1951

• Local businessmen met at Adelphi Hotel's roof garden to discuss idea of a polytechnic

1952

• Legislative assemblyman Mr Thio Chan Bee submitted proposal to Governor

1954

• Dobby Committee's recommendation accepted

1954

• Mr A W Gibson commissioned to work out details
• Legislative approval obtained with passing of Singapore Polytechnic Ordinance on 27 October

1955

• First Board of Governors appointed, chaired by Mr L Cresson

1956

• Mr D J Williams appointed first principal 

1957

• Construction of campus at Prince Edward Road began with classes conducted in borrowed premises in the meantime

1958

• Completion of Prince Edward Road campus with an enrolment of 2,800 students registered for 58 courses to prepare them for external examinations 

1959

• Official Opening of Prince Edward Road campus by Duke of Edinburgh on 24 February
• Dr Toh Chin Chye, Deputy Prime Minister, took over chairmanship of Board of Governors and oriented Singapore Polytechnic towards meeting manpower needs of Singapore's industrialisation programme 

• Mr C I C Scollay appointed principal

• Internal system of examinations instituted, leading to the Polytechnic's awards at professional, technician and craft levels 

1960 

• Chan Chieu Kiat Commission set up to review vocational and technical education in Singapore

1961 

• First Graduation Ceremony held

1963 

• Craft courses transferred to Singapore Vocational Institute to make way for expansion and upgrading of professional and technician courses

• Mr A R Edis appointed principal

1964

• Dr C A Hart led Colombo Plan team to study development of advanced courses. University of Singapore looked into feasibility of a faculty of technology and granting university degrees to Polytechnic graduates

1965

• Professional diploma courses gradually replaced by degree courses

1967

• First batch of degree graduates produced

1968

• Decision taken to transfer degree courses to University of Singapore

1969 

• Polytechnic restructured into School of Industrial Technology and School of Nautical Studies

• Two-year Industrial Technician Certificate (ITC) programme introduced

1970

• Temporary additional campus site at Ayer Rajah Road acquired
• Industrial and Business Orientation Programme launched by Dr Toh Chin Chye, Minister for Science and Technology

1971 

• Nautical Studies, Civil Engineering and Building students housed in Princess Mary Barracks

• Present campus site at Dover Road chosen as permanent home of the Polytechnic

1972

• Ayer Rajah Road campus completed. Polytechnic began functioning on three campuses 

1973 

• New Boat and Radar Station at Pasir Panjang completed

• Mr V P W Ager appointed principal

1974

• Construction of Dover Road campus began 

1975

• Foundation stone for new campus laid by Dr Toh Chin Chye on 12 April
• Mr Low Guan Onn appointed Chairman of the Board of Governors
• ITC courses transferred to Industrial Training Board 

1976

• Polytechnic restructured into nine academic departments and divisions

1978

• Dover Road campus completed

• Mr Khoo Kay Chai confirmed first local principal after two years in acting capacity. 

1979

• Dover Road campus officially opened by Prime Minister Lee Kuan Yew on 7 July 

1980

• Singapore Polytechnic (Amendment) Act passed in Parliament on 26 February, reconstituting the Board of Governors and reorganising student bodies
• Mr Chua Chor Teck appointed Chairman of the Board of Governors 

1982

• Five-year Expansion Plan (1982-86) approved, detailing new targets for student enrolment and staffing, as well as new courses
• Industrial and Business Orientation Programme for students replaced by Vacation Training Programme with support from Skills Development Fund 

1984

• All full-time Technician Diploma courses restructured and revised to cater for high technology needs

1986

• Prof George Fong Wah took over as Chairman of the Board of Governors

• Completion of Second Phase campus development programme which took five years

• Visit by His Excellency, Mr Wee Kim Wee, President of the Republic of Singapore 

1987

• Japan-Singapore Institute of Software Technology (JSIST) transferred to Singapore Polytechnic

1988

• Graduates' Guild's clubhouse officially opened by Senior Minister of State for Education Dr Tay Eng Soon 

1990

• New $3.3 million Sports Complex completed

• 50,000th graduate received his diploma at the 30th Graduation Ceremony

• In line with government's effort to assist local companies, the Polytechnic took on second mission of providing expertise and resources to these enterprises
• Move made towards Swiss- German model of technical education 

1991 

• Three term academic calendar changed to one with four terms
• Dual Training Scheme for workers to study part-time at the Polytechnic and receive on-the-job training at their companies introduced

• Foreign language programme offered for the first time
• Vacation Training Programme replaced by a longer and more structured Industrial Training Programme

1992

• Deputy Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong officially opened the Third Phase campus development project
• Modular system adopted for courses offered by the Polytechnic and at the same time, the credit accumulation and credit transfer systems were also introduced 

1993

• Launch of Singapore Polytechnic Entrepreneurs' Club for graduates who had become successful entrepreneurs 

