SUTD Singapore University of Technology & Design

23/10/2026

Innovation rarely starts with certainty. It starts with a problem worth solving, an idea worth testing and the determination to see how far it can go.

The SUTD 𝐏𝐡𝐃Ⓘ 𝐛𝐲 𝐈𝐧𝐧𝐨𝐯𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 is for those who want to pursue rigorous doctoral research while taking an idea beyond the lab and developing it for real-world impact.

The pathway combines the same academic rigour as SUTD’s classic PhD with a strong innovation focus. Candidates work with an academic supervisor and industry mentor to identify a genuine industry challenge, develop and validate a solution, and build an innovation portfolio alongside their thesis. Innovation Mastery Sprints also help develop the practical innovation and entrepreneurial skills needed to move from research to application.

It is not about having all the answers from the start. It is about being willing to work through ambiguity, test your assumptions, learn from what does not work and keep building towards something that matters to you and can make a difference to society.

If that sounds like the innovator you want to become, the SUTD 𝐏𝐡𝐃Ⓘ 𝐛𝐲 𝐈𝐧𝐧𝐨𝐯𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 is your next step.

Applications are ongoing for the Jan 2027 intake, while applications for the Sep 2027 intake will open on 23 Nov 2026.

🔗 Learn more and apply:
https://www.sutd.edu.sg/programme-listing/sutd-phd-innovation-pathway/

22/10/2026

Cities are constantly changing, but what do those changes mean for the way we live, work and plan for the future?

Join SUTD’s Lee Kuan Yew Centre for Innovative Cities for a seminar by Professor Greg Foliente, Enterprise Professorial Fellow of Sustainable and Resilient Built and Urban Systems at the University of Melbourne.

He will share an Urban Dynamics Scenarios Modelling Framework that looks at how forces such as population, markets, technology, policy, climate and extreme events shape cities, and how these changes affect ecology, the economy and quality of life. The session will also explore how forward and backward analysis can help identify pathways towards safer and more just cities within Earth-system boundaries.

📅 29 Oct 2026
🕑 2pm to 3pm
📍 SUTD, Think Tank 22 (Building 2, Level 3 – Room 2.311)

🔗 Learn more and register:
https://www.sutd.edu.sg/events-listing/the-dynamics-and-nbl-impacts-of-urban-change-the-research-innovation-we-need

22/10/2026

21/10/2026

Minister for Education and Social Services Integration Desmond Lee spent the morning at SUTD, visiting 𝐃𝐈𝐕𝐄 | 𝐏𝐡𝐲𝐬𝐢𝐜𝐚𝐥 𝐀𝐈 and seeing our work in action. The visit began with SUTD President Professor Phoon Kok Kwang sharing more about the university, and our approach to education, followed by a discussion with SUTD’s senior management about industry partnerships and future expansion plans.

At 𝐃𝐈𝐕𝐄 | 𝐏𝐡𝐲𝐬𝐢𝐜𝐚𝐥 𝐀𝐈, Minister Lee joined our students in 𝘈𝘥𝘷𝘢𝘯𝘤𝘦𝘥 𝘍𝘦𝘦𝘥𝘣𝘢𝘤𝘬 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘊𝘰𝘯𝘵𝘳𝘰𝘭 and 𝘐𝘯𝘵𝘦𝘭𝘭𝘪𝘨𝘦𝘯𝘵 𝘙𝘰𝘣𝘰𝘵𝘪𝘤𝘴 classes led by Professor Foong Shaohui and Associate Professor Tan U-Xuan from Engineering Product Development.

He also got up close with some of our Physical AI work.

There was 𝐑3 𝐋𝐞𝐨, a cleaning robot developed by SUTD’s ROAR Lab / Urban Robotics Centre with LionsBot International, which can pick up litter and even press lift buttons to move between floors.

𝐎𝐫𝐲𝐱, developed with ST Engineering, explores how a humanoid robot could learn the movements needed to work inside the tight confines of an aircraft cargo hold.

