Youthink; The Straits Times, 7 April

Diversity in education landscape good

THE Government has a great track record of attracting the best foreign institutions to operate here.

So I was a bit puzzled about its decision to welcome Curtin University.

Firstly, Curtin does not feature anywhere near the top in academic ranking tables such as the Times Higher Education Supplement.

Secondly, unlike other foreign institutions here like Insead, a business school, it is not world-renowned.

Then I realised that the decision was not without merit: It will offer diversity to our education landscape.

Mr Tharman Shanmugaratnam, the former Minister for Education, once said: ‘There’s something about growing up in diversity that’s very powerful in education.’

If more diversified universities lead to more graduates, that is a good thing.

After all, more education can only lead to the betterment of society.

*The above is an article written by me, and selected for publication by my Youthink editor.