaboration in postgraduate education and knowledge exchange on Saturday (August 29, 2026).

The MoU enables government and private universities in Tamil Nadu to create practical collaborative opportunities with NUS through student exchange programmes, industry-linked projects, immersion programmes, masterclasses and seminars. It also aims to create scholarship support and co-funding schemes for T.N. students aiming to pursue postgraduate and Ph.D. programmes at NUS.

“Chennai stood out for NUS to begin its journey in India, as we have shared interests and a commitment to academic excellence. Our goal is to enhance the employability and global readiness of our students,” Deepak Jacob, IAS officer, Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of Guidance Tamil Nadu, said.

“We are looking to create a sustained presence in Tamil Nadu. By creating a talent pipeline through Master’s and Ph.D. level education, we want students to contribute extensively to the growth of the ASEAN region,” Ang Wee Han, Acting Vice Provost (Masters’ Programmes and Lifelong Education), NUS, said. He added that the university was looking forward to giving Indian students a different educational experience which is future-ready but also rooted in cultural values and traditions.

Professor Han and Mr. Jacob signed the MoU at ITC Grand Chola, Chennai. This is the first MoU signed by NUS with a State government in India.

NUS also organised a Postgraduate Fair and masterclasses at the same venue, which was attended by over a thousand students. Over 50 faculty members and administrative staff from 14 departments were present to offer guidance on their courses at the university. The courses covered business, medicine, engineering, social sciences, arts, public policy among other disciplines.

On Friday (August 28, 2026), the university, in its broader engagements in Chennai, hosted an industry networking session with industry leaders and CEOs of various companies.

“For NUS, engaging more deeply with India can broaden the questions we ask, challenge how we think about problems, and make our research more globally relevant and consequential,” Acting Dean of the NUS Graduate School, Wong Lim Soon, said. He added that education at NUS is multidisciplinary and encourages collaborative research across disciplines.