Minister Lee also saw a demonstration of Professor Foong and his team’s cardboard drone, and was presented with a scaled down version of it as a momento.

It was a morning that connected the dots between what our students learn, what our researchers are building and how those ideas are tested against real needs.

Thank you, Minister Lee, for taking the time to meet the SUTD community. 💙

20/10/2026

When we talk about the COE system, the conversation often centres on prices, categories and affordability. But fairness in transport also depends on how people actually move through their daily lives.

Research Assistant Professor Samuel Chng from SUTD’s Lee Kuan Yew Centre for Innovative Cities looks at the ongoing review of the COE system and why factors such as caregiving needs, accessibility and available transport alternatives matter too.

The bigger question is not simply who can afford to own a car, but whether people can get where they need to go reliably, affordably and with confidence.

Description

19/10/2026

Healthy living is not just about knowing what to do. It is also about having the right support, surroundings and people around us to make those habits stick.

Researchers from SUTD’s Lee Kuan Yew Centre for Innovative Cities, Dr Belinda Yuen, Francine Chan and Dr Xin Yang, look at what helps residents sustain healthier routines in everyday life. Their ongoing research with the MOH Office for Healthcare Transformation found that practical support such as coaching, follow-up and accessible neighbourhood spaces can matter as much as information alone.

Just as important is the social side of health. Residents shared that personal invitations, familiar groups and trusted volunteers often make the difference between joining an activity once and continuing to show up.

The takeaway is simple: healthier communities are built not only through programmes, but through places, relationships and support systems that make healthy choices easier to sustain.

Description

18/10/2026

As AI becomes more capable, the real question may not be how to keep up with it, but how we choose to work with it.

For universities, that means moving beyond the mastery of knowledge alone. Students need to know how to frame problems, test ideas, make trade-offs and use AI to create something useful in the real world.

At SUTD, learning by doing sits at the centre of that shift. From open-ended design work to prototyping with real hardware and AI, students learn to work across disciplines and make judgements that technology cannot make for them.

The point is not to outsmart AI. It is to become better at working with it, while keeping human judgement and agency in the driver’s seat.

In an emerging economy underpinned by tech, the age-old pursuit of academic mastery is no longer enough Read more at The Business Times.

17/10/2026

Long-term infrastructure projects may promise a more liveable city, but what happens to the people living through years of disruption?

SUTD’s Dr Samuel Chng, Research Assistant Professor and Head of the Urban Psychology Lab, and Dr Sarah Chan, Chan Heng Chee Research Fellow, both from the Lee Kuan Yew Centre for Innovative Cities, look at the human side of the North-South Corridor works.

They highlight how repeated route changes, noise, dust and uncertainty can add up over time, and why clearer, location-specific updates, better temporary access and wayfinding, and stronger feedback loops with residents and businesses matter during long construction periods.

Their point is simple: building a more liveable city also means paying attention to how liveable it remains while change is underway.

A liveable city must remain liveable while it is being built, say Samuel Chng and Sarah Chan of Singapore University of Technology and Design.

16/10/2026

From expert faculty and hands-on learning to AI, design and cutting-edge research, hear from our new postgraduates on what drew them to SUTD. 💡✨

15/10/2026

The challenge: Find a problem worth solving. Then solve it.

The 6th edition of the Problem X Challenge (PX Challenge) concluded with its online finals held on 21 Aug, bringing together approximately 180 Secondary Two to Four students from 18 schools, the highest number of participants in the past three years.

Jointly organised by the Gifted Education Branch, MOE and SUTD’s Office of Education and Innovation (OEDI), this year’s challenge took a new approach. Instead of being presented with a predefined challenge, students were encouraged to identify and explore a “Problem X” they believe is worth solving.

Part of the traditionally online competition also went hands-on this year, with students taking part in an AI drone coding experience and an expert sharing session by the Civil Aviation Authority of Singapore (CAAS) at SUTD in mid May.

