A new private university of the arts will be set up in Singapore in an alliance between LASALLE College of the Arts (LASALLE) and the Nanyang Academy of Fine Arts (NAFA).

The establishment of the new university of the arts was announced by the Minister for Education Lawrence Wong (MOE) at the Committee of Supply (COS) Debates on Mar. 3, 2021, as part of MOE's plans to strengthen tertiary arts education pathways.

MOE, with MCCY's support, will work with the two private arts education institutions to grant the alliance its own degree-awarding powers and confer it university status, Wong said.

The new institution will be a private university supported by the Government, with LASALLE and NAFA as its two constituent colleges.

Pro-tem committee led by Ambassador Chan Heng Chee

A Pro-Tem Committee, chaired by Chan Heng Chee, Ambassador-at-Large with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, is working with the two existing institutions to develop the structure and operating model of the new university.

LASALLE and NAFA will remain separate legal entities and distinct colleges offering their own programmes.

Tapping onto the LASALLE and NAFA's strengths, the new university will offer cross-institution modules and projects, joint academic collaborations, and sharing of learning resources.

Other members of the committee include representatives from LASALLE, NAFA, academia, and government agencies and industry.

Top image via LASALLE's Facebook page, Pohboon Yeo/Google Maps