Can a material once dismissed as the “poor man’s timber” be reframed as a sustainable solution to counter deforestation? A group of NUS College students have set in motion a mindset shift towards bamboo in the Philippines with a two-year project that engaged Filipino youths in hands-on workshops to demonstrate the plant’s potential.

The group of seven students, dubbed Team Bayanihan, worked with Grow School Philippines to design and lead a series of Bamboo for the Future workshops that has reached more than 100 youths. Through activities such as weaving coasters and constructing catapults, the workshops aimed to shift perceptions of bamboo as a low-cost material to a sustainable and economically promising alternative.

This student-led project is one of more than 30 initiatives showcased today at the inaugural Impact Festival, themed ‘Emergence’ and organised by NUS College (NUSC), the honours college of the National University of Singapore. (See Annexe for highlights of the IEx projects showcased at the Impact Festival.)

The festival is a celebration of community-driven change powered by NUSC students through the College’s signature Impact Experience (IEx) programme, in which the students work in interdisciplinary teams with community and regional partners over two years to tackle complex real-world challenges across Singapore and Southeast Asia.

Building a generation of changemakers

IEx is designed to enable NUSC students to create real-world success and impact through their work, beyond the confines of a traditional university course. Working closely with local and regional communities, students hone critical competencies, a global orientation and relationship-building skills as they tackle pressing issues such as sustainability, food security, education and social isolation. They develop a community-first mindset, learning to collaborate effectively across diverse disciplines and cultures to create social impact that is both deep and scalable.

The Impact Festival celebrates the efforts of more than 350 students from NUSC’s first cohort, who over the course of the two-year programme have learnt how to work across disciplines, cultures and communities to put people and partnerships at the heart of problem-solving.

“The Impact Experience is at the heart of what makes NUS College distinctive. It’s not just about what our students learn in the classroom, but how they take that knowledge into the world, work alongside communities and create meaningful change. The Impact Festival celebrates their dedication and the tangible impact they’ve made,” said Professor Simon Chesterman, Dean of NUSC.

“We chose the theme ‘Emergence’ because it reflects both the students’ growth and the new possibilities that arise when diverse people come together to tackle complex problems. What emerges is not just solutions to today’s challenges, but a new generation of leaders who are imaginative, responsible and deeply connected to the region we call home,” he added.

At the festival, Team Bayanihan will screen Project Bambusiness, a narrative film they produced about their experience of working with youths in the Philippines to shift perceptions, raise sustainability awareness and improve livelihoods.

Andrew Toh Yung Weii, a final-year Communications and New Media major from Team Bayanihan, shared: “Working with my peers and our partner Grow School Philippines to create our Bamboo for the Future Workshop has been exciting and fulfilling. We have engaged over 100 youths and raised awareness about bamboo’s versatility and value as a sustainable material with economic potential. Running this project has also inspired us to embrace our role as environmental stewards in other aspects of our lives, such as being more conscious of our everyday decisions and their impact on the environment.”

Also on showcase will be Would You Love Me If I Were A Worm?, a children’s book featuring Jerome, a boy who wonders if his mother would still love him if he were a worm. Through playful storytelling, the book introduces composting to young readers and their families, encouraging them to adopt small sustainable habits like reducing waste and starting their own gardens.

The book was developed by w(eight)st not!, a team whose project tackled food waste in Singapore’s hospitality industry while supporting community gardens. Working with Fairmont Singapore and Corridor Farmers, the team piloted a circular waste management that successfully recycled 100 kg of hotel kitchen scraps by turning them into compost that was distributed to community partners such as MINDS and the Metta Welfare Association.

Platform for dialogue and collaboration

The Impact Festival aims to spark dialogue and drive meaningful collaborations between Singapore and Southeast Asia to co-create sustainable solutions for the future. It is open to the public, welcoming students, policymakers, non-governmental organisations and the wider community to join the conversation.

The festival features interactive project showcases of community initiatives around the region, ranging from films and agriculture-themed games to art activities. Visitors can also contribute to a participatory art installation by renowned Singaporean artist Wang Ruobing, where they will use marine debris to co-create a giant map of Southeast Asia to inspire dialogue on sustainability.

Another festival highlight is the IEx Roundtable, where NUSC students and their IEx project community partners will share insights from their experience on how collaborative partnerships can drive lasting social change.

From fully believing that he had bungled one of his speeches to emerging champion at his first international public speaking competition, NUS Law final-year student Kamal Ashraf Bin Kamil Jumat’s experience at the World Universities Public Speaking Invitational Championship 2025 was quite the rollercoaster ride.

The University of Macau invited 11 prestigious universities, including NUS, Tsinghua University, Korea University, the University of Oxford and the University of British Columbia, to send representatives to the inaugural edition of the championship that it hosted on 30 August 2025. Participants were required to prepare and deliver a speech based on the theme “Creating a Diverse Future Together”, answer questions from a panel of judges, and deliver an impromptu speech based on a randomly selected topic.

When NUS was invited to field a student speaker for the competition, Ms Sim Ee Waun, a tutor at the Department of Communications and New Media (CNM), immediately recognised her student Kamal’s potential to do well on this stage and put his name into the pool of nominees. After he was selected, she mentored him in the lead-up to the competition.

Despite battling nervousness as a first-time competitor in a field of high-calibre speakers, Kamal completed the first two segments with relative confidence, trusting in his pre-competition training and rehearsals. His prepared speech, entitled “Bringing Tomorrow”, discussed how diversity grows through active, consistent efforts and used stories such as the origins of Singlish and his own experiences as a firefighter in National Service to encourage listeners to build trust through communication.

For the third segment, he hoped to draw topics relating to Education or Culture from the three possible categories of impromptu speech topics, as they could relate more closely to his experiences in youth and community volunteering.

Instead, he drew “How do friendships shape our personal growth?” from the Friendship category.

With just 10 seconds of preparation time, he recalled Ms Sim’s advice to “give a speech only you can give” and rapidly composed a speech using the philosophical metaphor of tabula rasa to frame anecdotes of how his multicultural friendships have shaped him.

Kamal felt extremely nervous during the impromptu speech and left the stage disappointed with his performance. He immediately texted Ms Sim: “I don’t think I made it.”

Ms Sim was watching the livestreamed competition and disagreed with his assessment. She described his impromptu speech as “brilliant,” noting: “Not only was his speech eloquent and personal, it carried good points too. Believe me, it is not easy to do this in 10 seconds.”

She added: “His win reminds us that on the world stage, we should expect to win. Why not? We may be a little red dot, but we do punch way above our weight, and Kamal is a shining example of that.”

Although Kamal was unhappy with the speech at the time, it ended up being a meaningful and precious element of his win.

“I managed to talk about how my friends from other races have always been allies to me, helping me to feel comfortable in preserving my traditions and my daily practices. These anecdotes didn’t fit into my prepared speech, so I’m glad I got to present these messages that are important to me, at a time when Singapore is celebrating SG60, diversity and multiculturalism,” he said.

Speaking from the heart

As a debater since primary school and now a law student, Kamal is no stranger to speaking before judges and an audience. He currently serves as a part-time debate coach for a local secondary school and chairs a national debating academy organised by the Malay Youth Literary Association. His law training also includes polishing his trial advocacy and interpersonal communication skills through pro bono projects at the Syariah Court.

In his quest to learn more about the art of public speaking, he took up Public Speaking and Critical Reasoning offered by CNM as an elective course in Semester 2 of AY2024/2025. “I wanted to learn the technical skills behind speaking in front of people and connecting with them — something a bit more based on personality and more heartfelt, rather than doing it as part of a job,” said Kamal, noting that he learnt how to tailor material to the audience and craft speeches in different styles.

Nominating him for the competition was an easy decision, said Ms Sim. “In my five years of teaching public speaking at NUS, Kamal stands out as an incredibly talented public speaker who speaks with conviction and polish, and he is sharp as a pin. So when there was a call to nominate students for this competition, it was only natural that I put his name forward.”

Kamal spent the second half of the semester and part of his summer writing and rewriting his draft with Ms Sim’s help via WhatsApp and Zoom calls, while juggling an internship that left him with little time to rehearse until he arrived in Macau two days before the competition.

He started his days in Macau at 6am to rehearse intensively in his hotel room before heading out for activities organised by the University of Macau, such as soundchecks and workshops with his fellow competitors. Although most of the contestants were friendly, Kamal grew nervous as he learnt about their competitive speaking experience and training.

“These were some of the best public speakers I’ve ever met,” he said. “They were fantastic and they came from very established institutions that are well known for their craft in the English language, so the pressure was there.”

His nervousness was offset by the knowledge that he had supportive family and friends who would be happy for him regardless of the results. His mother frequently reminded him to just enjoy himself, and his friends refrained from pressuring him to come back with a win.

“They knew there was no point in adding pressure onto me, because they knew I was going to do it myself anyway,” said Kamal in jest.

He came away from the experience with a deep respect for the other contestants and a drive to continue improving his craft. When he was asked to give an acceptance speech with some of his public speaking tips at the competition’s closing dinner, Kamal expressed his admiration for his fellow competitors by asking them to share their own tips with him.

“Some of them had styles which I couldn’t pull off. Sofia (Lopez Castillo, first runner-up) from the University of British Columbia — her style was very emotional, very heartfelt. I’m a bit too clean or refined sometimes, and it’s hard for me to dig deep and hit those emotive notes,” he said. “For every one word of advice I was asked to give, I knew I had ten times as much to learn in return.”

Another outstanding speaker he recalled was second runner-up Benjamin Thomas from Stanford University, who was impressively calm in his delivery, especially when answering the impromptu questions.

Kamal concluded: “There are elements that I want to take from all 10 other speakers to become a better speaker, because this is just at the university level and I can see all these different skills that I need to pick up. The biggest takeaway for me is that there’s a lot more that I can learn.”

The full recording of the World Universities Public Speaking Invitational Championship 2025 is available on YouTube.

By Prof Sing Tien Foo, Provost's Chair Professor from the Dept of Real Estate at NUS Business School

• Lianhe Zaobao, 12 September 2025, Opinion, p18

• Lianhe Zaobao, 12 September 2025, Business, p21

• Lianhe Zaobao, 12 September 2025, Singapore, p8

NUS Chief Information Technology Officer, Ms Tan Shui-Min, has been named Transformational CIO of the Year at the SPARK Asia Digital Leaders Award 2025, which honours Chief Information Officers across Asia who have delivered game-changing outcomes through digital innovation.

Under Ms Tan’s visionary leadership, NUS has reimagined its digital landscape — from developing AI-Know, a university-wide platform that democratises AI access, to implementing green IT infrastructure that advances both operational efficiency and sustainability. AI-Know has introduced tools such as AI-Minute for automated meeting summaries and AI-Create for building no-code digital agents, saving the University more than 265,000 man-hours in 2024 and set to generate millions in cost savings and cost avoidance.

She has also championed sustainability through the Green Data Centre Network Upgrade Project, which reduced power consumption by 45 per cent and rack space by 49 per cent, resulting in significant energy and cost savings while advancing NUS’ Green Plan 2030 commitments.

Collaboration is a hallmark of Ms Tan’s leadership. She has pioneered a co-creation model with more than 120 departments, working closely with colleagues to identify pain points and design fit-for-purpose AI solutions. Examples include the laboratory inspection tool with the Office of Risk Management and Compliance, and chatbots with the Offices of Finance and Human Resources. These partnerships ensure business relevance, foster shared ownership, and accelerate adoption. She also spearheaded My Virtual Lab, NUS’ first 3D immersive virtual laboratory, which redefines STEM education by enabling interactive, risk-free training and collaborative simulations.

Looking ahead, NUS is scaling up research capabilities through expanded high-performance computing facilities, currently ranked among the world’s top 110 supercomputers. At the same time, initiatives such as NUSHub and the NextGeneSIS programme are enhancing student engagement and optimising the learner experience across both degree and lifelong learning pathways.

These initiatives are guided by the IT Strategic Plan blueprint envisioned and driven by Ms Tan in 2023. Anchored by four strategic goals — Digitally Empowered Business, Cyber Fortress, Flexible Infrastructure, and Future-Ready IT Workforce — the roadmap ensures technology initiatives are closely aligned with NUS’ mission and vision, supporting both operational excellence and future growth.

Reflecting on the award, Ms Tan said: “I am deeply honoured by this recognition, which is a testament to the collective spirit of NUS. It reflects our shared commitment to building a ‘Borderless University, Powered by Infinite Technology,’ where innovation is open and accessible to all. My guiding principle has always been to empower others – fostering an environment where staff and students feel encouraged to experiment, learn, and thrive.

Looking ahead, I remain committed to advancing our digital transformation, ensuring that technology not only keeps pace with the evolving needs of our university but truly enriches the everyday experiences of our community.”

The University’s flagship sustainability festival, NUS Sustainability CONNECT, returns for its third edition this September – featuring close to 40 events throughout the month!

While the festival has typically showcased sustainability research and best practices, there is a growing momentum across the wider NUS community to incorporate green initiatives into day-to-day work. More NUS units outside the traditional sustainability sphere are recognising the value and relevance of sustainability and are eager to share their efforts.

For instance, this year’s CONNECT welcomes partners such as NUS Libraries, NUS College (NUSC) and University Health Centre (UHC), all of which are organising events to engage and inspire the broader NUS community on sustainability efforts.

Walking the talk in sustainability: NUS Libraries’ guided tours and solar panel exhibition 

Did you know that BookBridge on Level 2 of NUS Central Library was among the first structures in Singapore to use tropical mass engineered timber, a renewable and sustainable building material?

Choosing eco-friendly construction materials is just one of the many ways NUS Libraries is making sustainability a daily reality. To showcase its efforts, NUS Libraries will be conducting a guided tour of the Central Library on 17 September 2025 to share how it is walking the talk in sustainability, including reducing its carbon footprint in daily operations.

In recent years, NUS Libraries has been steadily developing its four sustainability pillars – green libraries; green resources; green programming; and green digital and innovation – in support of the Singapore Green Plan 2030 and the United Nations' Sustainable Development Goals.

Beyond this, NUS Libraries will also be hosting a guided tour to a garden that was set up on campus in the early 1980s. Happening on 24 September 2025, this historical garden under the care of the Department of Biological Sciences, houses legacy plants, such as the cycads, which have been around in the garden since its founding years. Rarely open to the public, the garden offers a glimpse into the space that supports the department’s outreach and teaching activities.

In addition, NUS Central Library is running an exhibition – Solar Energising Heritage: Coloured Solar Panel Development for Historical Shophouses – from now till 6 October 2025. This collaborative project with the Solar Energy Research Institute of Singapore (SERIS), NUS Museum and NUS Baba House features custom-designed coloured Building-Integrated Photovoltaics (BIPV) panels developed for NUS Baba House, using SERIS’ unique dotlism pattern technology.

Going forward, NUS Libraries is committed to paving the way in advancing sustainability in teaching, learning and research.

Inspiring change: Student-led sustainability initiatives at NUS College’s Impact Festival

Committed to delivering interdisciplinary education, NUSC will present the Impact Festival on 17 September 2025 – a vibrant showcase of student projects from the Impact Experience programme. This is a capstone course where students collaborate with communities in Singapore and across Southeast Asia to drive meaningful social change.

Given that sustainability is inherently interdisciplinary, it is no surprise that a number of these projects focused on sustainability-related themes such as transforming food waste management, promoting sustainable tourism, protecting animal welfare, restoring coral reefs and cultivating sustainable agriculture.

One notable example is a project led by Team Bayanihan (which means unity in Tagalog) comprising seven NUSC students. For decades, bamboo has been viewed as the poor man’s timber in the Philippines. To change this mindset, the team developed a unique bamboo-based curriculum to help Filipino youth appreciate this sustainable resource that is readily available in their own backyard. 

In partnership with Grow School Philippines, Team Bayanihan conducted three workshops in Nasugbu, Batangas, teaching hundreds of young people the art of bamboo weaving and the science of structural design. The goal was to showcase bamboo’s versatility, both as a material for crafts and a medium for constructing larger structures, to the next generation of Filipinos. Through this, Team Bayanihan hopes to inspire youth across the Philippines to embrace the beauty and utility of bamboo in building a more sustainable future.  

Championing sustainability through healthy eating: UHC’s sustainable granola workshop

Eating healthily and supporting the planet can go hand in hand, and UHC is keen to demonstrate how.

It is conducting a sustainable granola workshop on 19 September 2025 to share with participants how spent grains can be upcycled into nutritious granola. Guided by experts in the sustainable food innovation sector, participants will not only create and sample their own sustainable granola, but also take home a recipe kit on how to make these wholesome grains.

The complimentary workshop for NUS staff, which was fully booked within a day, is part of the Centre’s Feel Good Friday series, which explores practical ways for the NUS community to adopt greener habits while maintaining a balanced diet and nutrition.

Encouraged by the strong response, UHC plans to offer more workshops to promote sustainable habits and healthy eating across the NUS community.

To learn more about NUS Sustainability CONNECT or register your interest for the above events, please click here.

By NUS Sustainability and Resilience Unit

By Dr Clemens Chay, Research Fellow at the Middle East Institute at NUS

• CNA Online, 10 September 2025

• Lianhe Zaobao Online, 10 September 2025

NUS paid tribute to seven outstanding educators, researchers and professionals for their contributions to the University, Singapore and the global community at the NUS University Awards 2025. The annual Awards recognise members of the NUS community who are trailblazers in their fields and have made sterling contributions to NUS, Singapore, and the global community.

Speaking at the awards ceremony held at the University Cultural Centre on 12 September 2025, NUS President Professor Tan Eng Chye highlighted the significance of this year’s awards, noting that 2025 marks NUS’ 120th anniversary. He thanked all award winners for their contributions and commitment towards building NUS into what it is today. 

Acknowledging the central role of AI in shaping the future, Prof Tan emphasised that as a forward-looking university, NUS must not remain on the sidelines while others build capabilities, innovate and ride the AI wave. To this end, NUS is mounting a robust and comprehensive approach to AI that spans its core mission areas of education, research, innovation and enterprise, as well as administration. “We will stay ahead, empower and uplift the whole organisation to fully leverage on AI in all that we do. We are striving forward, with AI and through AI, towards our vision to be a leading global university, shaping the future,” he added.

Top accolade - Outstanding Service Award

This year, the prestigious Outstanding Service Award was conferred on Professor Cheong Koon Hean, Rector of NUS College and Chairman of the Centre for Liveable Cities Advisory Panel under the Ministry of National Development; and Mr Liew Mun Leong, CEO of Gelephu Mindfulness City and Founder and Principal Consultant of Building People Consultancy Pte Ltd., in recognition of their inspiring leadership and dedicated service. Both are accomplished individuals who have made sustained contributions in selflessly serving the University and society.

Professor Cheong Koon Hean

A globally recognised urban planner and architect, Prof Cheong is instrumental in shaping Singapore’s urban form across multiple decades, from strategic land use and heritage conservation to sustainable public housing and smart‑town innovation.

As former CEO of both the Urban Redevelopment Authority and the Housing & Development Board, she redefined the standards of city-making—spearheading transformative plans for Marina Bay and introducing new generations of public housing marked by inclusivity, biophilia and smart technologies.

As a member of the NUS Board of Trustees for 12 years and now the Rector of NUS College, Prof Cheong bridges academia with public policy through her extensive experience in public service. She has also served on the advisory committees of the former NUS School of Design and Engineering, and NUS Faculty of Engineering.

Currently Chairman of the Centre for Liveable Cities Advisory Panel and the Lee Kuan Yew Centre for Innovative Cities, Prof Cheong continues to influence national and international agendas on urban innovation and sustainability. She also advances global urban sustainability through her many advisory and leadership roles with institutes such as the International Federation for Housing and Planning, the Urban Land Institute, and the World Economic Forum’s Real Estate and Urbanisation Council.

Delivering the citation for Prof Cheong’s conferment, Professor Simon Chesterman, NUS Vice Provost (Educational Innovation) and Dean of NUS College said, “Professor Cheong is a stateswoman of city planning and a champion of public service. Her leadership exemplifies the integration of academic excellence, policy insight and civic responsibility.”

On her motivation to serve, Prof Cheong shared, “One of the greatest rewards in serving NUS is to see it grow from strength to strength. My wish is for NUS to not only achieve world-class academic excellence, but to also be the catalyst that encourages curiosity, innovation and risk-taking, nurturing young hearts and minds to think beyond grades and self, aspiring to make a better world.”

Watch this inspiring video on Prof Cheong’s dedicated contributions towards the University and society.

Mr Liew Mun Leong

The veteran corporate leader’s five-decade career is marked by many valuable contributions to both public infrastructure and private enterprise. Contributing to Singapore’s journey towards becoming a key transportation hub, Mr Liew played a pivotal role in the corporatisation of Changi Airport. He also provided strategic leadership across major infrastructure projects, including Terminal 4, Jewel Changi Airport and Changi East.

In the private sector over a span of 32 years, he led as CEO and was an active board member of several significant companies, many of which were publicly listed. These include CapitaLand, Capital Mall Trust (the first REIT in Singapore) and the Singapore Exchange. He also chaired the boards of Capital Mall Asia, Changi Airport Group, Surbana Jurong Consultancy Holding and Pavilion Gas.

Throughout his extensive career, Mr Liew has shared his expertise in engineering, strategic management and infrastructure development on various boards and panels. In 2024, he was appointed by Bhutan’s King Jigme Khesar Namgyel Wangchuck as CEO of Gelephu Mindfulness City, a special administrative region envisioned as a vibrant economic hub within Bhutan.

An NUS alumnus, Mr Liew was Provost’s Chair Professor (Practice) at the NUS Business School, Faculty of Engineering, and the Lee Kuan Yew School of Public Policy. He also provided expertise on various boards within NUS, including NUS Business School's management advisory board and NUS School of Continuing and Lifelong Education’s inaugural industry advisory board, where he fostered collaborations between academia and industry. Mr Liew was also the Rector of Ridge View Residential College, where he provided mentorship to students.

Delivering the citation for Mr Liew’s conferment, Professor Teo Kie Leong, Dean of the College of Design and Engineering at NUS, lauded his visionary leadership and dedicated services to Singapore, as well as NUS, “Mr Liew’s impact is felt both nationally and internationally, spanning the fields of engineering, infrastructure development, business and public service.”

Sharing his aspirations for the University, Mr Liew said, “Having served as Practice Chair Professor (pro-bono) across Business, Public Policy, and Engineering in NUS, I encourage the university to deepen its engagement and foster stronger collaboration between academia and industry. A university’s ultimate measure lies not only in education but in the practical application of knowledge—preparing graduates to innovate, lead and deliver impactful solutions to real-world challenges.