A big thank you to Professor Foong Shaohui, Associate Head of Pillar (Education), Engineering Product Development (EPD) pillar, for coaching the participants, Dr Chan Wai Lee, Senior Lecturer, EPD, for addressing the students and to Assistant Professor Gordon Tan from the Humanities, Arts and Social Sciences cluster and Dr Wu Chunfeng, Senior Lecturer, Science, Mathematics and Technology cluster, for serving as judges.

Here’s to nurturing young minds who are curious enough to ask questions, challenge assumptions and explore problems worth solving.

14/10/2026

As AI changes how people learn, work and create, the question for universities is becoming less about whether to use AI, and more about how education itself should evolve.

At SUTD, students are encouraged to work across disciplines, build and test ideas, and think carefully about the people and problems behind the technology. That approach continues beyond the classroom through 𝐃𝐞𝐬𝐢𝐠𝐧·𝐀𝐈 𝐈𝐧𝐧𝐨𝐯𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐕𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐮𝐫𝐞 𝐄𝐱𝐩𝐥𝐨𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 (𝐃𝐈𝐕𝐄), which gives students opportunities to develop promising ideas through hands-on experimentation, mentorship, funding and venture-building support.

You can see this in ventures such as pitchMe, which grew from a classroom idea into an AI-powered presentation coaching platform, as well as in SUTD’s work with industry and research in areas such as Physical AI and autonomous systems.

As the role of AI continues to expand, the bigger question is how universities can prepare students not just to use it, but to decide what is worth building and why.

As the world’s first Design·AI university, the Singapore University of Technology and Design is embedding AI across education and research to prepare graduates for a rapidly changing world Read more at The Business Times.

13/10/2026

An SUTD student team has taken 1st Runner-Up at Dell InnovateFest 2026 with Bloom Up!, a digital platform designed to support greater independence for Persons with Intellectual Disability (PWIDs).

Developed in response to a challenge from MINDS, Bloom Up! supports clients in its Enabled Living Programme as they learn everyday tasks such as household chores, self-care and personal routines.

The platform turns a coach’s demonstration into coach-approved, step-by-step guidance with visual cues. When extra help is needed, Ask Bloom, its AI assistant, provides support for the specific step the user is working on.

As users become more confident, coaches can gradually reduce the level of guidance, helping them take on tasks more independently while keeping support available when needed.

This year’s InnovateFest challenged university teams to work on real needs faced by persons with disabilities and refine their ideas through user engagement and feedback.

Our student team, made up of Computer Science and Design Juniors:
• Kavya Gopinath
• Mahi Shah
• Tan Yun-E
• Tina Singh
• Wee Rui En, Raeanne
• Wong Yee Jin

Congratulations to the team on a strong showing at Dell InnovateFest 2026!

12/10/2026

What happens when students use AI not just to build something new, but to make learning more inclusive?

Through the D.A.R.E. Community pilot programme by SUTD and ITE, 24 ITE students spent four months developing AI-powered prototypes to support children and youths with different learning needs, with SUTD students mentoring them along the way.

Their projects included tools to help teachers create more personalised lesson plans, gamified learning experiences for students with dyslexia, and platforms that break down complex learning materials into more accessible formats.

For SUTD student mentor Teo En Ki, a second-year Computer Science and Design student, the experience was just as much about learning as it was about mentoring.

