The Asian Institute of Digital Finance (AIDF) at the National University of Singapore (NUS) launched the inaugural Executive Master’s in Artificial Intelligence and Digital Transformation. This programme is with the aim of equipping senior leaders with skills to lead AI-driven transformation. It’s the first academic program introduced in Asia.
Inaugurated by NUS and the Monetary Authority of Singapore (MAS), in partnership with the National Research Foundation (NRF), to achieve
Future-Ready Talent Development
Venture Incubation
Applied Research in Emerging Technologies
The launch event was officiated by the Guest of Honour, besides the Minister of State, Ministry of Digital Development and Information and the Ministry of Education, Ms Jasmin Lau.
Focus was on the anticipated shortage of leaders capable of using Artificial Intelligence (AI) in economic reality. The Asian Institute of Digital Finance (AIDF) of the National University of Singapore (NUS) has officially launched the inaugural Executive Master’s in Artificial Intelligence & Digital Transformation (EMAI). The launch ceremony was on 14 January 2026. This event was hosted at the School of Computing of NUS. The new program intends to address a critical industry challenge: AI projects that are struggling to scale due to a lack of strategic leadership.
The launch event was at Marina Bay Sands.
Ms Jasmin Lau, the Minister of State, interacted with the inaugural cohort of the programme at the launch event. This cohort comprises 31 senior leaders with an average of 19 years of professional experience.
The Executive Master’s in AI & Digital Transformation at NUS tends to equip students with the skills needed to lead the digital age change. Also, learn through application-driven courses, connect with global peers and industry experts, and benefit from firsthand insights through exclusive study trips to tech hubs in both the USA & Asia.
While AI adoption accelerates, organisations tend to experience a widening value gap. This is where frontrunners pull ahead, while others struggle to break out of the centre pack. The EMAI program was specifically designed to reduce this gap.
Many generative AI projects tend to fail at an initial proof-of-concept stage due to various strategic and execution hurdles. Associate Professor Huang Ke-Wei, who also serves as the Executive Director of AIDF, expressed this opinion. This is in addition to his role as the architect of the programme. Ke-Wei said that it was timely to launch this program. The aim is to train next-generation AI leaders to identify, implement & scale AI projects responsibly.
Ke-Wei believed that for Singapore, this capability is an economic imperative. She added that in a small country like Singapore, AI was critical to overcoming manpower constraints. She also cited the importance of sustaining Singapore’s position as a premier regional headquarters for multinational corporations.
AIDF entered into a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Standard Chartered Bank as the Knowledge Partner of the inaugural EMAI. Associate Professor Huang Ke-Wei signed the MoU. This was in his capacity as the Executive Director of AIDF. Meanwhile, representing Standard Chartered Bank (SCB) as a signatory to the MoU agreement was the Global Head of AI Enablement, Dr David Hardoon.
The program’s rigour becomes evident in its inaugural cohort. It comprises 31 senior leaders, who move with an average of 19 years of professional experience. The program sets a new benchmark for AI executive leadership.
A joint commitment to applied, industry-embedded learning was demonstrated. AIDF signed an MoU with SCB. This partnership was established as the programme’s Knowledge Partner during the launch event. Under such a collaborative attempt, SCB will contribute industry perspectives. Additionally, SCB will provide practical insights and practitioner expertise. The aim is to equip senior leaders in navigating AI-led transformation responsibly. This strategic partnership reinforces the critical bridge. This collaboration is between academia and industry in executive education. Such an arrangement would ensure that learning remains anchored. This is a real-world transformation. This is particularly important in a rapidly evolving global economy.
The program’s modular, hybrid format tends to blend well with both online & in-person learning options. Besides this, participants will also be able to join global immersions. That would mean pairing academic sessions with exposure to innovation ecosystems in Singapore, San Francisco, Hong Kong, and Shenzhen.
