Nanyang Technological University, Singapore (NTU Singapore) has been selected by a foundation with the world’s greenest and safest blockchain ecosystem to house a new research and teaching centre geared at creating and improving blockchain technologies.
“As a prominent university in the world with in-depth knowledge of computer science and associated subjects, we now seek to cultivate a blockchain talent pool for Singapore. According to Prof. Ling San, Deputy President and Provost of NTU, “NTU will equip undergraduates, postgraduates, and industry professionals with cutting-edge blockchain expertise and know-how to promote industry adoption of the technology.”
The blockchain sector is keen to work together and advance its knowledge in this quickly developing area, where NTU faculty have achieved significant research advancements. As the only top organisation in Asia to get this US$50 million initiative, NTU joins other elite colleges from around the world.
The foundation is a fully decentralized, secure, scalable blockchain that provides a common platform for producing commodities and services for a global economy. The program’s objective is to establish a global network of academic institutions dedicated to blockchain and cryptocurrency research and education that fosters interdisciplinary, team-based, and cutting-edge knowledge and technology. The center aspires to evolve into a leading centre for blockchain education and research over the following five years, as well as to support a thriving ecosystem that will boost blockchain acceptance and development in Singapore and the rest of the region.
The centre will also create practical blockchain applications with societal, environmental, and economic ramifications for Singapore and the region in conjunction with business partners. The center’s research will also be multidisciplinary, encompassing fields like business, economics, and computer science as well as engineering and computer science.
The development of practical blockchain applications in cooperation with industry partners is a key focus of the center as part of NTU’s 2025 strategic plan to develop new technologies that can address some of humanity’s greatest challenges. These applications will have societal, sustainable, and economic impacts for Singapore and the region.
SGVerse, a global metaverse platform for smart grid technology, is one of the inaugural five blockchain research projects. Implementing blockchain in businesses and using machine learning driven by blockchain to manage financial data are two other ideas. To encourage the use of blockchain technology among important decision-makers and the general public, an international blockchain technical alliance will also be created. Its goal is to enable communication and collaboration between top institutions.
By introducing a new Master of Science in Blockchain postgraduate degree and an undergraduate Minor in Blockchain, NTU will also try to cultivate fresh talent in the industry. These programs will give students knowledge of the subject matter and technology as well as practical experience using the blockchain platform, encouraging ecosystem adoption and technology awareness. Additionally, there are plans to convert these modules into bite-sized courses that may be combined to achieve a FlexiMaster or micro-credentials, with CET courses being made available online to students all over the world.
The NTU Smart Campus will be an excellent testing ground for innovative solutions created as a result of the Center’s innovation, teaching, and research initiatives. NTU will develop a “Innovation Sandbox” for blockchain as an open testbed in order to create a setting in which innovative blockchain technologies may be evaluated. The appropriate safety measures will be in place in this setting, and some legal and regulatory standards won’t be strictly enforced. The industry’s adoption and commercialization of blockchain technologies will then be aided by this sandbox.
The formation of the center is intended to serve as the hub of cutting-edge blockchain research, knowledge production, and innovation, catalyzing blockchain adoption for socioeconomic effect in Singapore, ASEAN, and beyond.