She said: “𝘛𝘩𝘦 𝘴𝘵𝘶𝘥𝘦𝘯𝘵𝘴 𝘸𝘦𝘳𝘦 𝘢𝘭𝘭 𝘷𝘦𝘳𝘺 𝘱𝘳𝘰𝘢𝘤𝘵𝘪𝘷𝘦, 𝘩𝘢𝘥 𝘮𝘢𝘯𝘺 𝘪𝘥𝘦𝘢𝘴, 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘸𝘰𝘳𝘬𝘦𝘥 𝘩𝘢𝘳𝘥 𝘵𝘰 𝘨𝘢𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘳 𝘧𝘦𝘦𝘥𝘣𝘢𝘤𝘬 𝘧𝘳𝘰𝘮 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘪𝘳 𝘵𝘢𝘳𝘨𝘦𝘵 𝘶𝘴𝘦𝘳𝘴 𝘵𝘰 𝘤𝘰𝘯𝘵𝘪𝘯𝘶𝘰𝘶𝘴𝘭𝘺 𝘪𝘮𝘱𝘳𝘰𝘷𝘦 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘪𝘳 𝘱𝘳𝘰𝘵𝘰𝘵𝘺𝘱𝘦𝘴. 𝘐 𝘶𝘴𝘦𝘥 𝘵𝘰 𝘧𝘰𝘤𝘶𝘴 𝘮𝘰𝘳𝘦 𝘰𝘯 𝘵𝘦𝘤𝘩𝘯𝘪𝘤𝘢𝘭 𝘥𝘦𝘷𝘦𝘭𝘰𝘱𝘮𝘦𝘯𝘵. 𝘛𝘩𝘦𝘪𝘳 𝘦𝘯𝘵𝘩𝘶𝘴𝘪𝘢𝘴𝘮 𝘦𝘯𝘤𝘰𝘶𝘳𝘢𝘨𝘦𝘥 𝘮𝘦 𝘵𝘰 𝘴𝘵𝘦𝘱 𝘰𝘶𝘵𝘴𝘪𝘥𝘦 𝘮𝘺 𝘤𝘰𝘮𝘧𝘰𝘳𝘵 𝘻𝘰𝘯𝘦 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘱𝘢𝘺 𝘨𝘳𝘦𝘢𝘵𝘦𝘳 𝘢𝘵𝘵𝘦𝘯𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯 𝘵𝘰 𝘶𝘴𝘦𝘳 𝘧𝘦𝘦𝘥𝘣𝘢𝘤𝘬 𝘸𝘩𝘦𝘯 𝘥𝘦𝘴𝘪𝘨𝘯𝘪𝘯𝘨.”

More than an AI project, this was about understanding people better, learning from one another and designing around what people actually need to learn and thrive.

Description

11/10/2026

𝐒𝐔𝐓𝐃 𝐀𝐜𝐚𝐝𝐞𝐦𝐲

AI is becoming part of how organisations work but knowing where it can genuinely create value is just as important as knowing how to use it.

𝘍𝘳𝘰𝘮 𝘈𝘳𝘵𝘪𝘧𝘪𝘤𝘪𝘢𝘭 𝘐𝘯𝘵𝘦𝘭𝘭𝘪𝘨𝘦𝘯𝘤𝘦 (𝘈𝘐) 𝘈𝘸𝘢𝘳𝘦𝘯𝘦𝘴𝘴 𝘵𝘰 𝘈𝘱𝘱𝘭𝘪𝘤𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯: 𝘉𝘶𝘪𝘭𝘥𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘍𝘰𝘶𝘯𝘥𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯𝘴 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘉𝘶𝘴𝘪𝘯𝘦𝘴𝘴 𝘐𝘮𝘱𝘢𝘤𝘵 is a one-day course by SUTD Academy designed to help professionals build a practical understanding of AI and consider how it can be applied meaningfully within their organisations.

Participants will explore essential AI concepts, examine relevant business applications, and assess their organisation’s readiness for AI adoption as a starting point for future transformation.

This course is selected under the SkillsFuture AI Subscription initiative. Eligible Singapore Citizens enrolled in the course may receive a 6-month free AI subscription, subject to prevailing eligibility and redemption requirements.

