The polytechnic admitted its pioneer batch of students in July 2003 across three schools, Applied Science, Engineering and Information and Communications (now Infocomm).

In 2012, the polytechnic renamed the Centre for Professional Development as the Academy for Continuing Education @ RP and launched its first part-time diploma.

and launched Singapore's first-ever SkillsFuture Work-Study Programme where students worked full-time with participating companies and took classes towards obtaining a part-time diploma.

At the start of 2020, Republic Polytechnic partnered ST Logistics to launch the first healthcare supply chain lab in an institute of higher learning.

In August 2021, the polytechnic launched a new facility and initiative, the Entrepreneurial Partnership & Innovation Community (epic), an ecosystem to foster a spirit of entrepreneurship among its students.

The polytechnic also implemented the "Designing Your Life" (DYL) concept, developed by Stanford University professors Bill Burnett and Dave Evans.

Some students have also pursued their internships overseas during their final-year of study at RP - which include Australia, China, Indonesia, Myanmar, the United States and New Zealand.

In line with Singapore's SkillsFuture movement, these part-time programmes - short courses and certificates offered by the Academy for Continuing Education (ACE@RP) - allow learners to stay relevant in the current knowledge-based global economy.

It is conceived as a campus with a central nucleus which contains 11 learning Pods (8–9 storeys high) which are unified by 2 elliptical decks of common facilities, namely The Lawn and The Agora.

[17][18] Features such as fritted glasses, flooring made from recycled nylon and tyres, and sunshade louvres were integrated in the building design.

[19] Instead of the conventional air-conditioning system, the campus is equipped with tanks containing chilled water, which are recharged at night using low tariff electricity.

[21] The campus was also the first to win the First-ever Singapore Green Mark Plantinum award for its eco friendly design.