COIL Grant Past Recipients

ACR23 Literatures of Southeast Asia

Faculty: Asst Prof Ann Ang, NIE/English Language and Literature Academic Group

Collaboration Institute: Universiti Brunei Darussalam, Brunei Darussalam

This module aims to examine selected literary works from Southeast Asian countries, from the point of view of their literary techniques and themes, as well as within the contexts of their literary traditions and geopolitical, social and cultural negotiations. In this synchronous virtual module, students from Singapore and Brunei will have the chance to co-construct interpretations of literary texts from the region through flexible groupings, socratic questioning and collaborative learning. Careful attention will be paid in considering the meanings and possible impact of each of these works within their own society as well as in elucidating how each work can be seen to manifest culturally specific values, ideologies and philosophies. In order to achieve this, selected theoretical, cultural and multimedia texts will be introduced alongside the core literary texts.

With a short history of less than a hundred and fifty years, Southeast Asian writing is a dynamic canon that continues to be shaped from year to year by new writers, while major publishing houses in the region and in the west exert an outsized effect as literary gatekeepers for new work. Students from both countries will also be offered a field trip to the exchange country where they will gather data on the marketing of Southeast Asian texts by major chains in Southeast Asian bookstores and interact with local publishers / writers.

CH4106 Formulation of Active Pharmaceutical Ingredients Dosage Forms

Faculty: Assoc Prof Zaher Judeh, COE/School of Chemical and Biomedical Engineering

Collaboration Institute: Universitas Indonesia (UI), Indonesia, Department of Chemistry

This course aims to give an insight into drug formulation where students will learn how an active pharmaceutical ingredient is formulated into an effective and safe dosage form. Students will learn about drug development and approval process, preformulation and formulation considerations, apply the concepts of chemical kinetics, drug stability and explain the factors that impact dosage forms stability to identify different dosage forms and outline their advantages and shortcomings. Students will also learn about the formulation of the dosage forms with respect to the types and functions of the additives/excipients used, problems encountered during the formulation of a specific dosage form and techniques used in the production. The course will be taught in the Team-Based Learning format and include many real case industry problems.

Cross-cultural Proposal Writing and Presentations for Sustainability in English

Faculty: Mr Illyas Lim Effandi, CoHASS/Language and Communication Centre (LCC)

Dr Ho Jia Xuan, CoHASS/Language and Communication Centre (LCC)

Collaboration Institute: Universiti Malaysia Sarawak (University of Malaysia Sarawak), Sarawak, Malaysia

The course focuses on enhancing English communication skills by exploring cultural differences in rhetorical strategies. Kaplan's (1959) contrastive rhetoric theory serves as a basis, highlighting how diverse cultural influences shape argument organization. Students will engage with prominent cross-cultural communication frameworks, including Lewis' (1996) Model of Cultural Communication and Hofstede's (1980) Cultural Dimensions Theory, aiding them in creating culturally sensitive and effective proposals and presentations.

NTU and UNIMAS have pledged sustainability commitments in 2021, emphasizing their vital role in preparing the next generation for future challenges. In addition to the communication skills, this course will facilitate a deeper understanding of each university's sustainability plans, fostering collaboration between students from different cultural backgrounds. More importantly, it will also allow our students to learn how to consider varied cultural contexts such as Singapore's urban setting and Sarawak's indigenous populations. NTU students will visit UNIMAS, experiencing sustainability initiatives and Sarawakian culture through live-streamed presentations and cultural performances. The exposure to different cultures through collaborative activities will provide valuable insights, enabling our students to become future active leaders in the sustainability movement.