📅 11 Nov 2026
👉 Learn more and register by 12 Oct:
https://bit.ly/SUTD_FAIA

10/10/2026

A little throwback to Commencement 2026: we asked our Class of 2026 about the dreams they had growing up and what they once imagined for their future. From those childhood dreams to this milestone, they’ve come a long way, and wherever life takes them next, we hope their younger selves would be proud. ❤️

09/10/2026

Can architecture help create cities where more women can work, gather, belong and thrive?

That question sits at the heart of 𝘞𝘩𝘦𝘳𝘦 𝘚𝘩𝘦 𝘛𝘩𝘳𝘪𝘷𝘦𝘴, the Master of Architecture thesis by SUTD Architecture and Sustainable Design (ASD) alumna Paraaga Raghavendra.

Her thesis was recently named one of the Top 4 Finalists for the ARCASIA Thesis of the Year 2026, among submissions from 24 countries, and also received the special award for “Most World-Oriented” thesis.

Set in the context of Indian cities, 𝘞𝘩𝘦𝘳𝘦 𝘚𝘩𝘦 𝘛𝘩𝘳𝘪𝘷𝘦𝘴 explores how architecture can respond to the spatial and social barriers that can limit women’s access to work, public life and community. Rather than starting from scratch, Paraaga looks at how existing neighbourhoods can be reconfigured through shared spaces, communal infrastructure and connected networks.

One key idea is to rethink overlooked spaces such as rooftops, turning them into active places for work, gathering, learning and exchange. The project imagines how small architectural interventions can build greater visibility, autonomy and collective support into everyday urban life.

It is a thoughtful example of how design can ask bigger questions about who our cities are built for, and who gets to thrive in them.

Congratulations, Paraaga! 💙

And kudos to our other SUTD alumni who also submitted their work to ARCASIA 2026.

08/10/2026

AI becomes more meaningful when people can see it, try it and imagine what they could do with it.

At the first SUTD | CoLab exhibition, visitors got a hands-on look at how AI is moving from ideas to real-world applications, from a live humanoid robot demonstration to Talk2Print, which turns spoken ideas into 3D-printable designs, alongside AI-powered prototypes from partners including Certis and AvePoint.

The response was encouraging: 76% of visitors rated their experience 5/5, while 86% left motivated to take a next step, whether through learning, career support or new opportunities.

More than a showcase, the exhibition reflects what SUTD | CoLab is here to do: bring people, technology and ideas together, and make AI something people can learn, build and create with.

🔗 Learn more about SUTD | CoLab:
https://sutd.edu.sg/colab

07/10/2026

Thinking about pursuing graduate studies in architecture?

SUTD’s Master of Architecture (M.Arch) is a future-forward professional degree that brings together design, research and emerging technologies to prepare graduates for the evolving architectural profession.

Through independent thesis work, close collaboration with faculty and engagement with industry, students deepen their design thinking while exploring new approaches to sustainability and digital transformation in architecture.

Applications for the AY2027 intake are now open until 31 Dec 2026.

Interested in finding out more? Join the upcoming M.Arch Info Sessions:

📅Dates and Times
1st session: 9 Oct 2026, 3pm to 4pm
2nd session: 20 Nov 2026, 3pm to 4pm
💻 Online via Zoom

👉 Register for the M.Arch Info Session:
https://forms.cloud.microsoft/r/n76fqEYe82

🔗 Learn more about M.Arch:
https://www.sutd.edu.sg/programme-listing/master-of-architecture-programme/

06/10/2026

What if a robot could fall from the sky, land on water and then sail across it?

A team led by SUTD Professor Foong Shaohui, Associate Head of Pillar (Education), Engineering Product Development, and Dr Shane Kyi Hla Win from Temasek Laboratories @ SUTD, lead author of the paper, has developed ALBATROSS, short for Airborne Lander with Buoyant AuToROtating Sailing Sensor.

Inspired by the autorotating seeds of maple trees, the robotic platform is designed to reach remote waters quickly and continue operating with minimal energy.

Its wings help slow and stabilise its descent through the air, then double as sails once it lands on water, allowing the robot to harness the wind to move.

