Innovation in Manufacturing Systems and Technology (IMST)

Strategic Tools for Manufacturing Innovation

The IMST degree programme offers highly competitive courses of study that explore the many facets of manufacturing technology.

The stimulating coursework focuses on the core of manufacturing systems - the operational flow problems of the factory environment, while integrating the process, product, system, and business aspects of this vibrant industry. While being solidly grounded in the engineering sciences, the advanced coursework also exposes students to innovative theories and methodology as well as a rigorous investigation of financial, strategic and global aspects of technology innovation and new business generation.

The IMST programme is an integrated programme with a heavy emphasis in team work. This has been achieved through the careful planning of the curriculum that requires students to work on various projects in teams and further reinforced by placing students within an industry setting. Teams of three or four students are posted with companies to work on industry sponsored theme projects, which are jointly supervised by high level staff of participating companies, MIT and Singapore Fellows. The spirit of team work inculcated in the students is very much appreciated by the industry, with many IMST students subsequently finding employment in the participating companies. In addition, some of these theme projects have been developed into more in-depth research projects.

To date, the programme has graduated 133 Master of Science (S.M.) students, with another 28 S.M. students and 17 Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) students still currently enrolled in the programme. The research topics have been carefully selected in the areas of manufacturing systems and physics such that they are relevant from both global as well as local perspectives. These research activities have culminated in the production of over a hundred journal and conference papers.

The collaboration between Singapore and MIT has been a fruitful one, with visits by MIT faculty, students and technicians from MIT to Singapore and likewise from Singapore to MIT. New partnerships have been forged and the programme has seen many cultural exchanges between Singapore and MIT as well as between students from various parts of the world.

Based on the solid foundation of the first phase of SMA, IMST has now metamorphosed into Manufacturing Systems and Technology (MST) in SMA-2. The new programme will focus on emerging industries, with an emphasis on the manufacturing of micro-fluidic devices.