- SUTD partners with Mendaki to provide AI and design training to the Malay/Muslim community through a three-year MOU.
- Pilot programme trains 200 Mendaki staff via a Generative AI course to enhance productivity and community service.
- Partnership includes joint research, student-community projects, and AI-powered learning platforms to boost skills, digital literacy, and innovation.
The Singapore University of Technology and Design (SUTD) has joined hands with community self-help group Mendaki to bring training and skills development in design and artificial intelligence (AI) to the Malay/Muslim community. The partnership, formalized through a three-year memorandum of understanding (MOU) signed on March 18, aims to provide opportunities that blend technology, innovation, and applied learning to empower community members with practical AI-driven skills.
The collaboration kicks off with a pilot programme for 200 Mendaki staff who will attend the SUTD-Yayasan Mendaki Generative AI Professional Course, a two-day programme designed to introduce participants to the ways AI can enhance their daily work. The course aims to help officers improve productivity, manage responsibilities more efficiently, and deliver better services to the community, demonstrating how technology can support real-world applications.
Under the MOU, SUTD and Mendaki plan to explore joint research and collaborative projects while offering opportunities for SUTD students to engage in community-focused initiatives through Capstone and Design Studio projects. Additionally, the partnership will facilitate knowledge exchange by allowing Malay/Muslim individuals to participate in SUTD programmes, while SUTD employees and students will take part in Mendaki initiatives. This cross-learning approach is designed to raise awareness, strengthen digital literacy, and foster a culture of innovation within the community.
Highlighting the strategic importance of AI for Singapore, Prime Minister Lawrence Wong noted in his Budget 2026 speech that harnessing AI effectively can give the country a competitive edge and help overcome structural challenges, including limited natural resources, an ageing population, and a tight labour market. The SUTD-Mendaki partnership embodies this vision by translating academic expertise and industry knowledge into tangible community impact.
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Mendaki chairman Zaqy Mohamad, also Senior Minister of State for Defence, and Sustainability and the Environment, emphasized the role of the collaboration in helping the Malay/Muslim community embrace AI technologies with confidence. He noted that the programme could encourage other community organisations to adopt AI solutions and enhance their members’ competitiveness in an increasingly digital world.
The SUTD Academy, the university’s adult learning arm, will conduct the Generative AI course. Over the past year, the academy has trained nearly 3,700 participants through more than 125 AI-related courses, building practical capabilities across various sectors. Mendaki is also integrating AI into its educational programmes. Through a partnership with Quantedge Foundation, the community group introduced Luminee, an AI-powered adaptive learning system, into its Mendaki Achievement Programme. This platform provides personalized learning experiences, adjusting question difficulty and offering targeted feedback to track students’ progress. Tutors guide students through the platform, allowing more focused support for those who need it.
The AI-enhanced learning initiative was rolled out in February to 445 Primary 5 pupils across core subjects, including English, mathematics, and science. In collaboration with the Singapore University of Social Sciences, Mendaki will conduct a two-year evaluation of up to 890 pupils to understand the impact of AI-driven personalised learning and optimise teaching support.
Mr Zaqy shared that tutors using the system now spend less time on preparation, allowing them to focus on creating more engaging and effective learning experiences. He also highlighted that AI platforms motivate students and boost their confidence, showing that technology, when thoughtfully applied, can transform both teaching and learning.
