Title: Shaping the future of nursing: Contextualised curricula and collaborative pathways for postgraduate education in Singapore; The Kaplan (Singapore) Northumbria (UK) experience
Abstract:
Singapore’s rapidly evolving healthcare landscape and the Ministry of Health’s transformation agenda demand that postgraduate nurse education is locally responsive yet internationally rigorous. This presentation describes the co-development of a postgraduate nursing programme delivered by Northumbria University (UK) in partnership with Kaplan Higher Education (Singapore), designed to strengthen practice, leadership, and research capacity.
The curriculum was purposefully contextualised for Singapore while maintaining internationally recognised academic standards. The programme design aligns with Singapore Nursing Board (SNB) competencies, SkillsFuture Singapore (SSG) frameworks, and the input of industry partners ensures that all modules reflect national priorities such as mental health, population ageing, leadership and decision making. Collaborative design with clinical leaders, employers, and professional bodies informed learning outcomes, authentic assessment strategies, and flexible delivery models, tailored to practising nurses.
This transnational approach moves beyond content transfer to co-creation, integrating global evidence with local healthcare realities. Dr Murray and the team are committed to delivering a contextualised programme with authentic assessments and regularly visit both statutory and voluntary organisations in Singapore to continuously develop the programme. The programme is now recruiting to Cohort 7, and has a 100% pass rate and zero attrition.
The Kaplan–Northumbria partnership offers a replicable model for international collaborations seeking to build sustainable, high-quality postgraduate nursing pathways. By embedding regulatory requirements, workforce needs, and lifelong learning principles into curriculum design, this initiative illustrates how international partnerships can advance the nursing profession and contribute to national health strategies.
