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Higher Education Division

The Higher Education Division (HED) oversees the provision of tertiary and technical education in Singapore as well as registration of private schools. It oversees nine statutory boards — five Polytechnics, the Institute of Technical Education (ITE), the Science Centre Singapore (SCS), the Institute of Southeast Asian Studies (ISEAS) and the Council for Private Education. HED also oversees the development of four autonomous universities (the National University of Singapore, the Nanyang Technological University, the Singapore Management University and the Singapore University of Technology and Design). HED also oversees the provision of publicly-subsidised places in the following institutions: SIM University, Singapore Institute of Technology, LASALLE College of the Arts and Nanyang Academy of Fine Arts.

Mission

The mission of HED is to:

HED comprises the following seven sections:

Functions

Policy Section
Initiate the policy proposals on university, polytechnics, technical and tertiary arts education
Evaluate policy recommendations and oversee the operations of universities, polytechnics and ITE
Establish and maintain close and effective liaison with other external agencies and internal Divisions on university, technical and tertiary arts education matters
Undertake specific studies/projects on university, polytechnic, technical and tertiary arts education
Oversee the National Manpower Planning process for the post-secondary education sector
Conduct research and formulates strategies for the post-secondary education sector
Collect and analyse data for the post-secondary education sector for policy formulation
Formulate policies for the regulation of the Private Education sector.
Academic Research Section
Administer the MOE Academic Research Fund (AcRF) and Educational Research Fund
Formulate policies pertaining to academic research
Facilitate the establishment and operationalisation of Research Centres of Excellence (RCEs)
Private Schools Section
Administer the Education Act and the Education (Schools) Regulations
Register private schools under the Education Act
Finance Section
Formulate, review and implement funding policies and framework for MOE-funded post-secondary education institutions (PSEIs), SCS, ISEAS and CPE
Plan for budgetary needs of MOE-funded PSEIs, SCS, ISEAS and CPE, including evaluating, administering and monitoring their recurrent and development budgets
Formulate and review student financing policies, including financial assistance schemes and scholarships
Administer the Tuition Grant Scheme (TG) and Service Obligation (SO) Schemes, including the conduct of TG/ SO signing exercises, monitoring of bond obligations and processing of bond release, deferment and discharge
Higher Education Quality Assurance Section
Oversee quality assurance in post secondary educational institutions
Conduct benchmarking with higher education systems in other countries
Human Resource Section
Handle human resource policies and legislation matters concerning statutory boards under HED
Facilitate appointment and renewal of Board members of statutory boards
Manage HED’s personnel and training
Operations Section
Manage HED’s centralised office administration
Handle and monitor HED’s response to public queries
Develop and implement crisis management response

Organisation Chart