S. Rajaratnam School of International Studies

The S. Rajaratnam School of International Studies (RSIS) was officially inaugurated on 1 January 2007. Prior to this, it was known as the Institute of Defence and Strategic Studies (IDSS), which was established 10 years earlier, on 30 July 1996, by Dr Tony Tan Keng Yam, then Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Defence. Dr Tony Tan later became the elected seventh President of the Republic of Singapore. Like its predecessor, RSIS was established as an autonomous entity within Nanyang Technological University (NTU). RSIS’ mission is to be a leading research and graduate teaching institution in strategic and international affairs in the Asia Pacific.

RSIS offers a challenging graduate education in international affairs, taught by an international faculty of leading thinkers and practitioners. The Master of Science degree programmes in Strategic Studies, International Relations, Asian Studies, and International Political Economy are distinguished by their focus on the Asia Pacific, the professional practice of international affairs, and the cultivation of academic depth. Thus far, students from 66 countries have successfully completed one of these programmes. In 2010, a Double Masters Programme with Warwick University was also launched, with students required to spend the first year at Warwick and the second year at RSIS. A select Doctor of Philosophy programme caters to advanced students who are supervised by senior faculty members with matching interests.

International students have to apply for a Student’s Pass from the Immigration & Checkpoints Authority in order to pursue full-time studies in Singapore. The Student’s Pass is only issued to full-time students and not to part-time students. International students who wish to pursue programmes on a part-time basis should obtain employment in Singapore first before applying for admission to the University and should ensure that they are permitted to work and reside in Singapore throughout the course of their study by the Immigration & Checkpoints Authority.Passport holders of specific countries, including China and India, must have a valid visa before entering Singapore.The University will assist successful international applicants in their applications for the Student Pass. The costs connected with the application will be borne by the student.As the premier institution for regional geopolitics, strategic studies and the study of war, RSIS conducts various executive programmes for a number of governmental organisations.

In particular, the Military Studies Programme (MSP), a component of the Institute of Defence and Strategic Studies (IDSS), is the centre of excellence for the education of the Singapore Armed Forces (SAF), as well as a number of other institutions. This partnership covers the entire continuum of officer education, from the SAF Warrant Officer School (SAFWOS), Officer Cadet School (OCS), the SAF Advanced Schools (SAS), to the Goh Keng Swee Command and Staff College (GKS CSC), housed within SAFTI Military Institute (SAFTI MI), the Home of the Officer Corps. Spanning accredited (post-graduate and undergraduate) and non-accredited modules and courses, this education of the SAF’s leaders are broadly covered by two educational frameworks.

Under the SAF-NTU Strategic Partnership, which supports the SAF’s Continuing Education Programme in partnership with the SAF-NTU Academy (SNA), MSP conducts accredited Master’s and undergraduate courses in two SAF programmes. For the first, MSP delivers two Master’s modules at the GKS CSC, designed to educate the senior SAF officer with the necessary skills to understand the dynamic and complex nature of international relations and the study of war, providing CSC students an opportunity to complete a Master’s degree in RSIS. The latter accredited Undergraduate Professional Military Education and Training (UGPMET) Course is designed to give the SAF’s young officers an essential foundational knowledge in military studies and regional geopolitics necessary for their careers.

The second framework, known as the Military Studies and Geopolitics (MSGP), is a series of courses focused on providing relevant and incisive learning in regional geopolitics, strategic studies and the study of war, conducted at OCS, SAS and SAFWOS. These courses are designed to help prepare the SAF officers for their profession at arms at various stages of their careers.

The Asia Pacific Programme for Senior Military Officers (APPSMO) and the GKS CSC Seminar, both held annually, are two other key programmes focused on Executive Education, conceptualised and organised by MSP on behalf of RSIS. These are key networking and educational seminars and conferences, bringing academics, military professionals and other stakeholders together, in order to engage in areas of mutual interests.

Other than the courses for the SAF, MSP conducts lectures at the Unit Commander Course at the Civil Defence Academy as well. This programme aims to give SCDF officers a historical and comparative perspective of Singapore’s Civil Defence and the emerging threats to Singapore’s security. In addition, RSIS also conducts a Regional Security Module for the Home Team Academy, culminating in an RSIS Certificate in Regional Security. The intent of this module is to enhance  senior officers’ understanding of the regional and global dimensions of threats to Singapore’s security.

RSIS staff regularly speak at external conferences organised by prolific organisations and collaborate with other think tanks in the course of their research and networking engagements. They are recognised through the various appointments and research grants on top of being awarded prizes.

RSIS is a leading research think tank in Asia. It is among 82 nominated as one of the leading think tanks in the world in the 2016 Global Go To Think Tank Rankings done by the University of Pennsylvania. RSIS also runs post-graduate programmes that have attracted students from more than 50 countries around the world.RSIS’ achievements in research have been possible only because of donations from supporters such as the Singapore Totalisator Board, Ngee Ann Kongsi, Lee Foundation, Temasek Foundation, Ford Foundation, Sasakawa Peace Foundation, and from philanthropists such as Mr Lee Seng Tee. Without their generosity, we would not have come so far in such a short time.