Watch this inspiring video on Mr Liew’s dedicated contributions towards the University and society.

The honour roll

The NUS University Awards 2025 also recognised the accomplishments of five outstanding educators and researchers.

University Research Recognition Award

Professor Liu Xiaogang, Distinguished Professor in the Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Science, and the Department of Surgery, Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, was recognised for his groundbreaking research that has placed NUS at the forefront of his area of expertise.  

A global leader in nanophotonics and bioimaging, Prof Liu has made transformative contributions to the development of advanced X-ray imaging and optical sensing technologies. His work on all-inorganic perovskite nanoscintillators and high-resolution X-ray luminescence extension imaging has redefined deep-tissue visualisation. This remarkable research has enabled breakthroughs in diagnostics, radiotherapy monitoring and multi-spectral imaging.

Young Researcher Award

Assistant Professor Hou Yi from the Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, College of Design and Engineering; and Solar Energy Research Institute of Singapore was commended for conducting groundbreaking research with the potential to extend the frontiers of knowledge in his field.

A Presidential Young Professor, Asst Prof Hou has made sterling contributions to the field of renewable energy, particularly in perovskite solar cell technology. He has received global acknowledgement for his work, including his inclusion in the MIT Innovators Under 35 list for the Asia-Pacific region. His recognition as a Clarivate Highly Cited Researcher in the Cross-Field category from 2022 to 2024 further highlights his exceptional impact on his field.

Outstanding Graduate Mentor Award

Professor Yan Ning from the Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, College of Design and Engineering, was honoured for his excellent and committed mentorship in nurturing the next generation of scholars and thought leaders.

Prof Yan is one of the world’s foremost names in the broad area of catalysis, particularly in the conversion of waste biomass feedstocks into valuable molecules such as amino acids and fuels. Under his guidance, his students have made many impactful research contributions, won prestigious awards at various international scientific competitions, and flourished in diverse and illustrious careers as academics, industry practitioners, and even entrepreneurs.

Outstanding Educator Award

Two faculty members were acknowledged for being exemplary educators who have excelled in engaging and inspiring students in their quest for knowledge:

1) Associate Professor Damith Chatura Rajapakse from the Department of Computer Science, School of Computing

Assoc Prof Rajapakse is a teacher who inspires, a mentor who empowers, and an innovator whose influence is felt far beyond the campus. His teaching evaluations consistently soar above School and Department averages, and his students regularly nominate him for best teaching in every course he conducts. A trailblazer in educational technology, Assoc Prof Rajapakse also has a flagship innovation known as TEAMMATES, a peer-evaluation platform now used by over a million users across more than 1,500 institutions worldwide, which has significantly enhanced collaborative learning.

2) Associate Professor Peter Alan Todd from the Department of Biological Sciences, Faculty of Science; and Tropical Marine Science Institute

An experimental marine ecologist who focuses on organism-environment interactions in nearshore waters, Assoc Prof Todd’s teaching philosophy is “learning by doing science”. He employs problem-based learning to inspire creative thinking and designs authentic assignments that challenge students to use high-level cognitive skills. His courses are designed to encourage knowledge synthesis where students get to produce “ready-for-submission” scientific papers. Over 50 journal papers by undergraduate students as first authors have been published with his guidance.

Read more about the NUS University Awards recipients here and the NUS press release here.

The National University of Singapore (NUS) today recognised seven outstanding individuals who distinguished themselves with their achievements and contributions in the areas of education, research, mentorship and service to the University, Singapore and the global community. They are recipients of the annual NUS University Awards which recognise educators, researchers and professionals for their exceptional contributions to the University, Singapore and the global community.

This year, the prestigious Outstanding Service Award was conferred on Professor Cheong Koon Hean, Rector of NUS College and Chairman of the Centre for Liveable Cities Advisory Panel, Ministry of National Development; and Mr Liew Mun Leong, CEO of Gelephu Mindfulness City and Founder and Principal Consultant of Building People Consultancy Pte Ltd., in recognition of their inspiring leadership and dedicated service. Both are accomplished individuals who have made sustained contributions in selflessly serving the University and society.

NUS President Professor Tan Eng Chye said, “This year’s University Awards recipients have won their award in a special year. 2025 is a significant year for NUS as we celebrate our 120th anniversary. We are proud of the profound dedication of our winners to pursuing excellence in education, research and service at the highest levels, raising the standards and reputation of NUS as a leading global university, shaping the future. The impact of their work is far-reaching, and their contributions have left an indelible mark that inspires us to scale greater heights. I extend my heartiest congratulations to all award recipients.”

Besides the Outstanding Service Award, the other award categories are University Research Recognition Award, Young Researcher Award, Outstanding Graduate Mentor Award and Outstanding Educator Award.

Outstanding Service Award

Professor Cheong Koon Hean

A globally recognised urban planner and architect, Professor Cheong Koon Hean is instrumental in shaping Singapore’s urban form across multiple decades, from strategic land use and heritage conservation to sustainable public housing and smart‑town innovation.

As former CEO of both the Urban Redevelopment Authority and the Housing & Development Board, she redefined the standards of city-making—spearheading transformative plans for Marina Bay and introducing new generations of public housing marked by inclusivity, biophilia and smart technologies.

As a member of the NUS Board of Trustees for 12 years and now the Rector of NUS College, Professor Cheong bridges academia with public policy through her extensive experience in public service. She has also served on the advisory committees of the former NUS School of Design and Engineering, and NUS Faculty of Engineering.

Currently Chairman of the Centre for Liveable Cities Advisory Panel, Ministry of National Development and the Lee Kuan Yew Centre for Innovative Cities, Professor Cheong continues to influence national and international agendas on urban innovation and sustainability. She also advances global urban sustainability through her many advisory and leadership roles with institutes such as the International Federation for Housing and Planning, the Urban Land Institute, and the World Economic Forum’s Real Estate and Urbanisation Council.

Mr Liew Mun Leong

Mr Liew Mun Leong’s five-decade career as a veteran corporate leader is marked by many valuable contributions to both public infrastructure and private enterprise. Contributing to Singapore’s journey towards becoming a key transportation hub, he played a pivotal role in the corporatisation of Changi Airport. He also provided strategic leadership across major infrastructure projects, including Terminal 4, Jewel Changi Airport and Changi East.

In the private sector over a span of 32 years, he led as CEO and was an active board member of several significant companies, many of which were publicly listed. These include CapitaLand, Capital Mall Trust (the first REIT in Singapore) and the Singapore Exchange. He also chaired the boards of Capital Mall Asia, Changi Airport Group, Surbana Jurong Consultancy Holding and Pavilion Gas.

Throughout his extensive career, Mr Liew has shared his expertise in engineering, strategic management and infrastructure development on various boards and panels. In 2024, he was appointed by Bhutan’s King Jigme Khesar Namgyel Wangchuck as CEO of Gelephu Mindfulness City, a special administrative region envisioned as a vibrant economic hub within Bhutan.

An NUS alumnus, Mr Liew was Provost’s Chair Professor (Practice) at the NUS Business School, Faculty of Engineering, and the Lee Kuan Yew School of Public Policy. He also provided expertise on various boards within NUS, including NUS Business School's management advisory board and NUS School of Continuing and Lifelong Education’s inaugural industry advisory board, where he fostered collaborations between academia and industry. Mr Liew was also the Rector of Ridge View Residential College, where he provided mentorship to students.

Five exemplary educators and researchers honoured

The NUS University Awards also celebrated the accomplishments of five outstanding academics and researchers:

University Research Recognition Award

1) Professor Liu Xiaogang, Distinguished Professor in the Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Science; and the Department of Surgery, Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine

A global leader in nanophotonics and bioimaging, Prof Liu has made transformative contributions to the development of advanced X-ray imaging and optical sensing technologies. His work on all-inorganic perovskite nanoscintillators and high-resolution X-ray luminescence extension imaging has redefined deep-tissue visualisation. This remarkable research has enabled breakthroughs in diagnostics, radiotherapy monitoring and multi-spectral imaging.

Young Researcher Award

2) Assistant Professor Hou Yi, Presidential Young Professor in the Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, College of Design and Engineering; and Solar Energy Research Institute of Singapore

Asst Prof Hou has made groundbreaking contributions to the field of renewable energy, particularly in perovskite solar cell technology. He has received global acknowledgement for his work, including his inclusion in the MIT Innovators Under 35 list for the Asia-Pacific region. His recognition as a Clarivate Highly Cited Researcher in the Cross-Field category from 2022 to 2024 further highlights his exceptional impact on his field.

Outstanding Graduate Mentor Award

3) Professor Yan Ning from the Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, College of Design and Engineering

Prof Yan is one of the world’s foremost names in the broad area of catalysis, particularly in the conversion of waste biomass feedstocks into valuable molecules such as amino acids and fuels. Under his guidance, his students have made many impactful research contributions, won prestigious awards at various international scientific competitions, and flourished in diverse and illustrious careers as academics, industry practitioners, and even entrepreneurs.

Outstanding Educator Award

4) Associate Professor Damith Chatura Rajapakse from the Department of Computer Science, School of Computing

Assoc Prof Rajapakse is a teacher who inspires, a mentor who empowers, and an innovator whose influence is felt far beyond the campus. His teaching evaluations consistently soar above School and Department averages, and his students regularly nominate him for best teaching in every course he conducts. A trailblazer in educational technology, Assoc Prof Rajapakse also has a flagship innovation known as TEAMMATES, a peer-evaluation platform now used by over a million users across more than 1,500 institutions worldwide, which has significantly enhanced collaborative learning.

5) Associate Professor Peter Alan Todd from the Department of Biological Sciences, Faculty of Science; and Tropical Marine Science Institute

An experimental marine ecologist who focuses on organism-environment interactions in nearshore waters, Assoc Prof Todd’s teaching philosophy is “learning by doing science”. He employs problem-based learning to inspire creative thinking, and designs authentic assignments that challenge students to use high-level cognitive skills. His courses are designed to encourage knowledge synthesis where students get to produce “ready-for-submission” scientific papers. Over 50 journal papers by undergraduate students as first authors have been published with his guidance.

As part of NUS Global Relations Office’s Study Trips for Engagement and EnRichment (STEER) programme, 15 NUS students from the College of Alice & Peter Tan (CAPT) embarked on a 10-day overseas trip to multiple municipalities and districts in Timor-Leste, including Dili, Ermera and Metinaro. Led by Dr Toh Tai Chong, Director of Residential Life and Resident Fellow at CAPT, the trip centred on the themes of youth and community development. Despite being the youngest Southeast Asian country, independent since 2002, Timor-Leste offered students the chance to gain deep insights into the country’s agricultural, educational and community leadership systems through engagement with various stakeholders, communities and organisations.

Agriculture as the backbone of Timor-Leste’s economy

Coffee is one of Timor-Leste’s top export crops, deeply rooted in the country’s history due to Portuguese colonisation. Today it remains a vital part of the nation’s economy and identity, and the team had the chance to visit various coffee production sites and local cafes, experiencing firsthand the full harvesting process.

Alongside coffee production, the Timorese government is also positioning agriculture as one of the country’s key exports by tapping on the country’s land space and natural potential for agricultural production. To support this push, universities like Universidade Nacional Timor Lorosa'e and University of Peace, are training youth in agriculture.

Through conversations with university students and professors, the CAPT team discovered the importance Timorese youths placed on agricultural education as a pathway to improve their country’s farming industry. Many have aspirations to work abroad, particularly in places like Australia, in order to bring back new agricultural techniques to benefit their communities.

However, it has been challenging with the country’s long dry seasons lasting up to nine months, and growing concerns about climate change, resource depletion and pollution that make environmental conservation even more critical. Non-governmental organisations (NGOs) like Permatil hope to address this by equipping young people with knowledge about permaculture and water restoration, empowering them to implement sustainable agricultural practices in their own communities.

Education as a means to engage and empower youths

To learn more about the youths and the local education system, the team visited different educational institutions, from pre-schools to universities. They were able to gather deeper insights on the ground about the education scene in relation to their pre-trip seminars conducted by  professionals who shared their personal and professional experiences working in Timor-Leste. One notable takeaway was how the importance of agriculture was actively communicated to young people. Many universities offer agricultural courses aimed at equipping the next generation with the skills needed to sustain and advance the industry so vital to the country’s development.

On a more personal level, the team was deeply moved by conversations with students, teachers and staff, many of whom shared that they aspired to become educators in order to give back to society. Clarence, a Year Three CAPTain from the Faculty of Science, said, “It is heartening to see the passion of these students and staff — not just in educating us, but in their eagerness to connect. Despite the challenges they face, it was truly inspiring to witness their determination and intentionality they display in creating meaning and value for themselves and their communities.”

Uniting communities through community leadership

Another key theme which surfaced during the trip was the quiet strength of community leadership. Many of the community leaders the students met shared about their desire to give back and empower fellow Timorese by providing them with jobs, training and skills to uplift their families. Driven by an entrepreneurial spirit and a deep commitment to their communities, these leaders have creatively leveraged existing resources to advocate for a range of causes – from sustainability and women’s rights, to coffee production and local spirits – while carefully balancing support from NGOs with their pursuit of self-reliance. When visiting one of the NGO, Alola Foundation, Year 2 CAPTain and Business student Lynette Saw (pictured in the left photo below) was inspired by the stories that were shared at the visit and how it only takes a collective vision to spark meaningful, intergenerational change for women in Timor Leste.

Given the constraints faced by the local government, the students saw how community leadership plays an important role in Timor-Leste’s development, and how local initiatives and grassroots leaders complement the government’s work by helping to drive social progress and enhance community resilience. Year Three CAPTain from the College of Design and Engineering Tan When Young, not only held deep respect for the community leaders but developed a newfound respect for the meaningful work that the NGOs do. “Many of the NGOs truly went above and beyond in the work to support the local communities. While it is definitely not easy and there are a lot of challenges, it is heartening to witness the fruits of their labour.”

The trip left the team cognisant of the challenges this young nation faces, yet deeply hopeful about its untapped potential. With the right support systems and sustained investment in the local communities, they believe that Timor-Leste has the potential to flourish – grounded in unity and driven by a shared vision and strong sense of national identity.

• Channel 5 News, 9 September 2025
• The Straits Times, 10 September 2025, The Big Story, pA2
• Lianhe Zaobao, 10 September 2025, Focus, p3
• CNA Online, 10 September 2025
• Suria News Online, 10 September 2025
• Berita Harian, 10 September 2025, p10
• Warna 94.2FM, 10 September 2025
• Tamil Murasu, 11 September 2025, p2

By Dr Azhar Ibrahim Alwee, Senior Lecturer from the Dept of Malay Studies, Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences at NUS

• Suria News Online, 9 September 2025

By Dr Qi Dongtao, Senior Research Fellow at the East Asian Institute at NUS

• Lianhe Zaobao, 9 September 2025, Opinion, p17

By Dr Ruklanthi de Alwis, Deputy Director of the Centre for Outbreak Preparedness and Asst Prof in the Emerging Infectious Diseases Programme, Duke-NUS Medical School; Assoc Prof Yeo Tsin Wen, from the Lee Kong Chian School of Medicine at NTU and from Woodlands Health; Prof Lisa Ng, Executive Director of the Infectious Diseases Labs at A*STAR; and Prof Neelika Malavige, from the University of Sri Jayewardenepura

• The Straits Times, 9 September 2025, Opinion, pB2

By Mr Sriram Iyer, Adjunct Senior Lecturer in the Dept of Management and Organisation at NUS Business School

• The Straits Times, 9 September 2025, Opinion, pB2

• Suria News Online, 9 September 2025

• The Business Times, 9 September 2025, p3

• The Straits Times Online, 8 September 2025

• CNA, 8 September 2025
• Channel 5 News, 8 September 2025
• CNA Online, 8 September 2025
• Suria News Online, 8 September 2025
• Lianhe Zaobao, 9 September 2025, Singapore, p6

• Suria News Online, 7 September 2025

• The Straits Times, 8 September 2025, Science, pA16

• The Straits Times, 8 September 2025, Science, pA16

• The Straits Times, 8 September 2025, Singapore, pA15
• Tamil Murasu, 8 September 2025, p3

Solar photovoltaics (PV) and green roofs are increasingly being adopted worldwide as sustainable solutions for urban environments. While PV systems help to reduce reliance on fossil fuels and lower greenhouse gas emissions, green roofs lower building energy use for air conditioning, mitigate urban heat island effects, and enhance the aesthetics of rooftops.

When combined, these systems allow for more efficient use of rooftop space by harnessing the cooling benefits of rooftop greenery and the generation of renewable electricity from solar panels.

A joint research study by the National University of Singapore (NUS), the Building and Construction Authority (BCA), and the National Parks Board (NParks) demonstrates the benefits of co-locating solar panels and green roofs in tropical climates – an area that is less well-studied compared to temperate regions.

Leading the research effort from NUS is Associate Professor Stephen Tay from the Department of the Built Environment at the College of Design and Engineering in NUS. The research findings were published online in the scientific journal Applied Energy on 4 June 2025.

“Our study shows that co-locating solar photovoltaics with green roofs in a tropical climate is technically feasible with multiple benefits – from improving solar panel performance and supporting greenery growth, to lowering roof surface temperature. These findings highlight the potential of integrating solar energy generation with rooftop greenery to advance sustainable urban developments in Singapore and beyond,” said Assoc Prof Tay.

Comparative analysis of four different set-ups

To evaluate the performance of co-located solar panels and green roofs under tropical conditions, an experimental study was conducted on the seventh-floor rooftop of Alexandra Primary School. Four different set-ups were monitored over a 12-month period, from November 2021 to October 2022, and a comparative analysis was conducted to assess the impact on solar energy generation, plant growth, and roof temperature.

The four rooftop set-ups comprised a bare concrete roof (BR-CT), a bare green roof (BR-GR), solar panels on bare concrete (PV-CT), and solar panels with green roof (PV-GR).

The study found that the PV-GR set-up delivered the highest overall performance, achieving both the highest photovoltaic performance, along with the lowest and most stable roof surface temperature. This enhances solar energy generation while providing effective cooling through greenery and shading. In addition, greenery growth in the PV-GR set-up improved significantly compared to the BR-GR set-up, with a 19.8 per cent higher horizontal coverage.

Other benefits were also highlighted in the study. Firstly, in the PV-GR set-up, evapotranspiration from plants was found to have a cooling effect on solar panels, which increased the performance ratio of the solar panels by an average of 1.3 per cent under clear sky conditions as compared to the PV-CT set-up.

Secondly, the co-location of solar panels and green roofs allows buildings to stay cooler. Roof surface temperatures were reduced by up to 4.7 deg C when compared to the BR-CT set-up, while indoor ceiling surface temperatures decreased by as much as 3 deg C when compared to the PV-CT set-up, as the roof is shielded from direct sunlight. Additionally, the PV-GR set-up exhibited the lowest variability in indoor ceiling temperatures, with average ceiling temperatures remaining below 30.5 deg C when compared with the PV-CT set-up, where indoor ceiling temperature can exceed 33 deg C in the day.

Thirdly, the research also tested five shade-tolerant plant species for green roof applications. Among them, Pilea depressa, Pilea nummulariifolia, Heterotis rotundifolia, and Sphagneticola trilobata achieved an average of 20 per cent higher horizontal coverage for the PV-GR set-up. Notably, Pilea depressa showed the most significant improvement when compared to the BR-GR set-up, indicating its suitability for co-located solar panel–green roof installations.

Optimising Singapore’s rooftop spaces for synergistic benefits

This study demonstrates that co-locating solar panels with green roofs is technically feasible, and offers three key benefits – enhanced solar energy generation, improved greenery coverage, and reduced thermal impact to the building.

For building owners, the outcomes from this study demonstrate the feasibility and added benefits of solar panel-green roof systems. Cumulatively, the impact from these benefits may translate into potential cost savings.

Given Singapore’s limited rooftop space, the co-location of solar panels and green roofs represents a smarter use of space, contributing to the nation’s green building initiatives and advancing its vision of becoming both a “Low-Carbon City” and a “City in Nature”.

“No man is an island.” This maxim held true during the inaugural Shaping Healthcare Innovation For Tomorrow (SHIFT) hackathon, a ground-up hackathon that empowers students to co-create innovative solutions to real-world healthcare challenges.

Organised by the Singapore Nursing Innovation Group (SNIG), a student-led initiative under the NUS Alice Lee Centre for Nursing Studies (NUS Nursing), over 100 students from five local universities and polytechnics — NUS, the Singapore Institute of Technology (SIT), Ngee Ann Polytechnic , Nanyang Polytechnic (NYP) and the Institute of Technical Education — collaborated on winning innovations spanning three subthemes: Chronic Disease Prevention & Early Detection, Lifestyle & Behavioural Health Modification, and Ageing Population & Preventive Care.

Held from 31 August to 6 September 2025, the interdisciplinary hackathon comprised almost 30 teams, with at least one Nursing student per team, offering a valuable opportunity for students to collaborate across fields and gain mentorship from healthcare professionals.

At the final showcase on 6 September 2025, three teams walked away with top honours for their innovative ideas — a smart sock, an Artificial Intelligence (AI) social network, and a behavioural change virtual pet — all poised to shape the future of healthcare.

Grand Prize: SafeStep Smart Sock

The top prize went to Team Wildcard — a trio from NUS comprising Magdalene Lim from NUS Nursing, Roopashini Sivananthan  from NUS College of Design and Engineering, and Hanzalah bin Azmi from the NUS Faculty of Law. Their prototype, SafeStep, is a breathable smart sock equipped with sensors that detect falls in real time and alert both wearer and caregiver. Designed for visually impaired elders, the sock aims to reduce fall-related injuries, one of the greatest impediments to seniors’ independence.

The smart sock is not the team’s first healthcare project. The trio, who first met at a design thinking workshop, had earlier collaborated on a pacifier for babies with cleft palates. They are now testing the viability and user experience of SafeStep by advancing it into the prototyping stage, with plans to conduct user interviews and design validation to ensure it meets patient and caregiver needs.

For Magdalene, the hackathon was a chance to bridge classroom learning with real-world insights. “As a student nurse, I don’t always have the full picture of what is being done in the community,” she said. “Our mentor’s wealth of experience really helped us see where the true pain points and gaps lie. That guidance shaped how we refined our idea, and it gave me a much deeper appreciation of how innovation must be rooted in real-world practice.”

