SUTD Takes Lead in AI Education and Research With New Office of AI and Digital Innovation

The Singapore University of Technology and Design (SUTD) has become the first Institute of Higher Learning in Singapore to establish a new Office of Artificial Intelligence and Digital Innovation (OAIDI), underscoring its commitment to making AI a core component of its undergraduate and postgraduate education, research, and enterprise efforts.

With this, Design AI will directly shape how students learn, regardless of the discipline they major in.

This latest development builds on a series of steps taken by SUTD to transform the University into a Design AI powerhouse. It began with the launch of SUTD Leap in March 2024—a multi-year and multi-pronged growth strategy aimed at redesigning higher education with a strong focus on design and AI. As part of that growth strategy, SUTD announced its pivot to AI in January 2025, making it the world’s first Design AI university.

Led by Associate Provost Professor Tony Quek, who is also Head of the Information Systems Technology and Design (ISTD) Pillar, the new Office is a dedicated department set up specifically to drive curriculum, innovation and talent development through Design AI. It will systematically integrate Design AI principles across all educational levels. Every SUTD undergraduate will acquire foundational Design AI skills, while a new second major in Design and AI (DAI) will be offered to students seeking deeper specialisation. Additionally, the existing minor in DAI provides flexibility for students wishing to complement their primary fields of study, ensuring graduates are well-equipped to thrive as human-centred innovators in the AI age.

Reporting to the Office of the Provost, OAIDI will coordinate university-wide efforts across four strategic priorities:

• Talent Development: Integrating Design AI across all levels of education—from undergraduate to postgraduate and continuous learning. This includes weaving AI into curricula and programmes to nurture future-ready, Design AI-led talent.
• Research: Establishing flagship and sectorial research centres of excellence where Design AI features prominently. These centres will anchor high-impact, interdisciplinary research that addresses real-world challenges.
• Innovation & Enterprise: Partnering with global academia and industry to catalyse innovation through cross-pollination. The goal is to grow a vibrant ecosystem that supports startups, testbeds, and new ventures driven by Design AI.
• Ethical and Responsible AI: Developing frameworks and guidelines to ensure ethical and responsible AI practices, emphasising transparency, fairness, and accountability. This commitment positions SUTD as a leader in advocating and implementing principled AI solutions.

Said SUTD Provost and Chief Academic & Innovation Officer, Professor Chee Yeow Meng: “The establishment of OAIDI is a significant step in our ongoing efforts to strengthen AI as a core part of what we do at SUTD—across education, research, and enterprise. It reflects our belief that Design AI should not sit on the sidelines, but be part of how we teach, learn, and innovate. More importantly, it is about approaching the use AI in a way that treats it as a partner and not just a tool. It is about preparing our students for the AI world and equipping them with more than just basic ChatGPT skills.”

Unlike traditional AI programmes that confine AI to a single discipline, SUTD’s Design AI approach is embedded across the curriculum. Students in all its five programmes — from Architecture and Sustainable Design, Computer Science and Design, DAI, Engineering Systems and Design, and Engineering Product Development — will learn to use AI as a creative collaborator, gaining hands-on experience through integrated coursework and team-based projects.

Professor Quek said: “I’m honoured and humbled to take on this role. At OAIDI, the goal is simple: have our students and researchers work alongside AI to solve real-world problems. We’re not just looking at cutting-edge research—we want our students, postgraduates, and professionals to be comfortable working with AI and thinking about how it can elevate ideas and solutions as part of the team. It’s about building the skills and mindset to keep SUTD learners and researchers at the forefront of meaningful, human-centred innovation.”

Han Shuenn Yuen, 22, a Term 5 DAI student at SUTD, said: “As a student who is interested in AI, I am excited that the University is giving us the opportunity to learn how to better apply AI in our daily lives in a way that helps us improve our way of learning. What’s interesting about Design AI is that it can empower our learning and minimise the gap between us and working professionals. It will make us more equipped for the workforce.”