Learning Journey to NTU College of Science for Pre-University and Secondary School Educators

Join us at the 2025 Learning Journey at NTU College of Science (CoS). This event offers a unique opportunity for pre-university and secondary school educators to explore the vibrant learning environment at the four Schools under NTU CoS:

• School of Physical and Mathematical Sciences (SPMS)
• School of Chemistry, Chemical Engineering and Biotechnology (CCEB)
• School of Biological Sciences (SBS)
• Asian School of the Environment (ASE)
  

Following its first and second editions, this year’s programme will feature:

1. Faculty Presentations on Shaping Future Scientists in Higher Education

"Preparing Math and Physics Students for the Future" by Prof Ng Keng Meng, SPMS NTU

The future of science graduates can be uncertain with the rapid rise of technology, increased computing power and AI in the last decade. We share how the mathematics and physics programs at SPMS prepare our undergraduate students to navigate the challenges they may face after graduation. The academic environment and culture at NTU provides very strong support for our students. Together with a strong emphasis on experiential learning, SPMS has gone a long way since its formation in 2005 towards providing a balanced and constantly evolving curriculum for its students.

"Shaping Future Scientists in Higher Education: Interdisciplinary Learning in the School of Chemistry, Chemical Engineering & Biotechnology (CCEB)" by Assoc Prof Soo Han Sen, CCEB NTU

In this presentation, I will give a brief introduction to CCEB and our undergraduate degree programmes. The discussion will include some of the contents that our students learn in the disciplines of chemistry, chemical engineering and bioengineering. In addition, I will summarise some of the internship and international exchange opportunities for our students, as well as highlight the career guidance and prospects that CCEB offers.

"The Explorers of Life on the Endless Learning Journey" by Dr Ardina Gruber, SBS NTU

During a time of fast technological transformation, climate change, and global health challenges, the field of biology must progress to meet the challenging demands of a changing world and to address the questions of today and tomorrow. These challenges are shaping the direction of biological sciences in higher education, emphasising the need for interdisciplinary integration, experiential learning, and digital innovation. Our curricula are expanding beyond traditional content to incorporate emerging fields such as synthetic biology, bioinformatics, systems biology, biotechnology, data analysis, etc. In addition, teaching biology also cultivates critical thinking, ethical reasoning, and competent skills, that are vital for the development of new treatments for diseases and more resilient plants, essentials for human survival. Through a constant curriculum reform, investment in research-oriented teaching, and strategic partnerships with industry and public sectors, the university is playing a central role in shaping biology for the future. 

"Environmental Earth Systems Science, and Finding the Sweet Spot between Knowledge, Skills, and Empowerment" by Dr Shawn Lum, ASE NTU

While discoveries accelerate and technological advances allow us to study things in ways that were once scarcely imaginable, core knowledge and concepts have remained a reliable foundation on which to build innovations in science and science education.  The Asian School of the Environment incorporates discoveries and the discovery process into its curriculum, but it strives to do much more. As humanity faces unprecedented existential crises that have the environment at their very core, the ASE curriculum seeks to balance the latest in science and science-based policy with experiences that inspire and empower students. The "heart-head-hands" approach informs everything we do at the ASE and more generally at the NTU College of Science.

2. Panel Discussion: Navigating the Future of Science Education – Challenges, Innovations  and Opportunities

• Mr Darren Wong  | Principal Specialist (Science), Ministry of Education
• NTU faculty presenters (see above)

• Bridging Pre-University and University Science Education
• Challenging Students Through STEM Research Opportunities 
• Cultivating Students' Communication Skills 
• Innovations in Science Education and Pedagogy
• Field-Based and Experiential Science: Discovering Nature’s Wonder 
• Preparing Students for the Future

3. Lab Visits and Interactive Highlights