1st Runner-Up: KampongNET for Seniors

Ctrl + Alt + Debride — comprising Winnie Low and Ivan Tan from NUS Nursing and NUS Faculty of Science (FoS), Maryam Syamilah Binti Mahmood Shah from SIT Computing Science, and Yi Jiaxin and Onquit Jake Davis Areglo from NYP School of Information Technology — took second place with KampongNET, a digital social platform with an AI voice assistant. Built for seniors living in rental homes within Silver Zone areas, the solution combats social isolation by fostering conversations and connections.

Several members of the team first met in NYP as volunteers. Winnie was the catalyst who brought them together, spurred by the opportunity to merge two disciplines rarely seen side by side. “Coding and nursing are such distinct fields, but through this hackathon we finally had the opportunity to merge them. I don’t see many nursing-focused hackathons — most are technically heavy and can feel daunting. When I saw this opportunity, I wanted to give it a try, especially with friends I knew from NYP,” she said.

2nd Runner-Up: HabiTot Virtual Pet

In third place, The Fantastic Four — Jin Li Yao and Daniel Chong Zhao Yang from FoS), Guo Xinyi from NUS Nursing, and Peh Jia En Leticia from NUS Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences — developed HabiTot, a Tamagotchi-inspired virtual pet that rewards children for spending less time on screens. The playful interface nudges kids toward social interaction, hobbies, and healthier daily routines.

Team member Li Yao said the hackathon provided a springboard for the team to think bigger. “We see real potential in HabiTot, and when time allows, we hope to expand the idea into a patent and explore collaborations to turn it into a working prototype. This hackathon gave us a starting point, and we’re excited to see how far it could go with the right partners.”

For NUS Nursing Asst Prof Jocelyn Chew, who founded SNIG, this stemmed from a conviction that nursing should be recognised not only for its role in bedside care, but also for its strength in problem-solving at the frontlines.

Her vision is for SNIG to grow into a national platform where nurses at all levels engage in cross-institutional collaboration, entrepreneurship, and evidence-based change. “We want to create an ecosystem that empowers nurses to go beyond solely delivering care, to also design the systems, technologies, and models of care that will shape the future of healthcare,” she said. That philosophy inspired SNIG’s first flagship project, the SHIFT Hackathon — a proving ground where students, practitioners, technologists, and community partners came together to co-create solutions.

SHIFT’s student organising committee, led by third-year NUS Nursing students Weslyn Low and Magdalene Tong, spearheaded the planning of the hackathon. They were supported by 25 nursing mentors from hospitals across Singapore, who guided teams through the fast-paced ideation and prototyping process.

Dr Lee Yee Mei, Deputy Director of Nursing at National University Hospital and one of the mentors, described the hackathon as both inspiring and a proud moment for the profession. Seeing students step up to innovate, she said, showed their potential to create ideas that benefit patients and nurses alike. She encouraged students to view innovation as part of nursing education itself — where even something as basic as measuring vital signs can be re-imagined.

Mr Wong Kok Cheong, Deputy Director of Nursing at Changi General Hospital and one of the judges for the hackathon, shared that it was indicative of a larger shift in nursing as a profession. “Nursing innovation is the next milestone for nurses – with an ageing population and shrinking workforce, innovation is essential to improving productivity and patient outcomes.”

By Dr Azhar Ibrahim, Senior Lecturer at the Dept of Malay Studies at the Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences at NUS

• Berita Minggu, 7 September 2025, p11

By Ms Nurul ‘Ain Binte Razali, Part-time Lecturer at the Centre for Language Studies at the Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences at NUS

• Berita Minggu, 7 September 2025, p16

Over 300 students from across NUS gathered for “Building an Innovation Mindset” on 20 August 2025, a dynamic half-day event under the NUSOne initiative, hosted by NUS Enterprise in collaboration with the College of Design and Engineering (CDE) and the Office of the Provost. More than a theoretical introduction to entrepreneurship, the event offered an experiential journey, showing students how curiosity can be transformed into action, and how ideas can drive tangible, real-world impact.

Engineering innovation with entrepreneurial thinking

In the “Ideas to Innovation” lecture by Associate Professor Khoo Eng Tat, Assistant Dean (Research & Technology) at CDE, students were encouraged to view engineering (and learning) not just as calculations and prototypes, but as a platform for innovation and enterprise. His message: Entrepreneurial mindset is not innate – it is cultivated through questioning assumptions, embracing experimentation, and most importantly, learning from failure.

Luis Olguin Reyes, a Year 4 student at NUS Business School, aptly shared: “Failure is part of success, like in everything, but especially in entrepreneurship.” The sentiment captured the spirit of the lecture, reminding students that setbacks are not endpoints, but stepping stones for learning.

Founders’ fireside chat: Turning passion into purpose

A highlight of the afternoon was the panel discussion on “How Founders Bring Passion to Life”, moderated by Remi Choong, partner at deep-tech venture capital firm Elev8.vc. Three NUS Overseas Colleges (NOC) alumni also shared their journeys:

·       Grace Chia, Co-Founder & CEO of BeeX Autonomous Systems

·       M. Ibnur Rashad, Founder & CEO of Ground-Up Innovation Labs for Development (GUILD)

·       Chang Qingyang, Co-founder & CEO of ConcreteAI

Their stories were not polished pitches but honest reflections on long nights, bold pivots, and repeated failures. Through these raw insights, students saw how resilience, curiosity and adaptability are the real engines behind innovation.

Students left inspired to take bold actions, embrace diverse perspectives, and approach challenges with creativity. For Leonard Goh, Year 2 student at NUS School of Computing, he found the session eye-opening and quoted M. Ibnur Rashad: “Failure is the norm in entrepreneurship, and it should be expected, not avoided.”

For Reiner Ong, Year 2 student at NUS CDE, this was an eye-opener. She reflected, “I’ve always been afraid to start my own entrepreneurial journey because I feared setbacks. But after today’s panel, I’ve learned that failure is just part of the journey, and we must embrace and learn from it.”

Building mindsets, block by block

The event closed with “Problem Solving Piece by Piece”, a hands-on challenge using the SOMA cube, a classic spatial puzzle made of interlocking pieces. The activity sparked laughter, collaboration, and creative problem-solving, teaching participants the value of persistence, teamwork, and breaking complex challenges into manageable steps, key habits for building an entrepreneurial mindset.

Neryss Ho, Year 2 student at CDE, shared, “We were tasked to build the tallest tower using just a few 3D blocks, and it was so much fun thinking of creative ways to solve the problem. It was definitely my favourite activity.”

The activity underscored a vital truth: complex problems can be tackled when broken into parts - mirroring the process of entrepreneurial problem-solving in the real world.

Key takeaways: Planting the seeds of an entrepreneurial future

By the end of the event, one thing was clear: Entrepreneurship isn’t just about launching start-ups – it is a mindset. It is about cultivating curiosity and courage to ask “What if?”, and about embracing failure as a learning opportunity. It is about turning problems into possibilities, and taking the first small step toward something bigger.

Many students walked away with concrete goals, from solving one real-world problem a month to forming project teams with peers from different faculties.

“Building an Innovation Mindset” was more than a typical classroom lesson. It offered students not only a window into how ventures are built, but also personal growth in building confidence, skills, and an entrepreneurial mindset to take their first steps toward launching their own innovations and turning ideas into tangible impact.

By NUS Enterprise

By Prof Teo Yik Ying, Vice-President for Global Health and Dean of the Saw Swee Hock School of Public Health at NUS

• The Straits Times, 4 September 2025, Opinion, pB4

• 8world Online, 3 September 2025
• The Business Times, 4 September 2025, p11
• Lianhe Zaobao, 4 September 2025, Business, p27

By Dr Azhar Ibrahim Alwee, Senior Lecturer from the Department of Malay Studies, Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences at NUS

• Berita Minggu, 31 August 2025, p11

Applying to NUS has become easier — the University has adopted a new digital system that offers a smoother, faster, and more intuitive experience for students.

A few years ago, NUS set out to reimagine and enhance the entire admissions journey, aiming to deliver a seamless and user-friendly experience for both applicants and administrators. This initiative to modernise the NUS Undergraduate Admission System (UAS 2) was recently featured as a case study by Gartner, a leading global research and advisory firm. Selected through a rigorous selection process and a thorough independent assessment, this recognition highlights the significant impact of NUS’ digital transformation efforts.

Putting automation at the core of the initiative, NUS Office of Admissions (NUS OAM) and NUS Information Technology (NUS IT) teamed up to transform the application experience, simplifying and optimising the entire process.

The new and modernised system was first launched in Academic Year 2022/23 and fully completed in June 2024. The introduction of the new system significantly enhanced the application process and enabled NUS OAM to efficiently handle a substantial increase in applications. The system also provided timely notifications of application outcomes — via email and SMS — to prospective students, reducing the volume of admissions enquiries to NUS OAM.

NUS Dean of Admissions Professor Goh Say Song said, “The application process marks students’ first pivotal step in their journey towards admission. When the process is simple and smooth, it instantly builds trust with the students and shows that we value their experience from the very beginning.”

This new platform enables automation and data-driven processes, replacing manual systems with a digitally enhanced approach to managing applications. This has optimised the use of IT resources and enabled more responsive and scalable operations. Extensive testing was also conducted by NUS OAM and NUS IT to ensure an integration of legacy systems with the new platform.

Transforming the application experience with automation

Automating the application process allowed NUS OAM to streamline its workflows, significantly reducing the time taken for administrators to process applications. Beyond enhancing operational productivity, the new platform offers applicants an intuitive, accessible and more personalised experience, setting NUS apart in an intensely competitive higher education landscape.

The modernisation of the admission system also had a tangible impact on the day-to-day work of administrators. With faster processing, more efficient use of IT resources, and higher applicant satisfaction, this reflects a broader cultural shift towards digital-first thinking and underscores the long-term value of the benefits of transformative technology.

NUS Chief Information Technology Officer Ms Tan Shui-Min shared, “Transforming an institution-wide system was fostered by strong cross-department collaboration that enabled us to overcome challenges and drive the platform’s success. The recognition as a Gartner case study reaffirmed NUS’s position as a digital leader in higher education and validated the efforts of our teams!”

Both teams have some nuggets of wisdom to share from the experience of facilitating this system upgrade. “Remain flexible, maintain an agile mindset when adopting new technology, and regularly engage and proactively communicate with end-users to determine adjustments that need to be made. The success of such initiatives lies in having a clear vision, a commitment to innovation, and a willingness to reimagine traditional processes for a better future.”

Climate change presents substantial challenges for Singapore and Southeast Asia. Recognising the importance of addressing these needs, NUS is contributing to a new national-level collaboration aimed at enhancing weather prediction for Singapore and the region by leveraging the latest advances in science and technology.

On 5 September 2025, Professor Liu Bin, NUS Deputy President (Research and Technology), signed a Memorandum of Understanding with partners from the National Environment Agency (NEA), Agency for Science, Technology and Research (A*STAR), and Nanyang Technological University, Singapore (NTU Singapore) to establish the Climate and Weather Research Alliance Singapore (CAWRAS).

CAWRAS serves as a national research platform to advance tropical climate and weather research for Singapore and Southeast Asia. It will also nurture local talent pipeline in weather and climate science. Senior Minister of State for Sustainability and the Environment Janil Puthucheary attended the launch as Guest-of-Honour.

Highlighting the significance of CAWRAS’ work, Dr Puthucheary said, “Climate science gives us a better glimpse into the future and helps reduce the uncertainty in climate projections, allowing us to plan and calibrate our various adaptation measures based on the latest available science, which we have done in areas such as coastal protection, flood resilience, heat resilience and food security. Weather services are crucial in providing the necessary data to government agencies and stakeholders for their operations.”

He added that there is a need to further understand tropical climate and weather systems, and develop localised, high-resolution products tailored to this region, which has our own uniqueness.

“The research alliance will bring together and harmonise the unique capabilities across our institutes,” said Dr Puthucheary. “This collaborative research model will also allow us to nurture a robust local talent pipeline in weather and climate science… We need to have that capability and expertise so that we position Singapore at the forefront of tropical urban weather and climate science.”

Five NUS projects have been awarded funding, among 10 projects, under a S$25 million Weather Science Research Programme funded under the Research, Innovation and Enterprise 2025 plan which will be implemented via CAWRAS.

NUS researchers will be spearheading the following research initiatives:

1.     Enhancing next-generation numerical weather prediction

Dr Srivatsan V Raghavan from the NUS Tropical Marine Science Institute, will be leading a project team to enhance Singapore’s weather science capabilities by leveraging high-resolution radar data to improve thunderstorm prediction within the critical 0-6 hour range and reduce false alarms for heavy rainfall events.

2.     Modelling Singapore's complex urban environment and its effects on weather, including extreme conditions

A team of scientists led by Professor Matthias Roth from the Department of Geography at NUS Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences will look into developing a next-generation urban-scale weather forecasting system to improve prediction capabilities from the current 1.5km resolution used by the Meteorological Services Singapore to much finer neighbourhood scales (100-300m). The enhanced system will provide more detailed forecasts for urban heat, wind flows, extreme rainfall, and air pollution dispersion.

3.     Understanding the effects of air-sea-land interactions on the weather of the Maritime Continent

Dr Kaushik Sasmal from the Technology Centre for Offshore and Marine, Singapore, will drive research efforts to develop a fully coupled atmosphere-ocean-land modeling system to improve weather prediction in the Maritime Continent region, particularly for phenomena strongly influenced by air-sea-land interactions such as squall lines, atmospheric and marine vortices, and the diurnal cycle of rainfall.

4.     AI foundation models for regional weather prediction in the Maritime Continent

Assistant Professor Zhu Lailai from the Department of Mechanical Engineering under the College of Design and Engineering at NUS will be leading a project to establish a general framework for fine-tuning existing AI Foundation Models tailored to high-resolution regional weather prediction in the Maritime Continent. The aim is to strengthen extreme weather detection, with aviation identified as a priority application.

5.     Leveraging advanced techniques to transform complex ensemble data into actionable tropical weather forecasts

A team led by Assistant Professor He Xiaogang from the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering under the College of Design and Engineering at NUS will be developing the Tropical Ensemble Model Post-processing with Explainable Scenario (TEMPEST) system to interpret ensemble forecasts through novel clustering algorithms.

Prof Liu said, “NUS welcomes this national research alliance as an integral part of our commitment to research and innovation in the areas of sustainability and climate change. Leveraging our research strengths such as urban climate modelling, hydroclimatology, artificial intelligence, and foundation modelling, we are excited to contribute significantly on a national level to Singapore's weather prediction capabilities while nurturing the next generation of weather and climate scientists.”

Elevating weather science capabilities, together

Led by the Centre for Climate Research Singapore, CAWRAS brings together leading research institutions to expand weather science capabilities at the national level. This coordinated effort comes at a time when advances in technology, such as high-resolution modelling, artificial intelligence, and enhanced observational networks, present new opportunities to improve weather prediction. The research alliance will expand its scope to include climate research on longer timescales in future.

The 10 research projects awarded under the WSRP, focus on four key areas: improving the use of weather observations, developing next-generation weather/climate models, performing a detailed historical weather re-analysis over recent decades for Southeast Asia, and enhancing weather prediction accuracy through advanced post-processing techniques.

Ms Koh Li-Na, Director-General of the Meteorological Service Singapore, NEA, said, "CAWRAS is a strong commitment by our research institutions, working with the Centre for Climate Research Singapore, to collectively tackle the unique challenges of predicting weather in our tropical urban environment and enhance our understanding of climate change. We look forward to translating science to improved services to bolster Singapore’s resilience in the face of climate change.”

Professor Lim Keng Hui, Assistant Chief Executive (Science & Engineering Research Council), A*STAR, said, "A*STAR is proud to contribute to this national effort to improve Singapore’s weather research. Our expertise in high performance computing, artificial intelligence (AI), modelling and simulation will contribute to the development of the Climate and Weather Research & Evaluation Testbed (CAWRET) and support regional analysis. We look forward to working closely with our partners to translate scientific innovations into practical solutions that strengthen Singapore’s resilience to weather-related challenges, particularly in sectors in aviation, maritime, and urban planning.”

Professor Ernst Kuipers, Vice President (Research) of NTU Singapore said, “Leveraging NTU’s established track record in Earth and environmental sciences, supported by infrastructure like the Earth Observatory of Singapore, and our pioneering Climate Transformation Programme, we are uniquely positioned to combine AI, remote sensing, and advanced environmental modelling to forecast tropical weather with enhanced accuracy. Through interdisciplinary collaboration spanning fields like medicine, public health, environmental engineering, and urban resilience, NTU will contribute to Singapore’s role as a leading hub for tropical weather and climate science research in Southeast Asia.”

• The Straits Times, 3 September 2025, The Big Story, pA6

• The Straits Times, 3 September 2025, The Big Story, pA6

Associate Professor Koh Ming Joo from NUS Department of Chemistry has been named an Asian Young Scientist Fellow in recognition of his achievements in base metal-catalysed alkene/alkyne functionalisations and glycosyl radical functionalisations, which have significantly accelerated small-molecule and carbohydrate synthesis. The Fellowship aims to support his exploration in catalytic skeletal editing transformations to create new functional molecules.

The Asian Young Scientist Fellowship (AYSF) announced 12 Fellows this year comprising accomplished early-career scientists selected for their exceptional scientific contributions and potential in their respective fields.

The AYSF annually selects early-career researchers in the fundamental science disciplines of life sciences, physical sciences, mathematics and computer science. Each Fellow receives USD100,000 over two years to support their research, along with benefits from participating in the AYSF annual conference, academic activities, and access to a network of young scientists across Asia and globally. 

Assoc Prof Koh said, “It’s an honour to be named an AYS Fellow and represent NUS on the international stage. I believe this Fellowship will boost our efforts to develop transformative skeletal editing reactions that have the capacity to change the landscape of organic synthesis.”

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By Prof Tan Huay Cheem, from the Dept of Medicine,Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine at NUS

• Lianhe Zaobao, 2 September 2025, Fukan, p2

By Dr Hanny Kusnadi, Senior Lecturer at the Dept of Accounting at NUS Business School

• The Business Times, 2 September 2025, p5

By Prof Danny Quah, Li Ka Shing Professor in Economics at the Lee Kuan Yew School of Public Policy at NUS

• The Straits Times, 2 September 2025, Opinion, pB2

• CNA Online, 1 September 2025
• 8world Online, 1 September 2025
• CNA938, 1 September 2025
• Tamil Murasu, 2 September 2025, p2

• Lianhe Zaobao, 2 September 2025, Singapore, p9

• The Straits Times Online, 2 September 2025
• Lianhe Zaobao Online, 2 September 2025
• CNA Online, 2 September 2025
• 8world Online, 2 September 2025

• Money 89.3FM, 27 August 2025
• The Business Times, 28 August 2025, p15
• Lianhe Zaobao, 2 September 2025, Singapore, p10

• CNA Online, 28 August 2025
• CNA, 28 August 2025
• Channel 5 News, 28 August 2025
• 8world Online, 28 August 2025
• CNA938, 28 August 2025
• Lianhe Zaobao, 29 August 2025, Singapore, p7

• 8world Online, 28 August 2025

• Suria News Online, 28 August 2025

By Elyssa Liu, Legal Frameworks and Governance Team Leader at the Duke-NUS Centre for Outbreak Preparedness

• CNA Online, 26 August 2025

Asian nations are today becoming more central to shaping global politics, economics and security. As Asia’s global influence grows, its countries must take responsibility for stability and peace, rather than allowing rivalries to define the century.

This point was underscored during the dialogue between veteran diplomat and Distinguished Fellow at the NUS Asia Research Institute (ARI) Mr Kishore Mahbubani and Singapore’s former foreign minister Mr George Yeo in conjunction with the launch of the book, Can Asians Think of Peace? Essays on Managing Conflict in the Asian Century, on 22 August 2025.

The book, co-edited by Mr Mahbubani and Dr Kesava Chandra Varigonda and Ms Kristen Tang from ARI, compiles 61 essays written by global scholars, policymakers and experts for the Asian Peace Programme (APP) from the time of its launch in July 2020 to December 2024. The essays examine possible areas of conflict in Asia, offering Asia-focused, pragmatic perspectives on conflict management and peacebuilding.

Published in July 2025 as an open-access volume to coincide with APP’s fifth anniversary, the book has already been downloaded 103,000 times and reached #3 on The Straits Times non-fiction bestseller list, reflecting its broad reach across academia, policy circles and the public.

In his opening address at the launch, ARI Director Professor Tim Bunnell recalled how the APP was conceived in the wake of the 2020 military clashes between Chinese and Indian troops, as there was a recognition of the need for a credible peace initiative that was “Asia-focused, Asia-centred and Asia-led”.

“This book stands as proof of the important work the APP has undertaken in addressing that need, with recent tensions along the Thai-Cambodian border serving as a reminder that such peace-making efforts remain as vital as ever for the region,” said Prof Bunnell.

Speaking at the launch event attended by about 250 guests from academia and policymaking, Mr Yeo lauded APP for demonstrating what he called “a bias for peace”, describing how the book contained a “treasure trove of perspectives” on the region’s most pressing challenges.

He highlighted the critical role of understanding one’s opponents in geopolitics, as effective peacekeeping demands strategic insight and a clear grasp of what motivates the opponents and where their interests lie.

“When we start seeing problems from the other person’s perspective, and we can only do it if we respect the interlocutor, then the possibility of win-win outcomes becomes possible,” Mr Yeo said.

The dangers of ‘demonising opponents’ were also discussed during the dialogue between Mr Yeo and Mr Mahbubani.

“When you demonise the other, you become fearful, you become self-righteous. And out of self-righteousness arises the greatest evil. Those who are evil…believe they are doing right by the people,” said Mr Yeo, adding that this troubling mindset had become increasingly evident, for example, in US-China relations. Rather than allowing fear and self-righteousness to shape interactions, he emphasised the value of building understanding through shared histories and cultures.

Mr Mahbubani pointed to the recent warming of China–India relations, which he described as critical to peace in Asia. Mr Yeo concurred, citing symbolic gestures on both sides: President Xi Jinping’s 2014 visit to Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s home state of Gujarat, where the Buddhist monk Xuanzang once spent time, and Mr Modi’s reciprocal visit to Xi’s hometown of Xi’an, where Xuanzang had returned with Buddhist scriptures.

Mr Yeo drew on a striking metaphor by eminent historian and NUS University Professor Wang Gungwu, who described Singapore as the place where the “mandalas” of India and China overlap.