By combining aerial deployment with energy-efficient sailing, ALBATROSS could offer a new way to support long-term environmental monitoring in hard-to-reach waters.

🔗 Learn more:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J8CUrj0ydxIthe
https://www.science.org/doi/10.1126/scirobotics.aed1423
https://www.linkedin.com/feed/update/urn:li:activity:7511130176525697024/

Researchers at SUTD have built a robotic platform that can be dropped from the air onto remote waters and sail autonomously using wind energy, pairing rapid aerial deployment with the potential for long duration marine monitoring.

05/10/2026

From pushing the limits of nanofabrication to pioneering work in plasmonic colour printing and nano-optics, Professor Joel Yang, Associate Head of Pillar, Engineering Product Development (Research and Advancement), has consistently explored how engineering at extremely small scales can open up entirely new possibilities. His work includes record-level colour printing at 100,000 dpi, sub-10-nm lithography and advances in 3D nanoprinting and photonics.

We’re glad to see that body of work recognised with the IIT Bombay International Award for Excellence in Research in Engineering and Technology 2026.

Congratulations, Prof Yang!

Congratulations to Prof. Joel Yang on receiving the IIT Bombay International Award for Excellence in Research in Engineering and Technology during IIT Bombay’s National Engineers’ Day 2026 celebration. Prof. Yang is Professor and Associate Head of Pillar for Research (Engineering Product Develop...

05/10/2026

𝐒𝐔𝐓𝐃 𝐀𝐜𝐚𝐝𝐞𝐦𝐲

AI is becoming an increasingly important part of HR work, from recruitment and communications to policy development, analysis and workforce support.

𝘈𝘱𝘱𝘭𝘪𝘦𝘥 𝘈𝘐 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘏𝘙 𝘗𝘳𝘰𝘧𝘦𝘴𝘴𝘪𝘰𝘯𝘢𝘭𝘴: 𝘗𝘳𝘰𝘥𝘶𝘤𝘵𝘪𝘷𝘪𝘵𝘺 & 𝘗𝘳𝘢𝘤𝘵𝘪𝘤𝘦, offered by SUTD Academy, is a practical two-day programme designed to help HR professionals build confidence in using generative AI effectively and responsibly in their day-to-day work.

The programme will cover how AI can support everyday productivity, be applied to real HR scenarios, and help HR teams better understand the risks, limitations and opportunities of an increasingly AI-enabled workplace.

📅 26 Oct & 2 Nov 2026
👉 Learn more and register by 12 Oct:
https://lnkd.in/gSfBtfdk
💡 Funding support of up to 90% is available, subject to eligibility.

03/10/2026

As AI becomes more capable, the question is no longer just what machines can do.

It is also what people will need to do differently.

In his latest article for the SID Directors Bulletin, SUTD President Professor Phoon Kok Kwang looks at why the next phase of AI transformation is as much about human capability as it is about technology. As knowledge and expertise become more accessible, qualities such as creativity, judgement, adaptability, systems thinking and the ability to navigate ambiguity will matter even more.

At SUTD, this is closely tied to how we think about Design·AI: bringing together design, AI and domain expertise to solve real-world problems with purpose and context.

Because in an age of abundant intelligence, progress will not come from technology alone. It will depend on how well we learn, adapt, create and work with AI to make a meaningful difference.

Read Professor Phoon’s article, “𝘙𝘦𝘸𝘪𝘳𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘏𝘶𝘮𝘢𝘯 𝘊𝘢𝘱𝘢𝘣𝘪𝘭𝘪𝘵𝘺 𝘪𝘯 𝘢𝘯 𝘈𝘨𝘦 𝘰𝘧 𝘈𝘣𝘶𝘯𝘥𝘢𝘯𝘵 𝘐𝘯𝘵𝘦𝘭𝘭𝘪𝘨𝘦𝘯𝘤𝘦”, in the SID Directors Bulletin.