Education

National University of Singapore (NUS): Engineering: Industrial & Systems Engineering

Category Engineering, Industrial & Systems Engineering, National University of Singapore (NUS), Singapore, Undergraduate
Tags Engineering, Industrial & Systems Engineering, National University of Singapore, NUS

The ISE Department has come a long way since its formation in the early 1970s under the sponsorship of the Ford Foundation. Our MSc program (the first in Engineering in Singapore) has been the flagship program of the department for the last 30 years and is still vital and relevant to Singapore’s economy. Our BEng (ISE) graduates are much sought after by industries and the program has been accredited by the Engineering Accreditation Board (E AB). Moving in tandem with the national thrust in transforming NUS to a leading research-based university, the research program in the ISE Department has also received world recognition in the area of Quality and Reliability Engineering with its faculty members represented in editorial boards of many international journals in this field. Research in Logistics has been well-funded and is gaining momentum and international visibility.

Our vision is to be the department of choice, which, in turn, will put NUS on the world map as the university of choice. While the department will continue to play a role in reinforcing Singapore’s key areas of excellence in ports, aviation, infra-structure and high-tech industries, we are also conducting research inspired by regional/global needs. Aligned with the vision of the Faculty of Engineering in producing engineering leaders, we hope that our alumni will make a difference in our community as well as in the international arena.

Beginning in the 2001/2002 academic year, an undergraduate degree program leading to the Bachelor of Engineering in Industrial and Systems Engineering, i.e. BEng (Industrial and Systems Engineering), is offered in the Faculty of Engineering. This new program is the only one of its kind in Singapore. The host Department, the Department of Industrial and Systems Engineering, was established in the Faculty of Engineering in 1972.

What is Unique about Industrial and Systems Engineering

The domain knowledge of Industrial and Systems Engineering (ISE) is derived from combinations of engineering, mathematics, statistics, computing and social sciences. The ISE discipline calls for the adoption of a holistic view in resolving problems encountered and developing opportunities presented, coupled with a strong emphasis on efficiency and productivity improvement. Such a perspective provides decision makers with the capacity for the identification, analysis and design of complex productive systems in the industrial and service sectors through an integrated approach.

Industrial and Systems Engineering is unique among the engineering disciplines in that it is built upon a collection of methodological tools and the application of these tools is not restricted to only specific technological or industrial problems. Its application can be found in a wide range of areas. Some examples are:

• Manufacturing industry: Ensuring that the equipment, manpower and other resources in the manufacturing process are integrated in such a manner so as to maintain efficient operation and for continuous improvement.

• Logistics industry: Management of supply chain systems (e.g. manufacturing facilities, transportation carriers, distribution hubs, and retailers) through integration and optimization with the goal of fulfilling customer orders in the most cost effective way.

• Service industry: Provision of consultancies in areas related to organizational effectiveness, service quality, information systems, project management, banking service strategy, etc.

• Defence industry: Tools to support the management of military assets and military operations in an effective and efficient manner.