Extending this imagery, he noted that Southeast Asia is where the spheres of influence of China, India and the West intersect at varying intensities across the 10 ASEAN nations – giving the region a unique vantage point to understand all three. “The work which the APP does, in a sense, can only be done in Southeast Asia, and perhaps only in Singapore, which makes it so special,” he said.

Indeed, it is Mr Mahbubani’s hope that the APP can make a meaningful difference by serving as “a small candle” that illuminates the path to peace in Asia and beyond.

Can Asians Think of Peace? Essays on Managing Conflict in the Asian Century is a culmination of the APP’s work, with its open-access format allowing anyone worldwide to read and cite these essays, amplifying their reach across academia, policy, and public discourse.

Download the book for free now at publisher Springer Nature’s website.

Sixty-three years after their formal separation, NUS and Universiti Malaya (UM) continue to honour their shared origins and enduring relationship.

Late last month, the two universities came together in Ipoh, Malaysia, to celebrate their social and academic ties through the 54^th edition of the UM-NUS Inter-University Tunku Chancellor Golf Tournament, as well as the concurrent UM-NUS Joint Academic Symposium on Precision Health.

To mark the occasion, a royal dinner was held on 25 August 2025 at the Istana Iskandariah, Kuala Kangsar. The event was hosted by the UM Chancellor, His Royal Highness (HRH) Sultan Dr Nazrin Muizzuddin Shah, Sultan of Perak, and the Raja Permaisuri of Perak, Her Royal Highness Tuanku Zara Salim. It was attended by the NUS Chancellor and President of the Republic of Singapore, Mr Tharman Shanmugaratnam, and his spouse, Mrs Jane Ittogi Shanmugaratnam, as well as Singapore’s High Commissioner to Malaysia, Mr Vanu Gopala Menon (Business ’85) and his spouse, Mrs Jayanthi Menon (Law ’89). Other members of the NUS delegation included Mr Hsieh Fu Hua, Chairman of the NUS Board of Trustees; Professor Tan Eng Chye (Science ’85), NUS President; and Ms Ovidia Lim-Rajaram (Arts & Social Sciences ’89), NUS Chief Alumni Officer, alongside participating academics and golfers.

In remarks made at the dinner, Professor Tan stated, “This is the second year we have paired the tournament with an academic symposium, symbolising the diverse and multilayered nature of the UM-NUS relationship: one that values both personal connection and intellectual exchange, each deepening and enriching the other.”

The sentiment was echoed by the Vice-Chancellor of UM, Professor Dato' Seri Ir. Dr Noor Azuan bin Abu Osman, who observed, “What gives universities their unique power is that we do not compete for resources in the same way states or corporations do. Instead, we compete by collaborating, and we grow stronger by sharing.”

Partners in progress

This commitment to collaboration and knowledge exchange was evident at the joint academic symposium on 26 August, themed around precision health. The event featured presentations from 10 distinguished researchers and professors from both UM and NUS, with speakers highlighting the ongoing transformation of healthcare from a one-size-fits-all model to one driven by personalised medicine and data-driven solutions.

“It’s always meaningful when we can come together to leverage our complementary strengths and address shared challenges,” said Professor Tai E Shyong from the NUS Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine. “UM and NUS have tremendous potential to advance medical research focused on Asian populations, with events like this providing a valuable platform to exchange ideas, foster collaboration, and drive progress in ways that ultimately improve the healthcare outcomes of our communities.”

Friendship in full swing

Complementing the joint symposium, the UM-NUS Inter-University Tunku Chancellor Golf Tournament took place on 26 August 2025 at the Royal Perak Golf Club, following a social round held the previous day at the Meru Valley Golf & Country Club.  More than 100 golfers—including faculty, staff and alumni from both institutions—participated in the event.  

First held in 1968 as a symbol of the strong relationship between senior leaders of UM and NUS, the longstanding tournament is hosted alternately by the two universities, strengthening ties across their academic and alumni communities.

This year, the UM team emerged victorious, capping off an eventful two days reaffirming more than six decades of friendship and collaboration.

By NUS Office of Alumni Relations

By Dr Jean-Loup Samaan, Senior Research Fellow from the Middle East Institute at NUS

• CNA Online, 30 August 2025

• Lianhe Zaobao, 24 August 2025, News, p10

By Prof Lawrence Loh, Director of the Centre for Governance and Sustainability at NUS Business School

• The Business Times, 23 August 2025, p2

• CNA, 20 August 2025
• CNA Online, 20 August 2025
• Channel 5 News, 20 August 2025
• Vasantham News Online, 20 August 2025
• The Straits Times, 21 August 2025, The Big Story, Front Page & pA2
• Lianhe Zaobao, 21 August 2025, Singapore, Front Page & p6
• CNA938, 21 August 2025
• Money 89.3FM, 21 August 2025
• Kiss92FM, 21 August 2025
• One FM 91.3, 21 August 2025
• The New Paper, 21 August 2025
• Berita Harian, 21 August 2025, Front Page
• Tamil Murasu, 21 August 2025, Front Page
• Tabla!, 22 August 2025, p4
• Lianhe Zaobao, 25 August 2025, Opinion, p19

• The Straits Times, 25 August 2025, Singapore, pA16

• Lianhe Zaobao, 25 August 2025, Singapore, p6

• Lianhe Zaobao, 1 September 2025, Singapore, p8

• Tamil Murasu Online, 31 August 2025
• The Straits Times, 1 September 2025, Singapore, pA15

By Dr Azhar Ibrahim Alwee, Senior Lecturer from the Dept of Malay Studies, Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences at NUS

• Suria News Online, 31 August 2025

For university students, summer break is more than a time to relax – it is also an opportunity for learning beyond the classroom.

Jazmine Lin, a third-year NUS Political Science undergraduate, participated in the Temasek-Foundation – NUS Leadership Enrichment and Regional Networking (TF - NUS LEaRN) Programme 2025 during the recent summer break, discovering that it offered her the best of both worlds: time to recharge combined with enriching learning experiences. She was among the 59 university students from across Southeast Asia who were able to learn more about the region, develop their leadership capabilities collaboratively and form new friendships through the programme.

Immersing in Chiang Mai’s culture

The programme kicked off in May with a two-week immersion in Chiang Mai, Thailand, hosted by the Language Institute Chiang Mai University (CMU). Thirty students from NUS, Singapore Institute of Technology and Singapore University of Social Sciences had the opportunity to interact with local community leaders and participate in various leadership development workshops. Through field trips, they were able to learn more about the different communities, their unique cultural practices and identities, as well as how the locals tapped into their surrounding resources to make a living.

One such visit took students to Nai Suan (which means ‘In the Garden’ in Thai), a community enterprise in the Mae Rim district that upcycles fallen leaves into biodegradable bowls and plates. This initiative not only promotes sustainable living, but it is also a source of income for the locals who collect the leaves. Students were invited to experience the process themselves – from washing the leaves and removing their veins, to moulding them into the final products by using a hydraulic press.

In the Doi Saket district, students visited the Ban Baiboon Thai-Tai Lue Wisdom Learning Center, which aims to preserve the indigenous Tai Lue culture by offering homestays and tours, as well as workshops where visitors can try their hand at various traditional crafts. Through touring traditional Tai Lue houses, observing the process of handicraft-making and sampling local snacks, students gained first-hand experience of the community’s authentic way of life.

The Chiang Mai leg concluded with a Sustainable Environment Hackathon, where students applied their learnings to develop solutions to address regional environmental challenges. They pitched their ideas to the faculty members from CMU’s Faculty of Science, sparking a lively exchange of innovation and teamwork.

Deepening regional understanding in Singapore

Upon returning to Singapore in July for the next leg of the programme, the students were joined by 29 peers from 19 universities across Southeast Asia.

In the first week, the students focused on community leadership, which emphasised skills such as teamwork and active listening. Students from the Nanyang Technological University and Singapore Management University TF-LEaRN programme also participated in the activities, creating a more dynamic environment.

For the second week, students explored the three key themes of greenery, water and racial harmony, all of which are hallmarks of Singapore’s identity and intrinsically important to national development. By participating in leadership seminars, fireside chats with NUS students and alumni who shared their experiences in community leadership, as well as learning journeys to Marina Barrage, Ba’alwie Mosque and a Veggie Rescue at Little India activity, they gained insights into Singapore’s approach to urban sustainability and multiculturalism. Many overseas students shared how this approach contrasted with those from their home countries, engendering enriching discussions on the region’s shared challenges and diverse approaches.

In the final week, students took part in a futures thinking segment conducted by the Lee Kuan Yew School of Public Policy at NUS, where they were introduced to tools such as horizon scanning and scenario communication, which are useful in anticipating trends and challenges, as well as developing effective strategies.

They were later divided into groups and tasked with identifying and addressing a community development issue in a Southeast Asian country of their choice. Through prototyping, brainstorming and presenting their ideas, students honed their ability to collaborate across cultural and academic disciplinary boundaries.

The entire programme has been an eye-opening experience for Jazmine. “Through the various talks, lectures and learning journeys, I saw how community leadership can come in many different forms. It was interesting to witness how different ideas came to life in both countries and the experience was made richer with the perspectives and insights from our Southeast Asian buddies. But beyond all the learnings, what stayed with me the most were the friendships built, and I believe this will endure well beyond the programme.”

By NUS Global Relations Office

• The Straits Times, 22 August 2025, Singapore, pA15
• Tamil Murasu, 22 August 2025, p3

By Dr Chew Han Ei, Senior Research Fellow and Head of Governance and Economy Cluster at the Institute of Policy Studies, Lee Kuan Yew School of Public Policy at NUS

• CNA Online, 22 August 2025

• The Straits Times, 27 August 2025, The Big Story, pA5

• Lianhe Zaobao, 27 August 2025, Singapore, p6
• Berita Harian Online, 27 August 2025
• 8world Online, 27 August 2025

• Vasantham News Online, 26 August 2025
• CNA Online, 27 August 2025
• Money 89.3FM, 27 August 2025
• The Straits Times, 28 August 2025, Life, pC8

By Chen Jiani, a Master’s student from the Dept of Chinese Studies, Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences at NUS

• Lianhe Zaobao, 27 August 2025, Opinion, p19

How likely you think something is to happen depends on what you already believe about the circumstances. That is the simple concept behind Bayes’ rule, an approach to calculating probabilities, first proposed in 1763. Now, an international team of researchers has shown how Bayes’ rule operates in the quantum world. 
 
“I would say it is a breakthrough in mathematical physics,” said Professor Valerio Scarani, Deputy Director and Principal Investigator at the Centre for Quantum Technologies, and member of the team. His co-authors on the work published on 28 August 2025 in Physical Review Letters are Assistant Professor Ge Bai at the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology in China, and Professor Francesco Buscemi at Nagoya University in Japan. 

“Bayes’ rule has been helping us make smarter guesses for 250 years. Now we have taught it some quantum tricks,” said Prof Buscemi.

While researchers before them had proposed quantum analogues for Bayes’ rule, they are the first to derive a quantum Bayes’ rule from a fundamental principle.  

Conditional probability 

Bayes’ rule is named for Thomas Bayes, who first defined his rules for conditional probabilities in ‘An Essay Towards Solving a Problem in the Doctrine of Chances’.  

Consider a case in which a person tests positive for flu. They may have suspected they were sick, but this new information would change how they think about their health. Bayes’ rule provides a method to calculate the probability of flu conditioned not only on the test result and the chances of the test giving a wrong answer, but also on the individual’s initial beliefs. 

Bayes’ rule interprets probabilities as expressing degrees of belief in an event. This has been long debated, since some statisticians think that probabilities should be “objective” and not based on beliefs. However, in situations where beliefs are involved, Bayes’ rule is accepted as a guide for reasoning. This is why it has found widespread use from medical diagnosis and weather prediction to data science and machine learning. 

Principle of minimum change 

When calculating probabilities with Bayes’ rule, the principle of minimum change is obeyed. Mathematically, the principle of minimum change minimises the distance between the joint probability distributions of the initial and updated belief. Intuitively, this is the idea that for any new piece of information, beliefs are updated in the smallest possible way that is compatible with the new facts. In the case of the flu test, for example, a negative test would not imply that the person is healthy, but rather that they are less likely to have the flu. 

In their work, Prof Scarani, who is also from NUS Department of Physics, Asst Prof Bai, and Prof Buscemi began with a quantum analogue to the minimum change principle. They quantified change in terms of quantum fidelity, which is a measure of the closeness between quantum states.  

Researchers always thought a quantum Bayes’ rule should exist because quantum states define probabilities. For example, the quantum state of a particle provides the probability of it being found at different locations. The goal is to determine the whole quantum state, but the particle is only found at one location when a measurement is performed. This new information will then update the belief, boosting the probability around that location.  

The team derived their quantum Bayes’ rule by maximising the fidelity between two objects that represent the forward and the reverse process, in analogy with a classical joint probability distribution. Maximising fidelity is equivalent to minimising change. They found in some cases their equations matched the Petz recovery map, which was proposed by Dénes Petz in the 1980s and was later identified as one of the most likely candidates for the quantum Bayes’ rule based just on its properties.  

“This is the first time we have derived it from a higher principle, which could be a validation for using the Petz map,” said Prof Scarani. The Petz map has potential applications in quantum computing for tasks such as quantum error correction and machine learning. The team plans to explore whether applying the minimum change principle to other quantum measures might reveal other solutions.  

From bustling hawker centres to iconic historical architecture, Singapore’s rich cultural heritage holds powerful potential for storytelling. In celebration of the nation’s 60th year of independence, Pitch It! 2025 shines a spotlight on the theme “The Singapore Story”. Organised annually by the NUS Communications and New Media Society (CNM Society) since 2013, Pitch It! is a nationwide competition that encourages tertiary students to unleash their creativity and inspire social change through the use of diverse forms of media.

This year’s edition, held from April to July, was organised in partnership with Mediacorp’s Bloomr.SG (a content creator network to foster creative talents), the Singapore Heritage Society, and the Singapore Film Society. Featuring the problem statement “How can we enhance the telling of The Singapore Story – celebrating its colonial landmarks, traditional music, kampong life, and hawker food – in a way that fosters unity, pride and cross-cultural appreciation?”, Pitch It! 2025 challenged participants to develop compelling advertising or social media campaigns to bring these stories to life.

Learning to tell cultural stories

The four-month journey saw 24 student teams from polytechnics and universities competing for up to S$3000 worth of cash prizes. To kickstart the creative process, participants attended two highly anticipated masterclasses.

The first, co-led by Mr Han Ming Guang from the Singapore Heritage Society and Ms Priyanka Nair from the Singapore Film Society, highlighted the importance of authenticity in presenting Singapore’s cultural narratives and the role of youth in shaping national memory. Participants were encouraged to think critically about how campaigns could move beyond nostalgia to foster inclusivity, representation, and long-term relevance. Drawing from their own experiences in heritage conservation, Mr Han and Ms Nair shared the challenges they faced in raising public awareness and offered practical insights into the strategies and campaign approaches they employed to address them.

In the second masterclass, Mr Diogo Martins and Ms Denise Tan from Mediacorp’s Bloomr.SG introduced participants to the anatomy of a successful digital campaign. Using real-life case studies, participants explored how to integrate social media trends with emotive storytelling to drive public engagement. They came away with a deeper understanding of how creativity, data, and empathy intersect to create impactful media campaigns in today’s fast-paced digital landscape. Renee Chew, a Year 2 Communications and New Media student from the NUS Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences (FASS), said, “The masterclasses were incredibly engaging and helped us to develop our campaign effectively.”

From concept to campaign

Armed with new insights, teams conducted research and fieldwork and developed campaign concepts ranging from a video series to interactive heritage trails. Following the preliminary round, five standout teams were shortlisted to present their campaigns at the Grand Finals, where they received constructive feedback from industry judges and had the opportunity to refine their proposals ahead of the final pitch.

The Pitch It! 2025 Grand Finals took place in July, with teams Ixora, Wing Wing, Need Compass and Singapore FM presenting their campaigns to a distinguished panel of industry judges comprising the speakers from the earlier masterclasses – Mr Han, Ms Nair, Mr Martins and Ms Lisa Low from Mediacorp’s Bloomr.SG.

The top prize went to Team Wing Wing for their campaign #HearOurSingaporeStory, which centred on the power of sound to connect generations. At unique phone booths located near historic sites such as the Victoria Concert Hall, Clarke Quay and the Esplanade, seniors and youths can share personal stories about Singapore’s iconic landmarks and traditions – creating more authentic and emotionally resonant stories which can be shared and appreciated across generations. Mr Han highlighted how the team had a long-term vision to sustain their campaign beyond their initial proposal and had good environmental scanning. This was one of many reasons why their pitch stood out from the rest.

“It was really fun coming up with bold, creative ideas to bring the Singapore Story to life,” shared Shernice Feng, a second-year Communication Studies student from the Nanyang Technological University’s Wee Kim Wee School of Communication and Information and a member of the winning team. “I found the experience very fulfilling as it gave us a platform to explore our own interests and perspectives.”

Also featured at the Grand Finals was a panel discussion on “Heritage, Media and Inclusive Narratives” with Mr Han, Ms Nair and Dr Jinna Tay, Senior Lecturer from the FASS CNM Department. The panel explored key challenges in heritage communication, including how to represent culture responsibly amid commercial interests, adapting to shifting media consumption patterns, sustaining long-term interest in heritage beyond one-off campaigns, and finding a balance between data-driven content strategies and meaningful storytelling.

As Pitch It! 2025 drew to a close, students had the opportunity to network with speakers and partners, engaging in meaningful conversations that extended well beyond the formal programme.

Preparing our youth for the real world

The competition not only showcased the creativity of Singapore’s youth but also provided a meaningful learning experience – connecting students with industry mentors and giving them a glimpse into the realities of campaign development.

Chieng Josiah, CNM Society Vice-President in charge of external relations and events, and Year 2 CNM Student, was proud of his organising team, which included Project Directors Year 4 CNM student Ho Ee Hsuen and Year 2 CNM student Tran Nguyen Thao Anh, for persevering through the academic year to plan this major competition.

He shared, “It has been a memorable experience planning and improving on this year’s edition to commemorate SG60 with our culture-focused and media-focused masterclasses and Grand Finals. It was also heartwarming to see our participants from various schools connect with industry experts and experienced individuals in the local cultural and heritage scene. We hope Pitch It! continues to inspire our aspiring communications professionals!”

“Pitch It! is a great opportunity for students to tackle real-world industry challenges,” noted Mr Martins. “Through the process, they gain valuable experience in aggregating insights to form coherent solutions. It also helps build their confidence – in public speaking, pitching ideas effectively, and competing at a professional level.”

By the CNM Society at the NUS Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences

Following a one-year hiatus, NUS Team Bumblebee made a strong return to RoboSub 2025, reclaiming the championship title. The team had previously clinched its first championship in 2022 and successfully retained the top place in 2023.

Held from 11 to 17 August 2025 at the William Woollett Jr Aquatics Center in the City of Irvine in California, USA, RoboSub is a global competition that challenges teams to tackle real-world underwater robotics problems – from oceanographic exploration and mapping to object detection and manipulation. This year’s event brought together 58 teams from across the globe.

Team Bumblebee took a break from last year’s edition of RoboSub to focus on the Maritime RobotX Challenge, another international competition that advances autonomous robotic systems in the maritime domain. This year, the NUS team returned to RoboSub 2025 amid a record number of contenders, including Duke University, San Diego State University and Arizona State University – all of which were also finalists in this year’s competition.

After a week of intense competition – featuring technical presentations to judges and multiple rounds of pool testing - Team Bumblebee emerged as the overall champion and also swept awards for design documentation, namely Top Website, Top Video, Top Report and Top Assessment.

Team Lead Leong Deng Jun, Year 4 Computer Engineering undergraduate, reflected on the team’s effort, “I am very proud of what the team has achieved at this RoboSub. This year’s competition was especially challenging with a record number of teams participating. Many teams came better prepared, which meant we had limited testing time in the competition arena. Despite some unexpected setbacks and hardware issues, every member of our team stepped up and contributed to this victory.”

Based at the College of Design and Engineering in NUS, Team Bumblebee is a student-run multidisciplinary project comprising 55 undergraduates from Mechanical, Computer, and Electrical Engineering as well as NUS School of Computing, NUS Business School, and NUS College of Humanities and Sciences.

The NUS Business School marked its 60^th anniversary with a birthday bash on 14 August 2025, bringing together current students, staff and past and present leaders to celebrate its journey and look to the future.

Founded in 1965 as the Department of Business Administration, it began with just 21 students recruited from the Faculty of Arts by its first leader, Dr Andrew Zecha, who personally persuaded undergraduates to join the fledgling department. It went on to lay the foundation for business education in Singapore, setting up Master of Business Administration (MBA) and Executive MBA (EMBA) programmes in partnership with schools in China and the US and earning accreditations that helped it transform into a global business school.

Today, the Business School boasts more than 6,000 students across the undergraduate and postgraduate levels and an alumni network of more than 50,000. It is the top business school in Asia and ranks among the top ten globally.

NUS President Tan Eng Chye, NUS Business School co-founder Mr Tan Yam Pin, former deans Emeritus Professor Lee Soo Ann, Professor Wee Chow Hou, Professor Hum Sin Hoon and Professor Kulwant Singh, and Deputy Dean Associate Professor Jumana Zahalka joined Distinguished Professor Andrew Rose, Dean of the Business School, for a cake-cutting ceremony to open the event.

In his opening remarks, Prof Rose thanked the School’s founders and leaders for their contributions over the past six decades, as well as the faculty and staff whose education and research work form the core of the School’s reputation. “They are the reason why we’re attracting higher and higher quality students, and our reputation continues to grow,” he said.

The event included a fully subscribed masterclass on the future of sustainability in Asia, delivered by Professor Lawrence Loh, Director of the Centre for Governance and Sustainability, and an activity-packed carnival. Attendees enjoyed traditional snacks, arcade games, art booths and a dunk tank where their attempts to dunk Prof Rose and other faculty members raised money for a good cause.

Leading in Singapore and Asia

For former Business School leaders Mr Tan, Prof Lee and Prof Wee, the 60^th anniversary milestone was an opportunity to reflect on the stark changes that have taken place since their time. The School’s enrolment growth is especially impressive for Mr Tan, who was there when the initial cohort of 21 was enrolled. In comparison, the undergraduate intake in recent years has been around 4,000 students per year.

Mr Tan reflected: “In 1963, when we first conceived the concept of starting a department of business administration, it seemed like a baby step forward to me. Now looking back, it was actually a giant leap, like (Neil) Armstrong said.”

