See how NUS is leveraging a telco’s global 5G infrastructure to become a “borderless university” for promoting education, research and innovation
In its mission to enhance its learning environment for staff and students, and also set a benchmark for the future of education and academic partnerships with industry, the National University of Singapore (NUS) has embarked on a “Borderless University” initiative powered by 5G.
On 5 July 2024, NUS signed a memorandum of understanding with a local telco to leverage ultra-fast, uninterrupted and borderless connectivity to elevate its aspirations in education, research and innovation.
This initiative includes several facets offering:
- A ‘borderless university’ featuring a truly mobile and adaptable learning environment for faculty and staff throughout the island and beyond.
- Secure borderless access to the university’s resources via a private dedicated 5G network. Network segmentation based on user profiles provides the high level of security needed. Ultra-fast, low-latency connections will support applications such as virtual/augmented reality and real-time data analytics.
- Sustainable campus operations and ‘experience optimization’ achieved through data-driven innovations in data analytics and AI, facilitated by the use of eSIMs for streamlining the onboarding process for new users, and for providing access without the need for Wi-Fi connectivity.
- Consistent and seamless network connectivity regardless of locality: Subject to the telco partner’s overseas network infrastructural reach, faculty and students traveling abroad could access university resources with minimal lag.
Said the university’s Chief Information Technology Officer, Tan Shui-Min: “Over time we believe that the integration of 5G technology will empower educators to deliver more interactive and personalized learning experiences, such as virtual labs and augmented reality simulations. This innovation in borderless connectivity will reshape our… campus network, offering a sustainable and cost-effective solution that reduces our carbon footprint.”
According to Tan Kit Yong, Head of Enterprise Business Group, StarHub, the telco in the partnership: “The partnership with NUS will not only enhance the learning environment for NUS staff and students, but also set a benchmark for the future of education and offer valuable learnings for other industry applications.”