1994

• Official opening of Fourth Phase campus development project by Minister for Education Lee Yock Suan 

1995

• Mr Lim Yong Wah appointed Chairman of the Board of Governors
• Principal Khoo Kay Chai retired after 19 years at the helm 

1996

• Mr Low Wong Fook took over as new principal

1997

• Virtual College launched, offering online courses including part-time programmes and various modules 

1998

• Clementi Student Service Centre, a joint project with the Tanjong Pagar Community Development Council and Clementi Citizen's Consultative Committee, opened its doors as part of the institution's effort to reach out to the community 

1999

• In recognition of its attainment of a commndable level of performance in its journey to excellence, the institution was made member of Singapore Quality Class

• Singapore Polytechnic received People Developer Standard Award which recognises organisations that invested in its people and had a comprehensive system for developing employees

• For its many initiatives to protect and preserve the environment, the Polytechnic was picked for Green Leaf Award (Organisations Category)

2000

• Singapore Maritime Academy was formed with the merger of the Polytechnic's Department of Maritime Technology & Transportation and the Maritime & Port Authority of Singapore's National Maritime Academy

• 100,000th graduate received his diploma at the 40th Graduation Ceremony

• Electronics & Communication Engineering Department merged with Electrical Engineering Department to form the Electrical & Electronic Engineering Department

• Mr Tan Kay Yong (left) appointed Chairman of Board of Governors

2001

• The Polytechnic satisfied requirements for ISO 9000 and ISO 14000 certifications
• Academic departments renamed as schools to better reflect their central role in offering programmes to prepare students for work and life
• Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Defence Dr Tony Tan (extreme left) officially opened the Singapore Polytechnic Graduates' Guild's new clubhouse
• Industrial Training Programme commemorated its 30th anniversary 

2002

• The Public Service Award for Organisational Excellence, one of the most prestigious servicewide awards, was presented to the Polytechnic

• Official opening of Fifth Phase campus development project by Minister for Education RADM Teo Chee Hean (second from left) 

2003

• New Convention Centre and Plaza project completed

• Re-branding of the Polytechnic initiated with a new Education Model of the Future, and with programmes to unleash creativity, innovation and enterprise, to create a unique SP experience for students and to make SP a great place to work 

2004

• General Elective, Creative Reasoning Skills and Innovation, Design and Enterprise in Action modules introduced

• Singapore Polytechnic turned 50. His Excellency, Mr S R Nathan, President of the Republic of Singapore (second from right), launched the yearlong celebrations on 13 February at the official opening of the new Convention Centre and Plaza

• Grand Climax to the 50th Anniversary Celebrations - Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong joined staff, alumni and overseas partners to celebrate the 50th anniversary at a gala dinner.

2005

• Singapore Polytechnic (SP) buried a time capsule to signify the close of the year long celebrations and the opening of a new chapter in the SP story. The event took a retrospective look at SP's achievements and thanked staff for their support in making the anniversary celebrations a success. The finale saw the unveiling of SP's 50th Anniversary Commemorative Book which highlights amongst others, the contribution of Singapore's pioneer polytechnic to the development of the nation and how its success spawned the establishment of other polytechnics here. 

2006

• Singapore Polytechnic awarded the Best Environmental Report for 2005 by the Association of Chartered Certified Accountants 

2007

• The SP Scholarship Programme was launched in March 2007 with first batch of 40 SP Scholars receiving their scholarships. 

• Food Innovation and Resource Centre, a one-stop consultancy centre to assist Small and Medium-sized Enterprises (SMEs), is officially opened by Minister of State for Trade and Industry, Mr Lee Yi Shyan.

• Singapore Maritime Academy celebrates 50 years as a leading provider of maritime education and training.

2008

• Mr Tan Hang Cheong took over as the new principal at the start of 2008. 

• Singapore Polytechnic opens new School of Communication, Arts and Social Sciences (CASS) on 1 February 2008.

• Student Hub@Moberly was officially opened by HE Paul Madden, the British High Commissioner to Singapore, on 9 May 2008.

2009

• Singapore Polytechnic (SP) and Epic Games China launched Unreal Technology Lab, the first Games Resource Centre in Southeast Asia. 

• Chua Koon Ting became the first polytechnic student to read Dentistry at the National University of Singapore.

• Kuriakin made history by becoming the first student to score distinctions for all his subjects.

2010

• The Professional and Adult Continuing Education (PACE) Academy was officially launched on 20 April by Mr Lee Shyan, Minister of State for Manpower, Trade and Industry. 

• Kenneth Chen Yi Xin became SP’s 150,000th graduate and received his Diploma at the 50th Graduation Ceremony. He was also presented with a special memento by Mr Lim Chin Aik, the first registered student of SP.

• Desmond Thiam became the first SP graduate to be admitted into the Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine at the National University of Singapore.