Back then, business subjects like accountancy were considered more suitable for polytechnic diplomas, rather than degrees, Prof Lee recalled. However, things changed when Singapore gained independence in 1965 and needed to train its own finance professionals.

Prof Lee said, “The teaching of accounting and business administration became essential for businesses to survive, because the accountants had returned to England. By teaching accounting here, we upgraded the capabilities of Singapore and the economy.”

He looks forward to continued innovations in how the School prepares students for the changing business environment, such as by offering more double degree programmes and leveraging new technologies like Generative AI to help students learn faster and more broadly.

Prof Wee was pleased to see that several initiatives he introduced during his tenure from 1990–1999 have become an integral part of the School’s offerings and shaped its global focus.

For instance, he was an early advocate of the modular system over the traditional year-long curriculum, as it would allow students to retake individual modules as needed and embark on exchange programmes more flexibly. The same system has now been implemented across the entire University.

To strengthen the School’s influence as an authority on Asian business, he encouraged faculty members to initiate collaborations with authors of well-known business textbooks to develop new editions with Asian case studies and contexts. In addition, Chinese MBA and EMBA programmes were launched under his leadership, offering the first such programmes outside mainland China.

A project that he would have liked to execute before he stepped down was the creation of a bilingual master’s programme, which he believes would be critical to the Business School’s mission of providing business education with an Asian lens. He still hopes that this vision will eventually come to fruition in the School’s next chapter.

“Singapore as a nation has survived because the West wants to listen to our views about China, and the Chinese come to us to know about the West,” Prof Wee said. “As a society, our strength lies in playing that bridging role. It’s important that the government is trying to cultivate bilingualism, and our universities should complement this.”

• Lianhe Zaobao, 16 August 2025, Singapore, p8

• Lianhe Zaobao, 16 August 2025, Business, p24

By Dr Lin Jing, Research Fellow from the Middle East Institute at NUS

• Lianhe Zaobao, 16 August 2025, Opinion, p21

The National University of Singapore (NUS) has received a generous S$3 million pledge from global real estate powerhouse Mapletree Investments (Mapletree) to strengthen service-learning courses that will empower over 4,000 student volunteers annually to uplift more than 60,000 beneficiaries. This collaboration underscores that everyone has a role in building a "we-first" society where the government, community and corporate partners work together to create a more inclusive Singapore.

This milestone moment was graced by Guest-of-Honour Ms Low Yen Ling, Senior Minister of State, Ministry of Culture, Community and Youth & Ministry of Trade and Industry, on 25 August 2025 at Mapletree Business City.

Under the Communities and Engagement (C&E) pillar of the General Education curriculum, NUS undergraduate students across various disciplines can read service-learning courses as part of their graduation requirements. These courses encourage deep reflection and constructive actions on societal needs and real-world issues such as inequality and poverty which underprivileged and disadvantaged communities struggle with.

As the Principal Founding Donor and one of the largest donors towards the C&E Pillar with a focus on Seniors and Vulnerable Families, Mapletree’s contribution will sustain and expand NUS C&E courses such as GEN2060 Reconnect SeniorsSG, GEN2061 Support Healthy AgeingSG, GEN2062 Community Activities for Seniors with SG Cares, and GEN2070 Community Link (ComLink) Befrienders. Since the pilot launch of the C&E Pillar (Seniors and Vulnerable Families) in Academic Year 2022/2023, over 5,000 students have completed, or are currently enrolled in, these courses.

These service-learning courses run up to a year, encouraging students to take initiative in community service while developing critical thinking about complex social challenges.

Beyond volunteering, students also reflect, analyse and create solutions. The impact of this approach is multifaceted – beneficiaries find companionship and renewed hope; community partners gain extra help on the ground; students cultivate life-long values, and the ripple effects strengthen Singapore’s social fabric.

NUS President Professor Tan Eng Chye said, “We are grateful to Mapletree for this generous contribution, which will greatly enhance the impact of our service-learning courses. By empowering our students to serve the community, we are nurturing among the next generation empathy and a deeper awareness of societal needs among the disadvantaged and underprivileged. At the same time, we create opportunities for our students to do their part and support Singapore’s ageing population and lower-income families. These efforts reinforce our commitment to make a positive impact on society and community through our mission in education.”

Mr Edmund Cheng, Chairman of Mapletree, said, “Mapletree’s latest Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) initiative with NUS aligns with two of our four CSR pillars – Healthcare and Education. Through our gift, as part of our US$10 million commitment to Temasek Trust’s Philanthropy Asia Alliance (PAA), these courses create beautiful bridges to facilitate relationships between students, seniors and vulnerable families, enriching the lives of all involved. We will continue to invest in the communities where we operate, strengthening the social fabric in meaningful ways.”

In 2023, Temasek Trust announced the launch of PAA to drive positive impact across Asia and mobilise collective philanthropic partnerships and strategies addressing global environmental and social challenges.

With Mapletree’s support, students will deepen their role as volunteers to implement hands-on initiatives to engage seniors and disadvantaged families. For example, as part of GEN2062, students facilitate thoughtfully designed activities at Active Ageing Centres and Senior Care Centres that stimulate cognitive function, enhance physical health, and improve the holistic well-being of elderly participants. Students in GEN2060 and GEN2070 conduct home visits to befriend seniors and vulnerable families, while students in GEN2061 share vital information about government assistance schemes with seniors through door-to-door visits. A small part of the gift will also go towards empowering student initiatives in other C&E courses to support these sectors.

Ms Cheryl Lim, Manager of Programmes at NTUC Health Senior Day Care, said, “We are heartened to witness the smiles on the seniors’ faces, made possible by the diverse range of activities organised by NUS students. The contributions of the students have been truly invaluable—their initiative in planning and leading these activities has not only enriched the lives of our seniors but also provided our team with interesting ideas. We truly appreciate the long-term, sustained collaboration and partnership with NUS that helps foster intergenerational bonds and nurture a continued sense of belonging, especially in our seniors, and within the broader community across generations.”

Complementing the efforts by community partners to promote better health and social engagement among seniors, the courses under the C&E pillar also enable NUS students to experience personal growth through their interaction and involvement with the seniors.

Mr Sean Ang Teng Han, a second-year student from the NUS Faculty of Science, who is currently reading the GEN2062 course, said, “It challenged me to step up and develop soft skills I did not have in the past, such as managing group dynamics, holding the attention of a crowd, and adapting quickly to different personalities. Learning how to engage and entertain a group of elderly participants has taught me a lot about communication and leadership in a more communal setting.”

Mapletree’s gift is the latest in a long-standing partnership with NUS that began over a decade ago with the establishment of the Mapletree Bursary in 2012. With a total endowment of S$900,000 to date, the Bursary has provided over 130 students with financial support, removing barriers that may otherwise pose challenges to their education journey. With this latest gift, Mapletree hopes to promote intergenerational bonding, a volunteering culture among youth, and opportunities to enhance age-in-place initiatives, one of the many efforts to address one of Singapore’s most pressing societal challenges – a rapidly ageing population, with one in four residents reaching the age of 65 by 2030.

• Berita Harian, 21 August 2025, p2
• Tamil Murasu, 21 August 2025, p2

By Dr Laurel Teo, Senior Research Fellow at the Institute of Policy Studies, Lee Kuan Yew School of Public Policy at NUS

• The Straits Times, 21 August 2025, Opinion, pB2

By Dr Jonathan Sim, Associate Fellow at the NUS Teaching Academy and Lecturer in the Dept of Philosophy, Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences at NUS

• CNA Online, 21 August 2025

• CNA, 20 August 2025
• CNA Online, 20 August 2025
• Channel 5 News, 20 August 2025
• Vasantham News Online, 20 August 2025
• The Straits Times, 21 August 2025, The Big Story, Front Page & pA2
• Lianhe Zaobao, 21 August 2025, Singapore, Front Page & p6
• CNA938, 21 August 2025
• Money 89.3FM, 21 August 2025
• Kiss92FM, 21 August 2025
• One FM 91.3, 21 August 2025
• The New Paper, 21 August 2025
• Berita Harian, 21 August 2025, Front Page
• Tamil Murasu, 21 August 2025, Front Page
• Tabla!, 22 August 2025, p4
• Lianhe Zaobao, 25 August 2025, Opinion, p19

By Assoc Prof Lin Weiqiang, from the Dept of Geography, Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences at NUS

• The Straits Times, 20 August 2025, Opinion, pB2

• zbSunday, 17 August 2025, zbW, p3

• 8world Online, 18 August 2025

By Dr Woo Jun Jie, Senior Lecturer at the Lee Kuan Yew School of Public Policy at NUS

• CNA Online, 18 August 2025

By Mr Ben Chester Cheong, Associate Academic Fellow at the Asia-Pacific Centre for Environmental Law, Faculty of Law at NUS

• The Straits Times, 19 August 2025, Opinion, pB2

• 8world Online, 18 August 2025
• Lianhe Zaobao, 19 August 2025, Singapore, p8

From the wars in Gaza and Ukraine to protracted crises in Africa, geopolitical tensions abound in today’s turbulent world. But there is a bright spot closer to home.

Guided by the basic principles of non-interference, non-aggression, decision-making through consensus, and quiet diplomacy, the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) has remained a shining example of hope in the region, said ASEAN Secretary-General Dr Kao Kim Hourn.

“History has taught us that peace is not a natural state of affairs – it is sustained by restraint, dialogue, diplomacy, and a shared commitment to order,” noted Dr Kao at a lecture organised by the NUS Centre for International Law (CIL) on 4 August 2025 that was attended by about 130 participants, including policymakers, diplomats, government officials as well as members of academia and the private sector from Singapore and the region.

“ASEAN’s journey stands as a profound testament to the tenacity required to make regionalism and multilateralism work.”

ASEAN is an area of focus for CIL, particularly in its role as a pillar of international law, said CIL Director, Dr Nilufer Oral. In her welcome remarks at the annual CIL-NUS ASEAN Distinguished Lecture, she hailed ASEAN as “an important building block in the international legal system”.

Echoing this, Dr Kao added: “Even in times of difficulty, we do not abandon our faith in the power of diplomacy, a culture of dialogue, and a sense of shared purpose. That is the ‘ASEAN Way’, and it remains a source of light in an increasingly uncertain and polarised world.”

His lecture, titled “ASEAN: A Bright Spot in a Darkening World”, focused on the continued relevance of the bloc, which was founded in 1967. But the brightness can dim occasionally.

“The recent flare-up along the Cambodia-Thailand border should serve as a sobering wake-up call…we can neither afford complacency, nor take peace for granted,” stressed the Cambodian diplomat, who has been ASEAN’s Secretary-General since 2023.

Clashes between the two countries in July de-escalated after an intervention by neighbouring leader Mr Anwar Ibrahim, Prime Minister of Malaysia, who is the current ASEAN Chair.

Unity amid uncertainty

Dr Kao emphasised ASEAN’s commitment to future-proofing the region, as set out in the “ASEAN 2045” agenda adopted at the 46th ASEAN Summit in May 2025.

“For the first time in ASEAN’s history, we have articulated a 20-year outlook that anticipates the global megatrends already reshaping the international system,” he said, highlighting the challenges of climate change, demographic shifts, and technological disruptions.

“‘ASEAN 2045’ seeks not just to respond to them, but also to harness them in shaping a dynamic, inclusive, and future-ready region.”

Other challenges threatening the rules-based world order include the rising tides of unilateralism, fragmentation, and protectionism, with Dr Kao calling for concerted efforts and vigilance to sustain this relationship of trust.

Such efforts are especially crucial given the outsized impact of external forces on the region.

For example, Dr Kao acknowledged that US President Donald Trump’s support was crucial to securing peace in the Indo-Pacific. But he said ASEAN had to make known to the US that its recent tariffs had caused “a lot of uncertainty” in the region, especially in the private sector.

“ASEAN has been trying to respond collectively as a region to the US,” said Dr Kao in his reply to a question on the rules-based order, adding that the bloc is also working to boost trade within the region and with partners like China, Korea, and India.

A beacon in a darkening world

Amid geopolitical tensions, ASEAN’s growing appeal is evident as more non-Southeast Asian countries join ASEAN-led partnerships. It has not only championed peace, but also “reinforced its position as a cornerstone of regional economic success”, said Dr Kao.

Currently the world’s fifth-largest economy, ASEAN is projected to become the fourth-largest by 2030. In 2023, it secured a record US$230 billion in foreign direct investment.

Asked if ASEAN was in need of reform, Dr Kao conceded the bloc had its “shortcomings” such as not delivering results quickly enough, and was working to address them. On a separate note, he highlighted that ASEAN was making inroads in AI-related issues ranging from governance to ethics, and was gaining “a lot of momentum” in cybersecurity.

Weighing in, Mr Ong Keng Yong, Singapore’s Ambassador-at-Large and current CIL Governing Board Member, who moderated the dialogue, added that countries needed more political will to enforce cybersecurity-related laws.

Participants believed the topics discussed were timely. “The lecture was an accurate reflection of the processes and the recent priorities of ASEAN,” said Ms Diane Shayne D. Lipana, Acting Director of ASEAN Affairs at the Philippines’ Department of Foreign Affairs.

In these uncertain times, ASEAN’s role is starker than ever. “We will redouble our efforts to ensure that ASEAN remains – steadily and resolutely – a bright beacon in a darkening world,” Dr Kao added.

Demonstrating its strong commitment to decarbonising the built environment through a portfolio of 64 Green Mark-certified buildings, NUS was awarded the Green Mark Commemorative Certificate at the Singapore Green Building Council Gala Dinner on 11 July 2025 for its continued support and contributions to Singapore’s green building journey. The event was held in celebration of the 20th anniversary of the Building and Construction Authority (BCA) Green Mark Certification Scheme.

Leading the way in high-performance green buildings

As of July 2025, six buildings in NUS have achieved the highest energy performance ratings under the Green Mark 2021 In-Operation scheme - Platinum Super Low Energy (SLE), Zero Energy (ZE), and Positive Energy (PE):

• SDE 4 – Platinum ZE (2018) and Platinum PE (2022)
• SDE 1 – Platinum SLE (2018) and Platinum ZE (2023)
• SDE 3 – Platinum SLE (2018, 2024)
• Ventus – Platinum (2012) and Platinum SLE (2024)
• AS8 – Platinum (2015) and Platinum SLE (2024)
• Central Library – Platinum SLE (2020, 2024)

In 2021, NUS bagged the top BCA award for green buildings – the Green Mark Platinum Champion Award – for achieving 50 Green Mark Gold and above certifications for developments across its campuses.

One example is Ventus at NUS’ Kent Ridge Campus, where the Office of University Campus Infrastructure (UCI) is located. Through green building design and collaboration with building users to implement energy-saving measures, the Energy Use Intensity (EUI), which measures the total energy consumption of a building relative to its gross floor area, for Ventus was 49 kWh/m2 in FY2024, which is significantly lower than the average EUI for offices at 219 kWh/m2. 

Beyond achieving high energy performance for the University’s new and existing buildings, green buildings also offer health and well-being benefits to building occupants. Comprehensive research by BCA and NUS in 2017 revealed that occupants experienced significantly better indoor environmental conditions than those in non-certified buildings, with measurable improvements in temperature control, humidity levels, air quality, and overall occupant satisfaction.

Translating innovation into practice

Beyond certification, NUS has played a pivotal role in pushing for an alternative cooling approach to reduce energy consumption while maintaining thermal comfort. Under Singapore’s new proposed Built Environment Decarbonisation Technology Roadmap, Associate Professor Adrian Chong from the Department of the Built Environment at the College of Design and Engineering, together with the UCI sustainability team, contributed to the development of a new technical standard known as TR 141:2025 for hybrid cooling systems, which aims to accelerate the deployment of hybrid cooling systems across building typologies. Their inputs were informed by the design and operational experience gained from implementing hybrid cooling technology in Net Zero Energy buildings at NUS. The new technical standard addresses the current gap in international standards and provides guidelines suited to our tropical climate.

Under the Campus Sustainability Roadmap 2030 Framework, the University aims to reduce Scope 1 and Scope 2 emissions by 30 per cent and reduce EUI by 20 per cent from the FY2019 baseline. By setting ambitious energy efficiency targets for its new and existing buildings, NUS aims to use the campus as a living lab where students can engage with real-world case studies for experiential learning and researchers can test-bed and develop innovations to improve building performance.

Supporting Singapore’s green building journey and Net Zero vision

NUS is committed to reducing both operational and embodied carbon across its building portfolio, in alignment with the national green building agenda and broader climate goals. As part of its strategy to address Scope 3 emissions, NUS has commissioned a study on sustainable construction, specifically on low embodied carbon materials, and is currently exploring the procurement of such materials for future NUS developments.

Vice President (Campus Infrastructure) Mr Koh Yan Leng said, “Greening the university’s buildings, such as by providing ample greenery, natural daylight, and more natural ventilation, has created a conducive environment for learning and working. Our commitment to bold energy targets helps shape the behaviours of future leaders and enables our community to engage with sustainable practices every day.”

By NUS University Campus Infrastructure

Days before Singapore celebrated its 60^th year of independence, a new book was added to the canon of literature on the city-state’s improbable growth and survival – this time, through the eyes of public sector leaders who had a hand in its transformation.

Launched on 6 August 2025, How Singapore Beat the Odds: Insider Insights on Governance in the City-State by Terence Ho, Adjunct Associate Professor (Practice) at the Lee Kuan Yew School of Public Policy (LKYSPP), features in-depth interviews with 12 political and public sector leaders on the challenges faced, chances taken and decisions made that shaped Singapore into what it is today, as well as their perspectives on the journey and views on Singapore’s future.

Assoc Prof Ho is a frequent commentator on economic, fiscal, workforce and social policy issues, as well as skills and lifelong learning. As an adjunct faculty member of LKYSPP, he teaches in executive programmes covering various areas of public sector governance.

The foreword was written by Mr Tharman Shanmugaratnam, President of the Republic of Singapore, and the distinguished interviewees include former Singapore President Mdm Halimah Yacob; Ms Seah Jiak Choo, former Director-General of Education; Mr Peter Ho, former Chairman of the Urban Redevelopment Authority (URA); and Mr Ravi Menon, former Managing Director of the Monetary Authority of Singapore.

The project was mooted and sponsored by Mr Narayana Murthy, founder and Chairman Emeritus of technology provider Infosys and a long-time admirer of Singapore. He believed that such a book of insights into Singapore’s public governance would inspire and guide leaders of developing nations to drive similar transformations of their own.

“The success of Singapore lies not in any magic, but in a successful method,” said Mr Murthy at the launch event. “Singapore demonstrates that good public governance is a possible, practical, valuable and powerful strategy. To Singapore and to the visionaries who made it what it is today, I say ‘Thank you’ for lifting the standard, showing the way and reminding the world that public governance done right can transform the destiny of a nation.”

Noting the unplanned coincidence of the book’s launch with the nation’s diamond jubilee, Assoc Prof Ho highlighted that the themes explored in the book were not just critical in Singapore’s early development but remain relevant for its next 60 years. “While the book aims to inspire other countries, I hope that Singaporeans too will draw inspiration from the values and the pioneering spirit of our veteran leaders as we collectively continue to write the next chapter of the Singapore story.”

The book launch at the Capitol Kempinski Hotel Singapore was attended by President Tharman as Guest of Honour and more than 120 guests, including several of the book’s interviewees. During the event, three leaders featured in the book delivered speeches on the aspects of governance where they made significant contributions: Professor Lim Siong Guan, former Head of Civil Service, on fiscal management; Mr Khaw Boon Wan, former Singapore Cabinet Minister, on healthcare; and Professor Cheong Koon Hean, former CEO of URA and the Housing Development Board, on urban planning.

Priorities to not just survive, but thrive

The idea that no one owes Singapore its survival was a driving force for many early governance decisions, said Prof Lim, who is also Distinguished Practitioner Fellow at LKYSPP and was recently honoured as an Emeritus Professor by NUS for his noteworthy contributions to Singapore’s civil service.

In his speech, Prof Lim shared the government’s top spending priorities for nation-building: defence, industrialisation, home ownership, education and health. While principles of fiscal prudence were established from the start, the government recognised the need to enhance its revenue streams and created the sovereign wealth fund GIC and the reserves policy to generate investment returns and allocate them between current and future needs.

Prof Lim described Singapore’s approach thus: “If you want to spend more, you need to be able to earn more at the same time. Be fair; give access to the current generation to a reasonable or fair part of the investment returns, while at the same time making sure that you keep up the capital reserves for whatever may be the unexpected demands of the rainy days.”

Solving the issue of sustainable financing for the healthcare system was Mr Khaw’s task as Health Minister from 2004 to 2011. Balancing the two dimensions of healthcare, financing and delivery, is especially challenging because “in healthcare, demand is potentially unlimited, but supply is not,” and poor patients suffer the most when demand outstrips supply, said the current chairman of SPH Media Trust.

The solution lay in a mixed approach for both dimensions. Instead of relying on taxation or insurance for funding, Singapore employs a multi-layered model that includes patient co-payment to prevent overconsumption while keeping healthcare affordable. Similarly, healthcare services are delivered by a mix of public, private and charitable providers, which offers patients more choices and responds better to the diverse needs of an ageing population.

As Singapore evolves into a “super aged” society, the healthcare system must focus more on long-term chronic care, building on the pillars of preventative healthcare, primary healthcare by family physicians and a healthcare system that is integrated with the community to provide holistic care, said Mr Khaw.

He spotlighted the crucial role of caregivers, saying: “When a cure is no longer available, what patients value most is care, and the highest form of care is underpinned by love and compassion, often by the patient’s family. Society has a strong interest, indeed a strong duty, to support caregivers adequately.”

A combination of aspirations, innovation, and good urban governance enabled Singapore to turn the constraints that threatened its survival into catalysts for success, said Prof Cheong, Practice Professor at Singapore University of Technology and Design and Chairman of the Lee Kuan Yew Centre for Innovative Cities.

For example, water insecurity drove investments in water recycling and water catchments, and the scarcity of land forced planners to reclaim land, create underground spaces and plan vertically.

“The starting point is to embed a culture of foresight in the way our policies are formulated. The city did not wait for problems to become crises,” she said, adding that a whole-of-government approach and collaboration with the private sector, non-profits and citizens were key in creating solutions that balance economic competitiveness and quality of life.

Considering principles in context

The event concluded with a brief panel discussion moderated by Ms Ong Toon Hui, Vice Dean and Executive Director, Institute for Governance and Leadership at LKYSPP, in which the three speakers shared their thoughts on how the book’s insights into Singapore’s experience could be made relevant to other countries.

