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Showcasing its role in transforming traditional education through technology, Singapore Polytechnic (SP) celebrated its 70th anniversary by hosting the International Learning Festival (ILF) 2024, which gathered nearly 800 global education leaders to discuss advancements in teaching, particularly in Generative AI and sustainability. With participants from 147 Institutes of Higher Learning (IHLs) worldwide, the festival highlighted SP’s leadership in this dynamic educational landscape.
The event highlighted SP’s innovation in technology-driven education. Ms Gan Siow Huang, Minister of State for Education, emphasised the key role of polytechnics in shaping Singapore’s education and praised SP’s contributions to advancing teaching through cutting-edge technology.
The ILF 2024 showcased thought leaders like Dr. Isao Taniguchi, President of Japan’s National Institute of Technology, and Dr. Ong Yew Soon, AI scientist and educator, who discussed the pivotal role of Generative AI and emerging technologies in transforming education.
The International Symposium for Advances in Technology Education (ISATE) brought together over 200 participants to discuss how AI, data analytics, and automation are transforming education by driving personalised learning and improving instructional delivery.
At the CDIO International Working Meeting, marking 20 years of SP’s adoption of the CDIO framework, SP showcased its integration of technology to foster engineering innovation. The SP-CDIO Centre, launched in 2022, uses AI-powered tools and simulations to enhance learning, equipping students with the skills needed to address sustainability challenges through interdisciplinary teamwork.
Architecture students, for example, utilise advanced 3D modelling tools and AI-driven design platforms to conceptualise sustainable buildings, deepening their understanding of climate-resilient architecture.
Celebrating its 10th anniversary, the Learning Express (LeX) programme continues to empower students across 10 countries, leveraging design thinking methodologies and technological solutions to solve real-world problems. The integration of IoT devices, AI, and automation technologies into student projects has driven community transformation, particularly in collaboration with institutions in Indonesia.
A joint project between SP and Universitas Muhammadiyah Yogyakarta (UMY) utilised automation technology to revolutionise goat farming in Srunggo village. By developing a system that automates waste separation, the team improved both farm efficiency and environmental sustainability.
Another initiative tackled the challenge of plastic waste by converting it into eco-bricks, using advanced AI models to optimise the process. This project, developed with UMY, exemplifies how AI and sustainability can work hand-in-hand to transform waste management into eco-friendly construction solutions.
A highlight of ILF 2024 was the Generative AI Exhibition, where educators showcased AI applications in teaching. SP’s “AskWhat, Cher?” app stood out, using Natural Language Processing (NLP) and AI-driven chatbots to enhance self-directed learning and provide real-time feedback, helping educators assess and improve student outcomes.
Another AI-powered study presented by Wakayama College in Japan demonstrated how Generative AI can support non-native English learners in improving their writing skills by benchmarking their work against TOEIC standards. This showcases the broad applicability of AI tools in both language education and other academic fields.
SP’s Principal and CEO, Mr. Soh Wai Wah, emphasised the institution’s commitment to leveraging global partnerships and cutting-edge technology to advance education. Through initiatives like the SP LeX Programme, which aims to engage 1,200 students by 2025, and its leadership in CDIO, SP continues to push boundaries in how technology can address educational challenges, both locally and globally.
By fostering innovation in AI, promoting sustainable solutions, and enhancing global collaborations, SP positions itself at the vanguard of the technological transformation sweeping across the education sector.
The International Learning Festival 2024 exemplified how institutions like Singapore Polytechnic are using AI, automation, and sustainability-driven frameworks to shape the future of education. As SP continues to innovate and collaborate globally, it remains a beacon of how technology can revolutionise teaching and learning, preparing students to meet the challenges of an increasingly complex world.
