Over 150 students from 7 programs graduate

TUM Asia celebrates its largest graduating cohort

The Guest of Honour, Dr Steffan Koch, the Acting Head of Mission from the German Embassy Singapore, was present to support TUM Asia in its ambition to educate and equip young individuals with German engineering excellence. TUM Asia, the first German academic venture abroad, was established by Technische Universität München (TUM) to bring German engineering to Asia. Students who successfully complete their Bachelor or Master programmes locally are awarded the same degrees as their German counterparts in TUM, with no differentiation since they are taught by the same professors.

Approximately 400 guests were present to witness this milestone, including guests from TUM Asia’s educational and industrial partnerships. Notable guests present included representatives of industry partners such as Airbus Group Innovations South Asia, BASF South East Asia, Continental Automotive, Rohde & Schwarz and SDV Logistics. Dr Marc Rudolf Jung, Head of Global Research Center Singapore at BASF South East Asia, offered up a congratulatory address to the Class of 2014. Dr Jung gave a point of view as an industry specialist, noting that his career was never planned. He encouraged all graduates to take the chances as they went along, reminding them that life was most enjoyed by taking it by what it offered.

The partnerships with local institutions such as Nanyang Technological University (NTU), National University of Singapore (NUS), Singapore Institute of Technology (SIT), along with the alliances with industrial partners, have allowed TUM Asia graduates to carve out a successful niche in the industry. Most graduates have received starting salaries on par or higher than their peers from the local universities, equipping them with a strong head start on a path towards a successful career. The majority of those graduates are employed in world renowned businesses in Singapore and the surrounding developing countries, with the remainder being employed in Europe.

Danish student wins “Best Student Project Award”

This year’s graduation was extremely significant for some, one being Lee Poh Sein, the Valedictorian from the Class of 2014. Poh Sein, who was initially uninterested in pursuing a higher education, credits his outstanding results and a developed public speaking skill to the university. “Our professors inspired us, ignited our imagination and instilled a love of learning in us” he noted during his speech. Torsten Nielsen, a Danish student who decided to pursue his Masters with a German university after a successful stint as a Eramus student in Berlin, graduated from TUM Asia with a Masters in Transport & Logistics. Torsten’s investment was paid off in ways he did not expect, as he received the “Best Thesis Award” for his outstanding work that also saw him win the “Best Student Project Award” of 2014 by the Danish Rail Sector Association. Torsten’s experience in Asia left him with an enriched perspective on cross-cultural skills.

Professor Kai-Olaf Hinrichsen, Programme Director of the Chemical Engineering programme at TUM Asia, specially flew to Singapore to celebrate this momentous occasion with his graduating students. "We are very proud of the graduates and are excited to see them go on and make a mark in this world".