Prof Lim and Mr Khaw emphasised the importance of understanding the principles behind the decisions and translating those into actions that fit the context of each country, and Prof Cheong provided additional insights from her experience researching cities for 20 years and working on the Lee Kuan Yew World City Prize.

She cited long-term planning, good urban governance, strong leadership, institutionalised processes, and competent people as common traits of the award-winning cities, some of which have been integrated into the prize assessment criteria.

“The cities that have won the prize all exhibit very similar principles to us – maybe not so much in the details – but these are very high-level principles that I feel are applicable to most cities,” she said, reminding the audience that even as others look to Singapore for lessons in governance, there is much that Singapore can learn from other cities in return.

• The Straits Times, 18 August 2025, Singapore, pA19

• 8world Online, 18 August 2025

• Tamil Murasu Online, 18 August 2025

By Mr Christopher Gee, Deputy Director and Senior Research Fellow at the Institute of Policy Studies, Lee Kuan Yew School of Public Policy at NUS

• CNA Online, 18 August 2025

By Assistant Professor G Owen Schaefer, from the Centre for Biomedical Ethics at the Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine at NUS

• CNA Online, 13 August 2025

By Dr Kalpana Vignehsa, Senior Research Fellow at the Institute of Policy Studies at NUS

• The Straits Times, 13 August 2025, Opinion, pB4

• zbSunday, 17 August 2025, News, p11

By Mr Zaid Hamzah, Executive Education Fellow from the School of Computing at NUS

• Berita Minggu, 17 August 2025, p9

By Dr Azhar Ibrahim, Senior Lecturer from the Dept of Malay Studies, Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences at NUS

• Berita Minggu, 17 August 2025, p11

Singapore is seen as an ideal country that could use nuclear energy, due to its technological know-how, institutional maturity, and geographical constraints on renewable power generation.  

This view came from Mr Rafael Mariano Grossi, Director General of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), who delivered a lecture on developments in atomic energy and nuclear security at NUS on 25 July 2025. The lecture, hosted by the Singapore Nuclear Research and Safety Institute (SNRSI) at NUS, was followed by a question-and-answer session moderated by Associate Professor Leong Ching, NUS Vice Provost (Student Life) and Acting Dean of the Lee Kuan Yew School of Public Policy at NUS.

“When it comes to decarbonising, what are your options? Here, there is no hydropower. You have renewables, but you don’t have much territory... so you cannot have wind parks for kilometres on end,” he told an audience of 250 students, undergraduates, academics, experts and government officials at NUS’ Shaw Foundation Alumni House.

“In my opinion, and in the opinion of many experts, in terms of the options, perhaps Singapore could rightly figure as the most perfect example of a country that needs nuclear energy. With a very small nuclear power plant, you can have a level of energy density and production that you cannot match with anything else.”

Singapore has been contributing to global developments in nuclear research for the last decade and has been a member of IAEA since 1967.

For example, Singapore conducts training on nuclear science and technology for other countries, and its government agencies contribute to technical committees of the IAEA — which functions as the United Nations nuclear watchdog.

While the government announced in February that Singapore would study the potential deployment of nuclear power and systematically build up capabilities in the area, no decision has been made on whether the country will adopt nuclear energy.

Meanwhile, the country is further building its nuclear expertise with SNRSI, which was launched on 11 July 2025.

“Having Mr Grossi here today is of special significance to us because, earlier this month, the Singapore Nuclear Research and Safety Institute was officially launched after 10 years as an Initiative. It didn’t happen overnight, it took us 10 years to grow our size and capability,” said Professor Lui Pao Chuen, Chairman of the SNRSI Management Board, in his opening remarks.

“Singapore is committed and ready to contribute to the safe, peaceful use of nuclear science and technology,” he added.

SNRSI will operate from a new purpose-built facility at NUS, with a S$66 million grant. It plans to double its pool of experts to 100 by 2030, and will play a major role in Singapore’s partnership with the IAEA to train experts from developing countries in nuclear research.

Singapore has also worked with the IAEA on other areas, such as the designation of the NUS Centre for Ion Beam Applications as a Collaborating Centre — the first such centre in Singapore. One focus of the Collaborating Centre is proton beam therapy, which is used in radiation cancer treatment.

What’s driving the nuclear pivot

The pivot towards atomic power has been a global trend, with ASEAN countries also showing interest in collaborating with IAEA to develop nuclear energy capabilities. For instance, countries like Indonesia, Vietnam and Myanmar plan to build nuclear power plants.

“It is not a trend towards nuclear dominance,” noted Mr Grossi, emphasising that the role of nuclear energy is to provide a stable base load for the grid that “never stops”.

Instead, he attributed the rising interest to two factors: decarbonisation and energy security.

If the world aspired to hit decarbonisation targets of the Paris Agreement, it would have to include the use of nuclear energy. “Decarbonisation without nuclear (energy) is practically utopian,” he added. 

A more fragmented world also means growing energy security concerns, as an overreliance on external energy supplies could put countries in a vulnerable position.

“The allure of a source of energy which gives you total independence becomes even clearer when you have a nuclear power plant. You switch it on, it’s yours,” said Mr Grossi.

If Singapore is keen to pursue nuclear energy, he suggested that the Republic could share a nuclear power plant with an ASEAN neighbour, citing how this is done in Slovenia with the Krsko power plant that provides energy to both Slovenia and Croatia.

Safety is top priority

While there are benefits to nuclear energy, the topic of safety, among other areas such as application guidelines and costs, was brought up and addressed by Mr Grossi during the question-and-answer session.

In response to a question on the effects of a nuclear power plant incident in a densely populated city such as Singapore, Mr Grossi assured that safety is IAEA’s top priority. “We at the IAEA develop, together with the countries, emergency preparedness and response mechanisms,” he said. “It’s one indispensable part of nuclear power planning and operation.”

To another question on disposing radioactive waste, Mr Grossi said that no country can run a nuclear power programme without first having a clearly defined and agreed plan for managing the waste – a process he emphasised that must be considered from the start and not left until after the fuel is used. “There are very clear methodologies to deal with it, and they are used…to great success.”

While there have been debates concerning the long-term disposal due to the lasting radiation of spent fuel, Mr Grossi noted that the amount of such waste is extremely low. The waste generated is also inspected to ensure there is no radiation hazard or misuse of nuclear material. “We are the only industry that checks the rubbish,” he added with a smile.

Summing up the potential of nuclear power, he concluded, “Let me say that all of this presents a picture of opportunities, challenges and problems.” It is a blueprint that the IAEA, in partnership with countries like Singapore, will continue to fine-tune and optimise.

By Ustaz Syafiq Mardi, a PhD candidate in the Dept of Malay Studies at the Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences at NUS

• Berita Harian, 15 August 2025, p11

• Berita Harian, 15 August 2025, p10

• Lianhe Zaobao, 15 August 2025, Singapore, p12

The National University of Singapore (NUS) and Universiti Malaya (UM) will celebrate more than six decades of collaboration with a series of commemorative events in Perak, Malaysia, later this month. Mr Tharman Shanmugaratnam, President of the Republic of Singapore and Chancellor of NUS, accompanied by an NUS delegation, will travel to Ipoh on 25 August 2025 for a working visit. President Tharman will be accompanied by his spouse, Mrs Jane Ittogi Shanmugaratnam.

The NUS delegation will include Chairman of the NUS Board of Trustees Mr Hsieh Fu Hua, NUS President Professor Tan Eng Chye, NUS Chief Alumni Officer Ms Ovidia Lim-Rajaram, NUS Golf Captain Ms Angelia Tay, academics, golfers and staff.

NUS marks its 120th anniversary in 2025, a legacy that began in 1905 with the establishment of the Straits Settlements and Federated Malay States Government Medical School, which later became Universiti Malaya. In 1962, UM’s Singapore campus was reconstituted as the University of Singapore, which later evolved into the National University of Singapore. The strong ties between the two institutions have continued alongside the warm friendship between Singapore and Malaysia.

“The longstanding friendship between NUS and UM is rooted in a shared history and a mutual commitment to collaboration and educational excellence. As both universities mark their 120-year legacy this year, we are honoured to celebrate this enduring partnership through meaningful engagements which reflect not only our deep institutional ties, but also the warm and longstanding bonds between Singapore and Malaysia,” said Professor Tan Eng Chye, President of NUS. 

Meeting and Royal Welcome in Kuala Kangsar

On the evening of 25 August, President Tharman will have a meeting with the Chancellor of UM and Sultan of Perak His Royal Highness Sultan Nazrin Muizzuddin Shah Ibni Almarhum Sultan Azlan Muhibbuddin Shah Al-Maghfur-Lah at the Istana Iskandariah in Kuala Kangsar. This will be followed by a Royal Dinner hosted by HRH Sultan Nazrin Shah and the Raja Permaisuri of Perak, Her Royal Highness Tuanku Zara Salim, for President Tharman, Mrs Tharman and the NUS delegation.

UM–NUS Inter-University Tunku Chancellor Golf Tournament

On 26 August, more than 100 golfers from NUS and UM will tee off at the Royal Perak Golf Club in the 54th UM–NUS Inter-University Tunku Chancellor Golf Tournament. First held in 1968 to strengthen ties between the two institutions, the tournament alternates venues between Malaysia and Singapore. This year’s competition in Ipoh will culminate in a prize presentation lunch, attended by the two Chancellors, Mr Hsieh Fu Hua, Chairman of the NUS Board of Trustees, Tan Sri Zarinah Anwar, Chairman of UM’s Board of Directors, Professor Tan Eng Chye, President of NUS, and Professor Dato’ Seri Ir Dr Noor Azuan Abu Osman, Vice-Chancellor of UM.

2nd UM–NUS Joint Academic Symposium: Precision Health

Also on 26 August, NUS and UM researchers will convene for the second Joint Academic Symposium held alongside the tournament, this year focusing on precision health. The symposium will feature 10 keynote addresses and technical talks by leading scholars and clinicians from both universities, alongside a special presentation on the shared history of Singapore and Malaysia. President Tharman and HRH Sultan Nazrin Shah will preside over the keynote and shared history presentations. The 2024 joint academic symposium, which was held at NUS, was on biomedical engineering.

By Prof Lawrence Loh, Director, Ms Nguyen Hanh Trang, Senior Research Analyst, Ms Nguyen Thi Thuy, Senior Research Associate and Ms Annette Singh, Principal Research Associate, all from the Centre for Governance and Sustainability at NUS Business School

• The Business Times, 14 August 2025, p6

• Lianhe Zaobao, 14 August 2025, Singapore, p5

• 8world Online, 13 August 2025
• The Business Times, 14 August 2025, p2
• The Business Times, 14 August 2025, p6
• Lianhe Zaobao, Business, 14 August 2025, p27
• Berita Harian, 14 August 2025, p5
• Capital 95.8FM, 14 August 2025

• Suria News Online, 13 August 2025

• Tamil Murasu, 13 August 2025

Mr Tan Gee Paw (MSc ISE '71), Adjunct Professor with the NUS College of Design and Engineering, and former Chairman of Changi Airport Group, was honoured with the Order of Nila Utama at the National Day Awards, earning this year's top accolade for his role in advancing Singapore’s development in areas such as aviation, rail transport and water security.

Professor Lui Pao Chuen (Science '65), Temasek Defence Professor at the Temasek Defence Systems Institute (TDSI) and Chairman of the Singapore Nuclear Research and Safety Institute (SNRSI), both key institutes at NUS, received the next highest award, the Distinguished Service Order. He was lauded for his contributions to Singapore across diverse fields, including education, science and technology, urban development, defence and infrastructure.    

The two recipients were among the nearly 200 members of the NUS community who were recognised for their merit and service to Singapore. In total, some 7,210 people were presented with the National Day Awards, on the year of Singapore’s 60th anniversary.

Mr Tan, who chaired Changi Airport Group from October 2020 to March 2025, was cited for steering the airport operator through the headwinds posed by COVID-19, maintaining its mission as a leading air hub and ensuring a swift recovery in post-pandemic traffic levels. Beyond shaping the development of the upcoming Terminal 5 and Changi East airport expansion, he was credited with spearheading the group’s efforts in innovation and sustainability, boosting its operational efficiency and overseeing key infrastructure upgrades.

During his term as Chairman of PUB, Singapore’s national water agency, from 2001 to 2017, he led bold initiatives and long-term infrastructure projects, such as the launch of NEWater and the Marina Barrage. As Advisor to the Land Transport Authority and the Ministry of Transport, he provided guidance on complex technical issues related to rail projects and strategic advice on organisational matters.

Prof Lui was recognised for his pivotal role in advancing Singapore’s research capabilities and technologies across multiple spheres – from nuclear science and water sustainability to national security – through his leadership as Chairman of SNRSI and the Public Utilities Board Project Evaluation Panel, as well as Advisor to the Ministry of Home Affairs, among others.

He had served with distinction in the Ministry of Defence for over 40 years, including 22 years as Chief Defence Scientist. A pioneering advocate of systems thinking, Prof Lui was reappointed Temasek Defence Professor at TDSI in 2024 in recognition of his outstanding scholarly accomplishments, a role in which he continues to enhance cross-disciplinary research capabilities in defence systems at NUS.

Spotlighting the NUS community

Other illustrious members of the NUS community also received recognition across the 22 award categories. They included many members of the University's Board of Trustees (BOT), both past and present.

NUS Pro-Chancellor Mr Gautam Banerjee was awarded the Public Service Star in his capacity as Director of the GIC Board, Chairman of the GIC Audit Committee, and a member of the GIC Human Resource and Organization Committee.

The Meritorious Service Medal was conferred upon BOT member Mr Tan Chong Meng (Engineering '83, MSc ISE '87) for his contributions as Chairman of the National University Health System, former Group CEO of PSA International, and former Chairman of JTC Corporation.

Another Trustee, Ms Lim Wan Yong, received the Long Service Medal in her capacity as Permanent Secretary (Education) at the Ministry of Education. A 2019 recipient of the Public Administration Medal (Silver) for her work at the Ministry of National Development, she has also held appointments in the Ministry of Social and Family Development and the Prime Minister’s Office.

Among the recipients of the Meritorious Service Medal were former Trustees Mr Davinder Singh SC (Law '82), Dr Noeleen Heyzer (Arts & Social Sciences '71, MSocSci '73, HonDLitt '25) and Dr Sudha Nair (Arts & Social Sciences '86, PhD '07).

Mr Singh, who served on the NUS Board from 2012 to 2015, was conferred the award in his capacity as Chairman of the Singapore International Arbitration Centre. Social scientist Dr Noeleen Heyzer is a 2025 Honorary Graduate of the Doctor of Letters from NUS, Rector of NUS’ Ridge View Residential College, and also former Under-Secretary-General of the United Nations. She served on the NUS Board from 2013 to 2019. Dr Sudha Nair, who taught at the Department of Social Work in the NUS Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences and served as Trustee from 2021 to 2024, received the award in her capacity as CEO of PAVE, a social service agency which provides an integrated service for individual and family protection.

Several leaders of NUS colleges, schools and institutes also received honours. 

Mr Janadas Devan (Arts & Social Sciences '79), Director of the Institute of Policy Studies at NUS, won the Meritorious Service Medal for his work as Deputy Secretary at the Prime Minister’s Office, and as Senior Advisor at the Ministry of Digital Development and Information.

Mr Tan Tee How (Business '83), the Chair of the Governing Council at NUS’ Centre for Trusted Internet and Community won the same medal for his contributions as Chairman of the Gambling Regulatory Authority of Singapore and Board Chairman of NHG Health.

Ms Janet Ang (Business '82), Chairman of the NUS-ISS Management Board, won the Public Service Star in her capacity as a Former Council Member of the Singapore Business Federation and Chairman of the Singapore Business Federation Foundation.

The Public Administration Medal (Silver) was awarded to Associate Professor Leong Ching (Arts & Social Sciences '92, MA '96, Public Policy PhD '13), NUS Vice Provost (Student Life) and Acting Dean of the Lee Kuan Yew School of Public Policy, and Professor Thomas M. Coffman, Dean of Duke-NUS Medical School.

Ms Euleen Goh, who previously served as Rector of the former Cinnamon College at NUS, won the Meritorious Service Medal for her contributions as the former Chairman of SATS.

Many of the University’s alumni also received awards. These include:

Meritorious Service Medal

• Mr Hoong Wee Teck (Arts & Social Sciences ’87)

The Public Service Star (Bar)

• Mr Chandra Mohan s/o Rethnam (Law '86)
• Mr Chiang Heng Liang (Business '85, MFE '02)
• Mr Lye Hoong Yip, Raymond (Law '90)
• Mr Peter Sim Swee Yam (Law '80)

The Public Service Star

• Mr Cheah Kok Keong (Arts & Social Sciences ’91)
• Mr Chey Chor Wai (Business '76)
• Mr Foo Hee Jug (Science '90)
• Mr John Ng Peng Wah (Engineering '85, MSc ISE '90)
• Assoc Prof Leong Kwok Fai Mark (Medicine '86)
• Assoc Prof Stephen Phua Lye Huat (Law '88)

View the list of NUS-affiliated recipients here and visit this link for the winners from Duke-NUS.

By Adjunct Assoc Prof (Practice) Terence Ho, from the Lee Kuan Yew School of Public Policy at NUS

• CNA Online, 12 August 2025

Dr Azhar Ibrahim Alwee, Senior Lecturer from the Dept of Malay Studies, Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences at NUS

• Suria News Online, 12 August 2025

By Mr Ben Chester Cheong, Associate Academic Fellow at the Asia-Pacific Centre for Environmental Law, Faculty of Law at NUS

• The Straits Times, 12 August 2025, Opinion, pB2

• Suria News Online, 12 August 2025
• Warna 94.2FM, 13 August 2025

• The Straits Times, 12 August 2025, Business, pA16
• The Business Times, 12 August 2025, p3
• Lianhe Zaobao, 12 August 2025, Business, p20

• The Straits Times, 12 August 2025, Singapore, pA12
• Berita Harian, 12 August 2025, p4

By Dr Azhar Ibrahim Alwee, Senior Lecturer from the Dept of Malay Studies, Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences at NUS

• Suria News Online, 11 August 2025

• Berita Harian, 11 August 2025, p4

Matthew Tan, a student at the NUS Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences (FASS), and FASS alumna Desiree Chang launched Woofie’s Warehouse in 2021 based on a hybrid concept that blends thrift and vintage by selling second-hand clothing primarily sourced from Japan.

Purchasing the merchandise in bulk often meant that about 5 to 10 per cent of the clothing was unfit for sale due to being in poor condition or heavily damaged. Faced with unsold inventory and Singapore’s dismal textile recycling rate of just 2 per cent in 2023, the environmentally-conscious pair decided to act. Their solution? Repurposed – a bold initiative that transforms unsellable garments into stylish upcycled pieces, while empowering youths to explore their passion for design and fashion.

Repurposed – An idea borne at the FASS Social Entrepreneurship Incubator Pitch Competition

Repurposed, an initiative that was launched in April, offers young people passionate about sustainable fashion and entrepreneurship hands-on training in sewing, embroidery, and textile reworking. Participants have the opportunity to upcycle Woofie’s unsold merchandise into their own clothing lines, which are then sold in stores. Alongside practical skills, they receive mentorship on the ins and outs of running a thrift business, equipping them with the knowledge to turn their creativity into entrepreneurial ventures.

The idea emerged after Matthew and Desiree banded with like-minded entrepreneurial friends, NUS Faculty of Science students Avaneesh Reddy and Novin Sim, to participate in the FASS Social Entrepreneurship Incubator (SEI) Pitch Competition at the end of last year.

Matthew, a third-year History student, shared how the team initially approached the competition with a broader idea to address Singapore’s textile waste problem, but the judges offered valuable guidance to help refine their pitch.

He recounted, “They advised that given the scale of the textile waste problem in Singapore, it would be more practical to focus on addressing the issue within a specific social group and in the process, create meaningful impact.” Because of this, the team decided to tap into Woofie’s unsold inventory and target their efforts on youths passionate about sustainability but who may not have access to creative reworking opportunities, entrepreneurial exposure or confidence-building platforms.

In addition to teaching youths how to upcycle textiles, the team will aim to leverage Novin’s background in life sciences to explore sustainable dyeing techniques using natural ingredients like coffee grounds for Repurposed. This will add another layer of innovation and eco-consciousness to their initiative. “We’re not just empowering youths to rework clothes,” Novin explained, “We’re equipping them with the skills to think creatively and to innovate.”

The team’s vision eventually earned them first prize in the competition – S$10,000 in seed funding to invest in the training workshops and equipment needed, as well as a one-year mentorship experience with the SEI steering committee to carry out the business idea.

Repurposed’s challenges and early wins

Launching Repurposed came with its fair share of challenges. The team initially struggled to recruit youths in April, as many were hesitant to commit long-term due to concerns about balancing involvement in the programme with schoolwork and exams. Others – such as students from fashion design schools – were drawn more by enrichment opportunities than genuine need.

Undeterred, the team pressed on. Through numerous interviews and extensive outreach, they successfully recruited an inaugural batch of four youths in May. Alongside Desiree, the youths completed a foundational textile reworking workshop at the end of May and have since independently crafted their very first bags, pouches and water bottle-holders.

To further support their learning journey, the team purchased sewing and embroidery machines and set up a dedicated workstation at Woofie’s Eunos back office. There, the youths continued to hone their skills learnt from the foundation workshop to develop more polished pieces, with guidance from the team. This August, they will sell their handcrafted items at a flea market held by social enterprise City Sprouts in Pasir Ris. They will also attend a second advanced workshop at the end of the month to further refine their sewing and embroidery techniques and explore more distinctive patterns and designs with the goal of eventually progressing to developing their own clothing line such as buttoned-up shirts and ladies’ shirts for sale at Woofie’s by year’s end. The team intends to recruit a second group of four to five youths early next year and selected participants will undergo the same training under the team’s mentorship.

Other ways the team plans to support the youths include creating a guide on basic social media marketing and tracking of product sales of each youth. Desiree’s participation in the first foundational workshop and later in the advanced workshop will allow the team to document and digitise the training process, ensuring future cohorts can learn from an online, structured knowledge base when Repurposed continues beyond the seed funding period.

Desiree, a Communications and New Media alumna, shared, “Repurposed is a meaningful initiative and we hope to continue it for as long as our stores are open. Rather than focus on training and recruiting a set number of youths within the seed funding period of one year, the team wants to focus on the longer-term goal of deepening the practical skills of the youths, building their confidence and deepen their appreciation for sustainability.”

