Singapore is well known for many things. Apart from being a clean and green nation, Singapore has gained a reputation for its stable economic status, multi-cultural society and being one of the safest countries in the world. For Dr Avinash Chaurasiya who completed his Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) programme in Singapore, Singapore also offers a unique blend of cultures, cuisines, and lifestyles, providing a rich and diverse cultural experience for international students like him. “The city-state has a vibrant arts and culture scene, recreational opportunities, and a cosmopolitan lifestyle that motivated me to study in Singapore,” shared Dr Chaurasiya.

Needless to say, underlying the rapid economic growth and advancement in technology, education plays a big role in the development of Singapore. In Dr Chaurasiya’s opinion, “Singapore is committed to promoting research and innovation, with significant investments in research and development.” And this was one of the reasons why he chose to study at the National Institute of Education, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore (NIE NTU, Singapore). “Singapore provided me with an opportunity to access state-of-the-art facilities and a chance to collaborate with leading researchers and industry partners,” added Dr Chaurasiya.

Ranked among the world’s top universities, NTU is home to world-class universities such as the National Institute of Education (NIE). As Singapore’s national teacher education institute, NIE is pivotal in the preparation of teachers and in supporting Singapore’s education service. It offers rigorous graduate education in the form of master’s and doctoral programmes for local and international students. NIE’s Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) programme focuses on an increasing emphasis on research in the areas of Arts, Education and Sciences. Applicants reading the degree of PhD will pursue an independent but supervised research in an approved field of advanced study, based on which a thesis will be submitted.

“NIE has highly qualified faculty who are experts in their respective fields,” shared Dr Chaurasiya. “The opportunity to learn from experienced educators and researchers who are actively engaged in cutting-edge research and practice was another reason for me to choose NIE for my graduate studies.”

Having gained practical and theoretical research experiences after his master’s degree, Dr Chaurasiya felt that he needed to further his education to advance his career. As part of his PhD programme, his research interest was in the specific area of applied physics. His thesis focused on Spintronics, an area of research where spin property of an electron is used to implement and design future memory and computing devices.

“At NIE, graduate students have access to progressive facilities such as research labs, libraries, technology resources, and other specialized resources. These facilities at NIE provide hands-on learning experiences and exposure to cutting-edge tools and technologies.” These resources supported him in his academic journey and in completing his PhD.

When asked if it was easy to integrate into the learning environment in NIE, Dr Chaurisiya shared that the orientation programme for new students provided information on academic programmes, campus facilities, resources and student services which he found useful. In addition, to support students academically, NIE also offered academic and social support services such as academic advice, counselling, and student organisations which helped him settle down as a student. Because NIE emphasizes a collaborative learning environment where students are required to work closely with their peers and faculty, he was able to foster positive interactions and build relationships through group discussions, projects and assignments.

Overall, studying at NIE had been a rewarding experience for Dr Chaurisiya, who is now a research fellow at NIE. “The programme provided me with a solid foundation in education and equipped me with the knowledge and skills necessary to excel in my career as a researcher,” said Dr Chaurisiya. “The programme’s emphasis on research has allowed me to engage in meaningful research projects, contributing to the advancement of knowledge in the field of spintronics.”

If you aspire to expand your knowledge through research like Dr Chaurisiya, and wish to embark on a learning journey in a progressive and advanced environment like NIE, application for January 2024 intake is open until 27 July 2023 for research programmes. For more information, visit www.nie.edu.sg/jan2024.

Also, if you missed the Postgraduate & Continuing Education Fair 2023, you can watch programme-related talks and videos here: www.nie.edu.sg/pgce.

The National Institute of Education (NIE) is an autonomous institute under the Nanyang Technological University (NTU), Singapore. It has been consistently ranked among the top 20 educational institutions in the world and the top five in Asia by the Quacquarelli Symonds (QS) ranking.