Singapore and Sweden expand tech and energy ties | The Straits Times
On 19 October 2026, NTU announced a collaboration with Ericsson, one of the world's major telecommunications companies, and KTH Royal Institute of Technology in Sweden to research AI-powered positioning technologies for next-generation 6G networks.
The project's goal is to help robots, drones and autonomous systems determine their locations accurately and reliably, even indoors or when signals are obstructed.
The project is scheduled to begin in November 2026 and could contribute to international 6G standards. This isn't just some university group doing a theoretical assignment, it's an industry-linked, international research initiative.
And this isn't the only example.
Earlier this year, NTU unveiled Singapore's first locally designed and built full-sized electric vertical take-off and landing (eVTOL) aircraft technology demonstrator.
So the next time someone compares the top universities in Asia, remember that we're working on things like:
- ✈️ Homegrown electric aviation technology.
- 📡 AI-powered positioning and next-generation 6G research.
- 🤖 Robotics, autonomous systems and advanced sensing.
- 🌍 International scientific/lab research collaborations
Obviously, these projects aren't completed commercial products yet, and there's still a long way between research and real-world deployment. But that's precisely the point: NTU is building capabilities in technologies that could shape the future.
And honestly, the Singapore-Sweden collaboration is a good example of why university reputation shouldn't be judged purely by admission cut-offs or online rankings.
NUS has its own world-class research and achievements, of course. SMU has its own strengths too. This isn't about pretending other universities do nothing.
But sometimes I do wonder whether people outside NTU actually pay attention to what happens here beyond the usual university rankings and stereotypes.
NTU students and alumni, what other NTU research projects or achievements do you think deserve more recognition? I feel like there are plenty more that people don't know about.
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