One of the participants, Ms Bock Khai Yue, was happy to be a part of the programme. She said, “Through this programme I experienced first-hand the joy of turning an unsellable product into my own creation!”

Avaneesh, a third-year student majoring in Data Science and Economics, reflected on lessons the team has also learnt since the start of the initiative. “When it came to recruitment, we realised that many youths felt hesitant or intimidated to apply, even if they were interested. Some doubted their creativity or feared they would not fit in.” Moving forward, he shared that the team intends to feature more behind-the-scenes content of the reworking process when recruiting the second batch of participants, “not just to showcase what we do, but to make the programme feel more relatable, welcoming and achievable.”

One of the competition judges and a member of the SEI steering committee, Head of NUS Social Work Department Associate Professor Lee Geok Ling, commended the team for the way they had navigated challenges, absorbed feedback and continuously refined their approach towards Repurposed – a testament to both their growth and unwavering dedication.

She remarked, “Their remarkable balance of creative ambition with practical, sustainable considerations exemplifies the desirable mix of idealism and pragmatism that is essential for social entrepreneurs…As they continue to develop, I am excited by the potential, meaningful impact they can make on the youth community, and I am confident that Repurposed will keep thriving, becoming even stronger social entrepreneurs in the years ahead.”

A groundbreaking international study by marine scientists based in Singapore has revealed that sea-level rise in the Indian Ocean began accelerating far earlier than previously thought, with corals providing an unbroken natural record of ocean change stretching back to the early 20th century.

Published in Nature Communications, the study was led by Professor Paul Kench from the Department of Geography, at the National University of Singapore’s (NUS) Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences, in collaboration with researchers from NUS and Nanyang Technological University (NTU).

By analysing coral samples from the Maldives in the central Indian Ocean, the scientists reconstructed a century-long chronology of sea-level changes and climate shifts with remarkable precision.

They were able to extend the sea-level record for the Indian Ocean back a further 60 years, all the way to the early 1900s, offering a much longer and clearer historical context for interpreting modern sea-level changes.

The study yielded two significant findings.

The first is the pronounced acceleration of rising sea levels in the Indian Ocean from around 1959 – earlier than indicated by coastal tide gauges or satellite observations. The timing aligns closely with global temperature increases and accelerated glacial melt driven by human activity, showing that the Indian Ocean has been highly responsive to climatic changes for over half a century.

The second is that sea levels in the Indian Ocean, which covers approximately 30% of the world’s ocean area and supports around 30% of the global population, have risen significantly by 30cm since the middle of the 20th century.

“What we’re seeing is a clear fingerprint of human-driven climate change etched into the skeletons of corals. The early acceleration in sea-level rise is a warning sign that the ocean has been responding to global warming far earlier and more strongly than we thought,” said Prof Kench.

Accelerating sea-level rise threatens millions living in coastal areas with increased flooding, erosion, saltwater intrusion, and damage to vital ecosystems like mangroves and coral reefs.

The effects of sea-level changes in the Indian Ocean ripples beyond Asia to the rest of the world, underscoring the need for international cooperation to address global challenges such as water security, agriculture, and disaster preparedness.

For Singapore and its Southeast Asian neighbours, the uncovering of long-term patterns of sea-level changes can improve climate models and strengthen the region’s ability to plan for future risks under continued global warming.

For example, the new coral-derived data from the study offers a historical baseline that can enhance the efforts that Singapore already has in place to guard against rising sea levels, such as the Coastal-Inland Flood Model and Climate Impact Science Research Programme, by improving the accuracy of sea-level projections and informing adaptive strategies.

Corals confirmed as trusted recorders of sea-level and climate history

This research sets a new standard for how scientists can use coral to look back in time and understand how our oceans have changed.

As corals grow, they build their skeletons layer by layer similar to how trees form rings. Each layer captures details about the ocean at that time, such as temperature, salt levels, and even sea level.

To make sure data from the coral samples from the Indian Ocean that were analysed was reliable, the team compared it with real sea-level measurements from tide stations and satellites, and found that they matched up closely.

The successful calibration of coral proxies against instrumental sea-level records means that we can trust corals to tell us about past sea-level changes, with their coral growth rates validated to be reliable indicators of relative sea-level changes, making them a powerful tool for climate research.

In addition to tracking long-term sea-level changes, the coral records also captured signs of extreme climate events such as unusual warming and cooling periods, as well as droughts. These signals closely match historical weather records, offering valuable insight into the frequency and severity of past climate extremes.

Prof Kench said, “These findings have far-reaching implications for climate adaptation planning globally, especially for low-lying and densely populated coastal regions. We hope this work contributes meaningfully to the global dialogue on resilience and preparedness.”

This pioneering research deepens our understanding of how oceans respond to climate change, while setting a new standard for using natural archives to reconstruct environmental history. As coastal nations around the world confront the realities of rising seas, the insights uncovered by Singapore’s marine scientists offer both a clearer view of the past and a critical guide for planning a more resilient future.

About the Study

The study titled “Coral growth records 20th Century sea-level acceleration and climatic variability in the Indian Ocean” was published in Nature Communications (link: https://rdcu.be/euiYQ) on 1 July 2025. It represents a milestone in paleoclimate science, combining marine biology, geochemistry, and oceanography to produce the most detailed Indian Ocean sea-level record to date.

The interdisciplinary approach taken for this study, combining marine biology, geochemistry, climatology, and oceanography, demonstrates the power of collaborative science in tackling complex global challenges. It also highlights the role of Singapore’s research institutions in contributing to world-class climate science.

The paper was also recently presented at the Asia Oceania Geosciences Society 2025 conference and picked up by Science Magazine (link: https://scienmag.com/coral-records-reveal-20th-century-sea-level-rise/).

By Dr Azhar Ibrahim Alwee, Senior Lecturer from the Dept of Malay Studies, Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences at NUS

• Suria News Online, 11 August 2025

• Tamil Murasu, 11 August 2025, p11

• Berita Harian, 11 August 2025, p4

By Dr Azhar Ibrahim, Senior Lecturer from the Dept of Malay Studies, Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences at NUS

• Berita Minggu, 10 August 2025, p13

• Vasantham News Online, 8 August 2025

• 8world Online, 8 August 2025

• The Straits Times, 9 August 2025, Life, pC9

• The Straits Times, 9 August 2025, The Big Story, pA2
• The Straits Times, 9 August 2025, Singapore, pA28
• Lianhe Zaobao, 9 August 2025, Focus, p2
• Lianhe Zaobao, 9 August 2025, Focus, p2
• CNA Online, 9 August 2025
• Suria News Online, 9 August 2025
• Lianhe Zaobao, 12 August 2025, p8
• Berita Harian, 12 August 2025, p9
• Lianhe Zaobao, 14 August 2025, Singapore, p10

By Mr Nicholas Thomas, Research Fellow and Dr Justin Lee, Senior Research Fellow and Head, Policy Lab, from the Institute of Policy Studies at the Lee Kuan Yew School of Public Policy at NUS

• CNA Online, 8 August 2025

By Mr Joe Escobedo, Adjunct Lecturer from the Dept of Marketing, NUS Business School

• CNA Online, 7 August 2025

By Mr Melvin Tay Yongyao, Research Fellow from the Institute of Policy Studies, Lee Kuan Yew School of Public Policy at NUS

• Lianhe Zaobao, 7 August 2025, Opinion, p25

By Dr Qi Dongtao, Senior Research Fellow from the East Asian Institute at NUS

• Lianhe Zaobao, 7 August 2025, Opinion, p26

By Dr Azhar Ibrahim Alwee, Senior Lecturer in the Dept of Malay Studies at NUS

• Suria News Online, 6 August 2025

Students from the National University of Singapore (NUS) have raised close to S$260,000 through this year’s Receiving and Giving (RAG) and Flag 2025, organised by the NUS Students’ Union (NUSSU). The funds, contributed by generous donors across the NUS community, corporate partners, and members of the public, will support critical programmes under 16 Social Service Agencies (SSAs) supported by Community Chest. All funds raised will go directly towards empowering communities in need through the Community Chest.

Now in its 67th edition, RAG & Flag continues a proud NUS tradition established in 1958 to inspire student-led giving and service to the wider community. This year’s efforts take on special significance as NUS celebrates its 120th anniversary, alongside Singapore’s 60th birthday—a dual milestone that underscores a shared commitment to unity and nation-building.

Over the past 16 years, NUS students have raised a cumulative total of nearly S$4.9 million through this annual initiative.

Unity, creativity, and compassion in action

This year’s RAG & Flag theme, “Connecting Beyond Horizons”, called on students to transcend physical, social and personal boundaries to bring about meaningful change.

More than 1,500 students participated in two Flag Days held on 26 July and 2 August 2025, fanning out across Singapore with donation tins to raise awareness and funds for their selected causes. As a gesture of appreciation to the community for their generous support, the initiative culminated in today’s RAG Day showcase at University Town Green, where 2,000 students took centre stage in 14 spirited performances, complete with handmade costumes and mobile floats built using recycled materials as part of a zero-waste challenge.

The event was graced by Mr Ong Ye Kung, Minister for Health and Coordinating Minister for Social Policies, as Guest-of-Honour.

Speaking at NUSSU RAG and Flag Day 2025, NUS President Professor Tan Eng Chye said, “This year’s RAG and Flag keeps alive the time-honoured tradition of student-led fundraising and the exciting showcase of student performances as a vibrant finale to freshmen orientation season. As we continue the fine legacy of giving back to the community and encourage our students to make positive footprints on society, the vivid stories brought to life through the performances remind us that we are vitally connected, and together, we can inspire hope, uplift communities and drive meaningful change. We look forward to starting the new Academic Year with meaningful anticipation and purpose as NUS celebrates our 120th anniversary and Singapore marks 60 years of nation-building. As a university founded in 1905 by the community, for the community, we will continue to serve our country and society with dedication and passion.”

Adding to the festivities this afternoon was a lively Flag Carnival featuring food, games, and handmade crafts by student groups and hostels, alongside a performance by NUS Cheerleading team, Alpha Verve.

Mr Sean Pang, President of the 46th Executive Committee (EXCO) of NUSSU, said, “Building on this year’s theme, “Connecting Beyond Horizons”, we pushed boundaries and explored new ways to improve RAG and Flag. Leveraging digital payments, we customised 22 PayNow QR codes and collaborated with both NUS Sustainability Strategy Unit and NUS SAVE (Students’ Association for Visions of the Earth) to bolster our recycling efforts. All these would not have been possible without the hard work of our fellow students in each participating body, the RAG and Flag Committee, internal and external stakeholders, and the public who have supported us every step of the way.”

The proceeds from NUSSU RAG and Flag 2025 will be channelled through the Community Chest to benefit critical programmes under the following SSAs:

1. SHINE Children and Youth Services
2. Care Community Services Society
3. MINDS
4. Autism Resource Centre
5. Children-at-Risk Empowerment Association (CARE) Singapore
6. Singapore Children’s Society
7. Asian Women’s Welfare Association
8. Rainbow Centre
9. Fei Yue Family Service Centre
10. Samaritans of Singapore
11. Club HEAL
12. Fei Yue Community Services
13. O’Joy Care Services
14. Children’s Cancer Foundation
15. Singapore Association of the Visually Handicapped (SAVH)
16. Life Community Services Society (LCSS)

From cheering crowds to intricately crafted floats, NUSSU RAG & Flag Day 2025 lit up University Town Green on 8 August 2025, celebrating the enduring spirit of creativity, connection, and community at NUS.

The lively showcase marked the culmination of the 67th edition of NUSSU RAG & Flag Day —one of NUS’ longest-standing student-led traditions, which dates back to 1958. Themed “Connecting Beyond Horizons”, this year’s event paid tribute to two milestone anniversaries—NUS’ 120th anniversary and Singapore’s 60th birthday—while rallying students to build bridges, uplift lives, and give back meaningfully to society to bring hope and transformation to the future.

A legacy of giving

The RAG & Flag tradition started with two Flag Days on 26 July and 2 August, where more than 1,500 NUS students fanned out across Singapore with donation tins to raise funds in aid of critical programmes run by 16 Social Service Agencies (SSAs) that are supported by Community Chest. They raised close to $260,000 this year, with all funds going directly towards uplifting communities in need through the Community Chest. The amount raised would also enable S$1.50 government matching for every dollar donated, yielding even more funds for the beneficiaries.

Over the past 16 years, the initiative has collectively raised nearly S$4.9 million reflecting the enduring impact of student-led service at NUS.

For Sivakumar Nandhana, a first-year student at the NUS Department of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Flag Day offered a moment of reflection and purpose. “We often focus on our careers and personal lives, rarely stopping to consider what others in our community need. Flag Day is my little way of helping those in my community It is also an opportunity to meet like-minded people who also care for the society,” she said.

Li Jie, from the NUS Faculty of Dentistry, added, “It’s really heartwarming to see people donate so willingly and I enjoy being a part of such a meaningful activity.”

A vibrant showcase of gratitude and sustainability

As part of RAG Day, nearly 2,000 students from across the University staged 14 dazzling performances to express their gratitude to the community for its generous support. Each performance was choreographed and produced entirely by students, featuring handmade costumes, mobile floats, and thematic props constructed primarily from recycled materials—in line with the zero-waste challenge promoting sustainable practices.

Gracing the event as Guest-of-Honour was Mr Ong Ye Kung, Minister for Health and Coordinating Minister for Social Policies.

Speaking at the official launch of NUSSU RAG and Flag Day 2025, NUS President Professor Tan Eng Chye commended the passion, creativity and dedication of NUS students in upholding this proud university tradition.

“This year’s RAG and Flag keeps alive the time-honoured tradition of student-led fundraising and the exciting showcase of student performances as a vibrant finale to freshmen orientation season. As we continue the fine legacy of giving back to the community and encourage our students to make positive footprints on society, the vivid stories brought to life through the performances remind us that we are vitally connected, and together, we can inspire hope, uplift communities and drive meaningful change. We look forward to starting the new Academic Year with meaningful anticipation and purpose as NUS celebrates our 120th anniversary and Singapore marks 60 years of nation-building. As a university founded in 1905 by the community, for the community, we will continue to serve our country and society with dedication and passion,” he said.

Behind the scenes, each performance was the result of months of planning, collaboration and tireless effort. Student teams poured their creativity into every detail—from float engineering and set design to costume-making and lighting—all while embracing sustainable practices.

Jasper Ang, a Year 2 Computer Science student and Creative Director for this year’s Raffles Hall RAG said, “From floats to costumes, everything was upcycled. Materials that couldn’t be used for design were repurposed for functionality, such as linings and backings. In Hall, we often have events involving cooking, so we incorporated egg cartons that we had collected, to add texture to our float. We also reused fabric from last year, and some hallmates even contributed their old clothes, giving the costumes a unique and personal flair."

For their creativity in transforming discarded material into a float masterpiece, Raffles Hall received a Zero Waste Effort Award, along with Faculty of Science.

The floats and props, crafted largely from recycled and repurposed materials, served as powerful visual anchors for the performances. More than stage décor, they told meaningful stories of resilience, hope and unity. The performers in handcrafted costumes brought each segment to life in a vibrant fusion of artistry, sustainability and purpose.

Speaking of his experience participating in RAG and Flag as a float builder, first-year NUS Law student Matthew Lim said, “You never know where you would go, if you don’t go there. I loved being part of RAG – I found new perspective and friends!”.

A celebration of community

Alongside the main showcase, a lively Flag Carnival brought the campus to life with games, food and handicraft booths run by student groups and hostels. An energetic performance by the NUS Cheerleading Team, Alpha Verve, added to the festive spirit.

Mr Sean Pang, President of the 46th Executive Committee of NUSSU, shared, “Building on this year’s theme, “Connecting Beyond Horizons”, we pushed boundaries and explored new ways to improve RAG and Flag. Leveraging digital payments, we customised 22 PayNow QR codes and collaborated with both NUS Sustainability Strategy Unit and NUS SAVE (Students’ Association for Visions of the Earth) to bolster our recycling efforts. All these would not have been possible without the hard work of our fellow students in each participating body, the RAG and Flag Committee, internal and external stakeholders, and the public who have supported us every step of the way.”

Highlights from RAG & Flag 2025

Overall RAG & Flag winner: 

• Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine

Zero Waste Best Effort Award: 

• Pharmaceutical Society

Zero Waste Effort Award:

• Faculty of Science
• Raffles Hall

RAG Gold:

• Faculty of Dentistry
• Faculty of Science
• Raffles Hall
• School of Business
• Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine

RAG Silver:

• College of Design and Engineering
• Kent Ridge Hall and Sheares Hall (KRaSheares)
• Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences
• Faculty of Law
• Pharmaceutical Society

RAG Bronze:

• Eusoff Hall
• King Edward VII and Pioneer House (KExPH)
• School of Computing
• Temasek Hall

Flag Gold:

• Faculty of Law
• Kent Ridge Hall
• Residential College 4
• School of Business
• School of Computing
• Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine

Flag Silver:

• Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences 
• Faculty of Dentistry
• Pharmaceutical Society
• Tembusu College

Flag Bronze:

• College of Alice and Peter Tan 
• College of Design and Engineering 
• Eusoff Hall
• Faculty of Science
• Helix House
• King Edward VII Hall
• Pioneer House
• Raffles Hall
• Ridge View Residential College
• Sheares Hall
• Temasek Hall

See full press release here.

It all started in 2015 as an ambitious student-led international programme that rallied about 100 ASEAN undergraduates to tackle real-world challenges faced by communities in the region. Ten years later, the Asian Undergraduate Symposium (AUS) has grown into an impactful platform that has connected more than 2,000 youth leaders and changemakers across Asia.

Over the past decade, it has brought together students from 90 universities across 17 Asian nations and become a fixture of the ASEAN University Network’s AUN Summer Camp Programme, contributing to efforts by universities across the region to equip ASEAN students with the competencies and knowledge to be leading global talents.

The programme’s success has exceeded expectations for founding chairperson Goh Seng Chiy, who graduated from the former University Scholars Programme with a degree in Chemical Engineering in 2017. “People would only continue something like this if they see value in it, and I’m glad to see that people feel what we started has value,” Mr Goh reflected.

He hopes that a key takeaway for participants will remain the cross-cultural friendships and perspectives they gain over the two weeks of mingling with regional counterparts. “You may not remember the specific topics, but if the way you think about the region has evolved so you understand the challenges, constraints and decisions of our ASEAN neighbours better, that’s a big mindset shift that will stick,” he said. “Like a university education, the impact may not be easily quantifiable, but the benefit lies in how it shapes your worldview and your thinking.”

The 2025 AUS, which took place from 7–19 July 2025, was jointly organised by NUS and NUS College (NUSC), the honours college of NUS. The 10th anniversary edition of AUS brought together more than 300 students from 55 universities across Asia to collectively envision and shape a better future. It had a main theme of Interconnected Communities and featured three subthemes of Sustainability and Regeneration; Diversity, Equity and Inclusion; and Heritage and Culture.

Designs that prioritise life

AUS 2025 broadened its sustainability agenda by including the concept of regeneration, a dimension of sustainability that aims to go beyond halting environmental degradation to restoring and improving ecosystems, and encouraging participants to incorporate it into their project proposals.

“Regeneration isn’t new. Across Southeast Asia, our ancestors have done this before,” said Ms Bernise Ang, Principal and Chief Alchemist at Zeroth Labs and an adjunct lecturer at NUSC, who cited the subak system of water management in Bali as an example of a traditional solution that exemplifies regeneration. Under this system, rice farmers meet regularly at water temples to coordinate their planting schedules in a way that ensures sufficient water for the crops while also controlling pest populations.

This practice was disrupted in the 1970s by the “Green Revolution”, a global push to boost food production with high-yield seeds, fertilisers and pesticides. Although such efforts temporarily yielded more crops, the negative repercussions emerged within just a few seasons — farmers found themselves grappling with pollution, soil degradation, water shortages and exploding pest populations. The Indonesian government eventually recognised that the new methods were unsustainable and ordered a return to the subak method that allowed people and nature to exist in harmony.

Said Ms Ang: “Every system we’ve inherited was once imagined, which means we can imagine things differently. Regeneration means remembering that we belong to living systems and can design as if life matters.”

The inaugural Regen Asia Summit (RAS), an intensive two-day programme held immediately before AUS, gave some 200 AUS participants a head start on understanding regeneration and the approaches needed to design effective regenerative solutions. Their knowledge was further augmented in an AUS workshop titled “From RAS to AUS: Towards Regenerative Action” that ensured all attendees at the symposium had a shared understanding of the concept and how to apply it.

The power of collective action

Through presentations and dialogues with expert practitioners and learning journeys to local communities, participants learnt that implementing regenerative solutions involves efforts from all quarters, including individual consumers, community groups, governments and international bodies.

Dr Farrah Shameen Ashray, CEO of the Malaysian Timber Certification Council, gave participants an overview of green product certification, which businesses earn by meeting certain requirements for economic viability, environmental protection and social responsibility. She urged participants to seek out certified products and explore how they can contribute to the work of product certification through their chosen fields of study.

“Certification is about compliance with laws and regulations, and the compliance sector needs auditors, social impact assessors, sociologists, safety and health officers, lawyers and more. You can make an impact that will be transferred through the certification process to the products and businesses behind them,” said Dr Farrah.

Dr Supatchaya “Ann” Techachoochert, senior environmental manager at Mae Fah Luang Foundation in Thailand, explained how one of the foundation’s projects revitalised the heavily deforested Doi Tung area in Chiang Rai by offering villagers sustainable jobs in horticulture, handicrafts and reforestation. This incentivised them to stop clearing trees to plant low-value crops and instead rebuild their environment and economy. Over 30 years, their efforts tripled the region’s economic value and restored enough forest to generate 220 tonnes of carbon credits, which the foundation uses to fund more restoration efforts.

Associate Professor Adrian Loo, who is the deputy director of the NUS Centre for Nature-based Climate Solutions, shared stories of flora and fauna in Singapore that benefitted from small but impactful interventions by conservation groups, such as rope bridges that reduced mortality rates among Raffles’ banded langur monkeys by enabling them to safely cross roads between forested areas. He said, “It’s a small gesture, but that’s all nature needs – a small gesture in the right direction.”

While the impact is not always immediately visible, regenerative efforts for one species often create positive ripples for others. Marine biologist Sam Shu Qin, who also leads marine conservation-related projects and overseas trips as an educator at NUSC, dives daily in Singapore waters for coral restoration work like relocating corals from areas slated for development and monitoring their health and growth. She shared a video of a pair of cuttlefish laying eggs in an artificial reef structure under her team’s care, demonstrating the broader impact of coral restoration efforts on the marine ecosystem.

