Republic Polytechnic (RP) unveiled Thursday a comprehensive artificial intelligence (AI) transformation strategy that will strengthen its teaching and learning ecosystem, deepen staff capabilities, and expand industry partnerships to meet Singapore’s growing demand for AI skilled talent.
The firm said in a statement that the initiative will enable learners, staff and industry partners to benefit from practical, responsible, and impactful applications of AI as RP continues to advance its role in developing Singapore’s future AI-ready talent.
Through a combination of curriculum redesign, staff upskilling and the integration of applied learning technologies, RP is reshaping its teaching and learning ecosystem to ensure every learner graduates with industry-relevant AI skills.
It is noted that AI competencies have been progressively embedded across all diploma programs and by Academic Year 2027, at least half of the discipline-specific modules within each diploma will incorporate applied AI skills.
This gives learners hands-on experience with the same AI tools, applications and practices that are used in the future workplaces.
This approach will also extend to the Continuing Education and Training (CET) programs at RP.
AI competencies will be infused into specialist diplomas and part-time diplomas so that adult learners can keep pace with emerging workplace technologies.
CET learners will be equipped to use industry-specific AI tools for productivity, analysis and decision-making, with selected programs offering opportunities to develop or deploy AI applications relevant to their sectors.
This ensures CET learners would be equipped with practical, job-ready AI capabilities that support career advancement and industry transformation.
“Our goal is to create an environment where every learner is empowered to succeed in the AI era. By bringing the use of AI into the classroom, strengthening our workforce capabilities and working closely with industry partners, we equip our learners with the confidence, judgement and skills to use and navigate new technologies,
“Our purpose is ultimately about giving our learners the opportunity to adapt, grow and excel in a fast-changing world,” said Jeanne Liew, Principal and Chief Executive Officer of Republic Polytechnic.
As part of this ecosystem, academic staff have also been integrating AI into curriculum design, development and delivery.
In tandem, they are also working closely with industry partners to identify emerging AI tools and practices relevant to their fields.
This ensures that learning outcomes remain aligned with evolving workplace needs.
It is noted that AI-enabled tools are also used to support the creation of lesson plans, assessments and learning activities.
By streamlining routine tasks, these tools free up time for staff to focus on higher-value activities, such as mentoring learners and facilitating deeper discussions.
In addition, assessment practices have been redesigned to reflect these changes.
Learners are now evaluated not only on final outputs, but also on their thinking processes, use of AI tools and ability to work effectively alongside them.
This is reinforced through the problem-based learning approach in RP, which positions AI as a collaborator and cognitive partner while strengthening learners’ critical thinking, ethical reasoning and creativity.
Learners are trained to evaluate the accuracy, bias and relevance of AI-generated responses, ensuring that the use of AI deepens — rather than replaces — their capacity for independent thinking.
Alongside a collaboration with NVIDIA, RP has also signed memorandum of understandings (MOUs) with four other leading AI and technology companies namely AI Singapore, Autodesk, Microsoft and ST Engineering to advance AI education and workforce capabilities.
This will allow RP to tap into frontier technologies such as generative AI, agentic AI, edge computing, cybersecurity automation, and AI-enabled design tools, bringing industry-grade capabilities directly into classrooms and laboratories.
Through structured training programs, access to specialized platforms, and co-development of AI solutions, the partnerships will allow learners to benefit from hands-on experience with industry-standard tools, opportunities in applied research, and personalized learning enabled by AI.
The collaborations will also support the industries by providing companies with well-trained graduates and jointly developed AI innovations.
Beyond the classroom, RP is also preparing its workforce to harness AI to boost productivity and enhance service delivery.
All 1,200 staff will undergo AI capability development, from building proficiency in role-relevant applications to attaining advanced certifications.
More than half the workforce has already attained baseline AI capability, and all staff are on track to reach this level by end-2026.
These efforts ensure RP’s staff are well-prepared to adopt emerging AI technologies across academic and operational functions, strengthening the institution’s AI readiness.