NAFA Launches Singapore’s First Joint Bachelor of Music (Honours) in Partnership with RCM, London

Pictured: Joey Aston Lim, Bachelor of Music (Honours) Class of 2024

Nanyang Academy of Fine Arts (NAFA), University of the Arts Singapore (UAS), today launched Singapore’s first joint Bachelor of Music (Honours) degree in partnership with the Royal College of Music (RCM), London, one of the world’s top music conservatoires, ranked No. 1 globally for Performing Arts in the QS World University Rankings since 2022.

The four-year (RCM–UAS/NAFA) Bachelor of Music degree marks a new milestone for music education in Singapore as the first full undergraduate degree jointly developed and conferred by NAFA-UAS and an overseas arts institution.

“The joint degree between NAFA, University of the Arts Singapore, and the Royal College of Music aims to help musicians thrive both on stage and in the wider creative economy. By combining world-leading training with regional heritage, this collaboration opens new pathways for young musicians to learn, perform, and create across cultures,” said Mr Heng Swee Keat, Chairman of National Research Foundation and Guest of Honour at the event launch.

Under this jointly developed programme, students will gain global exposure through international placement at RCM in London and the Central Conservatory of Music (CCOM) in Beijing. Visiting professors from RCM will also guide and mentor students in Singapore, with online modules ensuring academic continuity at both institutions.

“RCM is proud to collaborate with NAFA on the joint degree programme offering, our first such partnership outside the UK. We look forward to nurturing the next generation of musicians who can bridge cultures, innovate through collaboration, and contribute meaningfully to the global music community. This programme is a testament to our shared commitment to excellence, diversity, and artistic exchange,” said Mr James Williams, Director of the Royal College of Music.

Building on a long-standing partnership that began in 2011 with a two-year RCM-validated degree, the new four-year standalone programme places specialist conservatoire training in performance or composition at its core. Additionally, to support career readiness and professional versatility, students may pursue one of four pathways: Performance & Professional Practice, Technology & Performance Science, Research, or Applied Theory & Composition to further broaden their artistic and professional horizons.

“This partnership with the Royal College of Music is a milestone not only for NAFA but for music education in Singapore. It reflects our shared belief that musicians today must be both rooted in tradition and adaptable to a changing global and industry landscape. The joint degree allows A-Level and Diploma students to learn from the best of both worlds, through a world-class conservatoire education that is attuned to industry needs and deeply connected to Asia’s cultural heritage,” said Mrs Tan-Soh Wai Lan, President, NAFA.

In July this year, NAFA signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with the Singapore Symphony Orchestra (SSO) that includes industry exposure, venue partnership, internship opportunities, and masterclasses. This collaboration strengthens the pathway towards professional practice, supporting the growth of the next generation of musicians.

Beyond these collaborations, NAFA continues to strengthen ties with leading conservatories and arts institutions across Asia-Pacific, expanding opportunities for students to learn, collaborate, and perform. These initiatives reinforce NAFA’s position in music education for artistic exchange, preparing students to excel locally and globally.

Programme brochure and images can be downloaded here.

For media queries, please contact:

Nanyang Academy of Fine Arts

Karen Chang
Head, Strategic Communications Office
Email: [email protected]

Shevonne Ang
Lead, Strategic Communications Office
Email: [email protected]


About Nanyang Academy of Fine Arts

Established in 1938, the Nanyang Academy of Fine Arts (NAFA), a founding member of the University of the Arts Singapore (UAS), is Singapore’s pioneer and largest arts institution. Renowned for its unique identity and strength in Southeast Asian arts, NAFA’s Institute of Southeast Asian Arts (ISEAA) is a global leader in Southeast Asian art practice and research. NAFA has nurtured the greatest number of alumni conferred the nation’s highest accolades, with 14 Cultural Medallions and 15 Young Artist Award recipients. As the only arts institution offering a comprehensive range of educational pathways from early childhood to adulthood, NAFA inspires learning and growth through diverse programmes. These include tertiary education, lifelong learning courses at the Centre for Lifelong Education, junior arts classes in the School of Young Talents, and arts-enriched preschool education.

With a rich heritage dedicated to arts education, NAFA strives to live up to its mission of “inspiring learning and growth through the arts.”

For more information, visit www.nafa.edu.sg and follow us @nafa_sg on Instagram.

About the Royal College of Music

Opened in 1883, the Royal College of Music (RCM) is a world-leading music conservatoire with a prestigious history and contemporary outlook. More than 900 undergraduate and postgraduate students come from over 60 countries and are taught in a dynamic environment, leaving the RCM to become the outstanding performers, conductors, and composers of the future. In 2025 the Royal College of Music was ranked the Global No. 1 institution for Performing Arts and Music for the fourth year running in the QS World University Rankings by Subject.

The Royal College of Music is a world-class centre for innovation and research, which informs teaching and helps students develop fully as artists. This includes the opportunity to hone the art of performance in the Performance Laboratory, a world-leading simulation facility which acoustically and visually replicates a variety of different performance conditions. Recognising the value of heritage and reflecting on music history is equally important, and students have access to the Royal College of Music Library with manuscripts by Mozart, Elgar and Holst, the Royal College of Music Museum with over 14,000 musical items, and on-site collections.

The Royal College of Music has trained some of the most important figures in British and international music including composers and performers such as Gustav Holst, Ralph Vaughan Williams, Benjamin Britten, Michael Tippett, Samuel Coleridge-Taylor, Leopold Stokowski, Sir Hubert Parry, Sir Colin Davis, Sir Neville Marriner, Dame Joan Sutherland, Sir Thomas Allen, Dame Sarah Connolly, Alina Ibragimova, Tarik O’Regan, Lord Lloyd Webber, Sir James Galway, Anna Meredith MBE, Louise Alder and Mark-Anthony Turnage.

Recent visitors to the Royal College of Music include Sir Thomas Allen, Sir Antonio Pappano, Dame Imogen Cooper, Sarah Willis, Vasily Petrenko and Lang Lang. Our recent honorary doctorates include Sir Antonio Pappano, Jonas Kaufmann, Dame Kiri Te Kanawa, Sir Roger Norrington, Sir Bryn Terfel, Steve Reich and Maxim Vengerov. www.rcm.ac.uk