Translating lessons to solutions

Working in interdisciplinary and international teams, the students used their newfound knowledge to develop 40 project proposals for solving challenges in their communities. They presented their solutions in a session called Project World Café on 16 July, gathering feedback from their peers to further refine the proposals.

Many groups that tackled environmental issues incorporated regeneration into their solutions, such as a project on wild bee conservation in Cambodia that included plans for bee home kits to support the insects’ population growth. Another project proposed using bokashi balls made from soil and beneficial microorganisms to revive biologically dead rivers in the Philippines.

For Tiffany Cloa, a participant from the University of the Philippines, the collaborative experience was valuable in exposing her to a range of perspectives and providing opportunities for personal growth and reflection. “We have very different opinions, which is not a bad thing. It made me realise that we are all in our own vacuums, and I had to learn to navigate the paradox between discussing First World ideas of AI and technology and comparing that to what people in my country are going through, where they can’t even eat three meals a day.”

Following the symposium, the projects will be evaluated by an expert panel, which will select up to 10 of the most promising projects to receive a seed grant of S$5,000 to turn their concepts into reality in their communities of choice. Starting this year, these selected projects also stand to benefit from a new Impact Incubation Programme by NUSC, which will offer additional financial support, training and mentorship to help the teams go further in their efforts to bring positive change to communities.

Read the press release here.

Through the perspectives of NUS students Neryss Ho and Cheow Jun Wei, we delve into how the transformative two-week NUS Enterprise Summer Programme in Entrepreneurship sparked their entrepreneurial passions, honed their pitching skills, embarked on immersive learning journeys, and forged meaningful connections with both local and international peers. 

Fostering an entrepreneurial mindset

All participants were challenged to tackle real-world problems faced by companies, from sustainable supply chains to tech-driven social impact, through intensive workshops and team pitches.

As shaping the entrepreneurial mindset was crucial at the start, the opening ceremony included a fireside chat with Mr Jeffrey Tiong, founder of unicorn start-up PatSnap. Recalling his journey from humble beginnings to scaling a global innovation platform, he highlighted invaluable lessons he had acquired on resilience, reinvention, and radically honest leadership.

The fireside chat was one of the sessions where students could pick up business insights, and put this into practice over the course of the programme. On Demo Day in week 2, they presented their ideas applying what they had learned, to a panel of venture capitalists and industry experts.

Jun Wei, a Data Science and Analytics major from NUS College of Humanities and Sciences, drew inspiration from Mr Tiong as he recounted how, in his role as leader of the pitch team HEALTHLINK, he learned to reframe challenges as opportunities. Their team developed an innovative chatbot to enhance patient experiences on Singapore’s HealthHub platform. This effort not only earned them a first-prize win in their track but also left a strong impression on the judging panel.

“Our multicultural team consisted of Pim from Thailand, Toby and Ying Yue from China, Moza from the UAE, and me. While we all came from vastly different backgrounds, we each had complementary strengths which contributed to the team’s success,” he recounted fondly. “We bonded by sharing past project experiences, and I took the lead to structure our discussions.” 

Thriving in ASEAN’s start-up ecosystem

Week two culminated with ASEAN Day, a dedicated exploration of Southeast Asia’s dynamic entrepreneurial landscape. The centrepiece was a panel session on “Opportunities & Challenges in Southeast Asian Start-up Ecosystem”, where participants acquainted themselves with opportunities for growth and innovation in the fast-growing region.

The programme’s industry exposure took participants directly into Singapore’s thriving start-up ecosystem. Visits to BLOCK71 Singapore and interactions with founders from NUS start-ups like Carousell and ShopBack, revealed the practical steps to scaling ventures. In addition, a fireside chat with Mr Philip Yeo, Chairman of Economic Development Innovations Singapore, offered insights on talent development, navigating ASEAN’s US$600 billion (S$773 billion) digital economy, and how he strategised Singapore’s transformation into a global hub for technology, biomedicine, and innovation.

“If you want to do business here, learn the languages,” Mr Yeo emphasised, an essential starting point for any aspiring ASEAN entrepreneur.

Beyond business insights, the programme embraced ASEAN’s rich cultural tapestry through immersive activities that deepened participants’ regional understanding. Language learning segments introduced its linguistic diversity with lessons in Thai, Vietnamese, and Bahasa Indonesia. Hands-on workshops in traditional batik painting, angklung music, silat, and a traditional bamboo dance offered the participants authentic cultural experiences, while cookery sessions featuring traditional Southeast Asian dishes such as som tam (Thai papaya salad), gado-gado (Indonesian salad with peanut dressing), and Vietnamese spring rolls gave them a taste of the region’s flavours.

These cultural immersion activities proved more than recreational – they enhanced participants’ appreciation for ASEAN’s diverse heritage, along with their understanding of the business climate across Singapore and the wider Southeast Asia.

As a Student Ambassador and Computer Science major from NUS School of Computing, Neryss approached the programme with a unique lens – not just as a participant, but as someone helping to facilitate a cross-cultural connection.  She found new appreciation for Singapore’s multicultural identity while connecting with clanmates from the region as well.

She highlighted her visit to Carousell Singapore as one which reiterated the importance of local market strategies. “Carousell’s founders showed how understanding local nuances drives success,” she said, reflecting on how blending cultural understanding with entrepreneurial vision is key – in Singapore, in ASEAN, in the world.

“And the rest is how you pitch your product!”

Mastering the art of persuasive pitching and storytelling

Beyond technical skills and industry insights, the programme culminated in developing participants’ most crucial entrepreneurial skill: the ability to persuasively communicate their vision. Led by the dynamic Mr Kris Childress, Mentor-in-Residence of NUS Enterprise, the pitching workshop helped students learn how to articulate their value proposition with clarity and passion.

Together with his pitch team from HEALTHLINK, Jun Wei worked smoothly with zero friction. “What I felt we did right was that our complementary strengths drove collaboration,” he remarked.

A pivotal mentoring session with Ms Joyce Ng from iGlobe Partners prompted a fundamental shift to a healthcare provider-focused solution. “Joyce’s advice to always listen to teammates and end users reshaped my thinking and allowed me to think deeper about the solution,” Jun Wei reflected. 

On the morning of Demo Day, nerves ran high as the HEALTHLINK team was worried about the five-minute time limit, but their focus on presenting paid off. “When the results were out later in the day that our team had won, I jumped for joy in the midst of the finale ceremony, fuelled by pure adrenaline. The win, the personalised congratulatory message from Joyce, and the atmosphere of energetic celebrations made the hard work worth it,” he recalled.

Building ventures with purpose

At the heart of the programme was purpose-driven entrepreneurship, inspired by a vision of ventures that drive societal good. A panel with leaders from Dignity Kitchen and raiSE Singapore set souls ablaze, showing how profit and impact can intertwine. Hands-on prototyping sessions brought ideas to life, such as apps for inclusive education and urban sustainability solutions.

Beyond learning to build resilient and scalable ventures, the programme was also about crafting legacies that make a difference in society, using purpose to drive oneself. “Leadership is remembering why and for whom you started,” said Mr Koh Seng Choon, Founder of Dignity Kitchen.

Finding her entrepreneurial purpose through her StepUp team’s pitch, Neryss shared how StepUp, a gamified workshop to teach financial literacy to low-income secondary school students in Singapore, planned to expand across Southeast Asia, where income inequality remains prevalent. “Our team’s synergy was our unique selling point,” she shared, echoing judge Mr Prantik Mazumdar’s observation that a company’s direction may shift, testing the team’s ability to stay motivated.

“That advice led us to focus on financial literacy for secondary school students, simulating their daily choices between wants and needs, unlike broader gamified learning tools,” she said.

Celebrating a global entrepreneurial community

The programme culminated with a grand finale that perfectly captured the essence of the two-week journey. The event featured cultural performances by the students and Demo Day, where teams presented their polished start-up ideas to panels of industry judges and venture capitalists.

From gamified travel apps to sustainable tech solutions, the pitches showcased the programme’s impact on fostering creativity and ambition, as well as the aspiring founders behind the ideas that were brought to life. The event celebrated not only entrepreneurial achievements but also the global connections formed, with participants leaving as part of NUS Enterprise’s vibrant community.

“Regardless of where you’re from, I believe each of you is walking away with not only new entrepreneurial mindsets and skills, but also friendships and memories that I hope will last a lifetime,” Associate Professor Benjamin Tee told the students.

“Many of the founders said that this is an experience where one will experience many challenges and failures, and I want to test my resilience and meet all these ambitious, inspiring people along the way, as at the end of the programme, I realised that entrepreneurship is something that I really want to pursue,” shared Neryss reflecting on the days spent with new friends and the fast-paced life lessons she gained along the way.

Echoing her sentiments, Jun Wei added that the two weeks had taught him more than his previous work experiences. “It ignited a drive to own my ideas and learn from mistakes in the chaos of creation.”

A global network for future innovators

The NUS Enterprise Summer Programme in Entrepreneurship 2025 served as a transformative launchpad for aspiring entrepreneurs. As the students returned home, they took with them not just memories but essential tools, international networks, lasting friendships, and newfound confidence to build ventures that will shape the future.

By NUS Enterprise

To push the frontiers of scientific research in Singapore, the National University of Singapore (NUS) and Nanyang Technological University, Singapore (NTU Singapore) are renewing their commitment to share high-value research equipment and facilities.

Providing scientists from both universities with access to cutting-edge, multi-million dollar research infrastructure at NUS and NTU Singapore will foster deeper collaboration, enabling more joint research projects, co-authored publications, and stronger funding opportunities.

Such partnerships strengthen institutional ties and promote a culture of knowledge sharing. They broaden training and development by equipping students and researchers with specialised tools and cross-institutional expertise. This leads to higher-quality research, faster innovation, and more effective industry engagement.

NUS President Professor Tan Eng Chye said, “This is an excellent win-win partnership between NUS and NTU which serves as a force multiplier in amplifying our research capabilities and accelerating discoveries with greater scale and impact. Both universities hold complementary strengths in talent, innovation and infrastructure. By combining critical resources and expertise, we will be in a stronger place to accelerate scientific breakthroughs and drive real-world impact locally and internationally. Researchers from both universities are currently collaborating extensively on a wide variety of projects, and we are excited to see these efforts grow even further and champion new solutions to complex challenges.”

NTU President Professor Ho Teck Hua said, “As Singapore’s two largest universities, NTU and NUS compete on the global stage. By partnering with each other through shared research facilities, we are better positioned to enhance Singapore’s standing in global research.”

“Sharing high-end equipment empowers our scientists to increase the impactful research they do, fosters deeper research collaborations, and encourages mutual learning. It also helps us maximise efficiencies in utilising research infrastructure,” added Prof Ho.

At NUS, NTU researchers can access advanced tools such as the Invizo 6000 3D Atom Probe microscope – one of seven in the world and the first in ASEAN – which allows 3D imaging and chemical analysis of materials at the atomic level. The equipment allows atom probe tomography to be carried out, which is especially useful for studying how elements are distributed in semiconductor devices, the structure of advanced alloys, and how atoms move in energy materials used in batteries and fuel cells. Its high precision makes it a key tool for developing next-generation materials and devices.

High-end equipment in NTU available to NUS scientists includes an ultra-powerful microscope, called an aberration-corrected transmission electron microscope with energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy, electron energy loss spectroscopy, and holography capabilities. It allows researchers to clearly see single columns of atoms in a material at high resolution, identify what elements it is made of, understand the properties of the bonds between the atoms, and visualise the invisible electric and magnetic fields around them. With the microscope, scientists can study materials to make better quantum computers, design more effective nanoparticles for medical diagnoses and drug treatment, as well as develop novel materials for construction and manufacturing.

The sharing arrangement builds on existing research and innovation partnerships between NUS and NTU, including jointly leading research for the Sustainable Tropical Data Centre Testbed, the world’s first testbed in the tropics to advance energy-efficient data centre cooling solutions.

The two universities, together with global investment company Temasek, have also embarked on a joint pilot programme to accelerate the creation of successful deep-tech start-ups from the pipeline of research at NUS and NTU.

By Dr Yvette van der Eijk, from the Saw Swee Hock School of Public Health; and Mr Jared Ng, Communications Manager at the Lloyd’s Register Foundation Institute for the Public Understanding of Risk, both at NUS

• CNA Online, 5 August 2025

By Mr Alex Capri, Senior Lecturer in the Dept of Analytics and Operations, NUS Business School

• The Straits Times, 5 August 2025, Opinion, pB3

• 8world Online, 5 August 2025

• 8world Online, 5 August 2025

• Lianhe Zaobao Online, 5 August 2025

By Assoc Prof Emily M David, from the Dept of Organisational Behaviour at NUS Business School

• The Straits Times, 4 August 2025, Opinion, pB3

• CNA Online, 1 August 2025
• 8world Online, 1 August 2025
• Suria News Online, 1 August 2025
• Lianhe Zaobao, 3 August 2025, News, p4

• Lianhe Zaobao, 3 August 2025, Fukan, Front Page and p3

By Mr Ben Chester Cheong, Associate Academic Fellow at the Asia-Pacific Centre for Environmental Law, Faculty of Law at NUS

• The Business Times, 2 August 2025, p30

• The Business Times Online, 1 August 2025

Researchers from the National University of Singapore (NUS) have developed a groundbreaking carbon membrane that could revolutionise proton therapy for cancer patients, and advance technologies in medicine and other areas such as energy devices and flexible electronics.

The new carbon material which is just a single atom thick shows incredible promise in enabling high-precision proton beams. Such beams are key to safer and more accurate proton therapy for cancer treatment. The new material, called the ultra-clean monolayer amorphous carbon (UC-MAC), could outperform best in class materials like graphene or commercial carbon films. 

The research was led by Associate Professor Lu Jiong and his team from the NUS Department of Chemistry, in collaboration with international partners.

Beyond graphene: A new class of 2D carbon

Unlike graphene, which features a perfectly ordered honeycomb structure of hexagonal rings, UC-MAC is made up of a complex mix of five-, six-, and seven-membered carbon rings arranged in a disordered, ultra-thin sheet.

This atomic-level disorder is an advantage as it gives rise to angstrom-scale pores, which are just one ten-billionth of a metre wide, that can be finely tuned to control the behaviour of tiny particles like protons and molecular hydrogen ions (H₂⁺) as they pass through. The material’s porous and ultra-thin nature makes it ideal for filtering and splitting subatomic particles, a critical need in several high-tech applications.

Faster, cleaner, and scalable manufacturing

One of the biggest hurdles in using this material for real-world applications is the challenge of manufacturing it. Existing methods are slow, costly, and often introduce metal impurities that compromise the material’s performance.

To solve this, the researchers developed a new industry-compatible synthesis process called the disorder-to-disorder (DTD) approach. Using a special type of plasma-enhanced chemical vapor deposition (ICP-CVD), they were able to grow an 8-inch UC-MAC sheet in seconds, much faster than previous methods, without any detectable metal contamination.

This is a major step forward in scaling up the production of this advanced material for industrial and medical use.

This achievement was made possible through close collaboration between synthetic chemists, materials scientists, and theoretical physicists, including Professor Zeng Xiao Cheng from City University of Hong Kong, Assistant Professor Zhao Xiaoxu from Peking University, Associate Professor Thomas Osipowicz from NUS Department of Physics, and other contributing authors.

The research breakthrough was published in the scientific journal Nature Nanotechnology on 28 July 2025.

Sharper proton beams for safer and more effective treatment

When used as a membrane to split molecular hydrogen ions (H₂⁺) into individual protons, UC-MAC produced proton beams that were significantly sharper than those generated using graphene or traditional carbon films. In fact, the new material reduced unwanted proton scattering events by about twice as much as graphene and 40 times more than commercial carbon thin films.

This is especially important for non-invasive cancer treatments such as proton therapy, where focused beams are used to target and destroy tumours while sparing healthy tissue. Thinner membranes with minimal scattering could help clinicians better control the beam current and direction, making treatment safer and more effective.

A versatile platform for future technologies

While the immediate spotlight is on proton therapy, UC-MAC has potential far beyond medicine. Its ultra-clean, porous structure could be useful for many applications including energy devices such as fuel cells and batteries, catalysis where precise molecular separation is key, and flexible electronics.

“The semiconducting properties of UC-MAC films also make them promising candidates for ultra-thin electronics, particularly for sub-2 nm integrated circuits—a critical frontier in the post-Moore’s law era,” said Assoc Prof Lu.

A step toward real-world use

By demonstrating a fast, scalable, and clean method to produce UC-MAC, the research team has paved the way for transitioning this powerful new material from the lab to real-world applications.

This advancement is not just a step forward in materials science, but a leap towards practical, life-saving technologies that are thinner, faster, and more precise than ever.

In a landmark gathering of leading legal scholars, policymakers, and industry experts from around the world, World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) Director General Mr Daren Tang delivered a keynote address calling for human creativity to remain at the core as intellectual property (IP) laws evolve and adapt to fast-evolving technologies.

“Generative AI has evolved quickly yet remains a skilful replicator, lacking the real spark of originality and inventiveness that characterises human innovation and creativity. We should therefore see Gen AI as a tool, and like any tool, ensure that it is used for good,” said Mr Tang. “Ingenuity, invention and creativity is a fundamental part of who we are as a human species, and technology, as well as the IP system, must continue to protect, nurture and support this, never forgetting to put the human creator at its centre.”

Mr Tang’s call set the tone for the two-day “Intellectual Property and Technology in the 21st Century” conference held on 4 Aug and 5 Aug 2025 where more than 100 participants from over a dozen countries representing academia, government agencies, industry and the legal profession will engage in deep discussion on pressing IP challenges arising from rapid technological advancement.

Organised by the Centre for Technology, Robotics, Artificial Intelligence & the Law (TRAIL) and the EW Barker Centre for Law & Business at NUS Faculty of Law (NUS Law), the conference is co-hosted with law schools from Columbia, Oxford, and Tsinghua, marking the first-ever academic collaboration of its kind across these leading global institutions. The conference is also supported by partners such as Google, Bytedance, the Singapore Academy of Law and the Intellectual Property Office of Singapore (IPOS).

Keeping pace with AI, creativity and global competition

The challenges facing IP law in the age of AI are far-reaching, going beyond legal doctrine into sectors as diverse as technology, entertainment, and fashion, prompting a rethink of how businesses innovate and compete, to how creators, artists, and designers protect their work.

Mr Adam Williams, Chief Executive of the UK Intellectual Property Office (UK IPO), said: “IP rights give creators, inventors, and investors the confidence to turn their ideas into reality, realise new opportunities and adapt to challenges. Ongoing dialogue between IP offices, and with industry and practitioners, is key to ensuring global IP frameworks remain fit for the future to encourage new discoveries and creations to thrive.”

In July this year, the UK IPO launched a public consultation on the proposed Standard Essential Patents measures to support the UK’s technology-driven economic growth.

"AI is a great economic opportunity but a key issue is its potential to disrupt the livelihoods of many," said Mr Tan Kong Hwee, Chief Executive of IPOS. "Governments, enterprises, and society must work in tandem to find the right balance that adopts a human-centric approach to ensure protection for IP owners' rights whilst facilitating innovation in a responsible and ethical way. At the end of the day, we must remember that people are at the heart of it all; that is why IPOS has committed to helping creators and innovators understand their IP rights as they navigate this fast-evolving technology."

Mr Williams and Mr Tan were part of a roundtable amongst heads of IP offices along with Mr Tang, following his opening keynote address at the conference. The roundtable was moderated by TRAIL Co-Director, Professor David Tan from NUS Law.

Prof Tan, a pioneer and expert in entertainment law and fashion law, said while policy makers are working to reform IP protection, creative industries have turned current limitations into opportunities. The global fashion industry, including Singapore, is a prime example of IP’s ‘negative space’ in which creation and innovation can thrive without significant protection from intellectual property law.

He said, “In Singapore, trademark, patent, and design laws give strong protection for logos, inventions, and product designs. But when it comes to copyright, especially in fashion, the protection is weaker. “Knockoffs” often copy the look and feel of an original without directly copying logos or breaking the law. With the rise of social media, the internet, and AI tools, more people now have the ability to remix and build on existing designs. As a result, success in the industry is less about having exclusive rights, and more about setting trends, building a strong brand, and earning customer loyalty.”

Highlighting opportunities, Prof Tan echoed sentiments recently shared by Prime Minister Lawrence Wong that Singapore can get ahead of new technology like AI to create new jobs[1].

“More designers can use generative AI to help them more quickly create 2D and 3D designs from packaging to clothing and furniture, and small businesses and budding entrepreneurs in particular can get their products to market a lot faster,” he said.

Rethinking Responsibility and Creativity in the Age of Generative AI

At the conference, over thirty presentations by experts in various fields of practice and research will unpack how emerging technologies continue to raise urgent questions that affect not just legal systems, but the public’s rights, safety, and creative freedom.

In recent years, powerful AI tools that can create text, images, or music have made courts and lawmakers think hard about some big copyright questions—like whether something made by AI can be protected by copyright if there wasn’t enough human effort involved.

Associate Professor He Tianxiang from City University of Hong Kong said, “It is the mind of the human creator, fallible and inspired, that copyright law was built to protect and incentivise. The courts must remain clear-eyed and perhaps even sceptical when presented with AI-generated content, whether text, image or music, cloaked with a thin veneer of human input.”

Prof He says the burden should be on the claimant to prove their authorship, not on the public to disprove it.

“Generative AI challenges us to reaffirm what copyright is meant to protect: not merely the existence of a text or image, but the fact that a human mind originated it,” he added. “It pushes us to clarify that the law’s protection is awarded to the act of human creativity, however small or large, and not to the mere act of generating content.”

Another emerging legal challenge is ‘artificial causation’, which is having to figure out who is responsible when AI creates something that causes a legal problem.

Professor Shyamkrishna Balganesh from Columbia Law School said, “When prompted by a human actor, a generative AI application uses the patterns that it learned from voluminous data to generate an output that is seemingly responsive to the prompt and largely simulates a likely human response. However, this output may infringe copyright, contain falsities that is defamatory or violate another individual’s privacy.”

The question then is who or what is responsible for the output: The person who used the tool, the AI system itself, or someone else? Prof Balganesh argued that solving the puzzle of artificial causation in the law is crucial not just for the legal regulation of generative AI, but also for the very working of multiple areas of law where the inquiry remains human-focused.

WIPO will be launching the AI Infrastructure Interchange, known as AIII or “A-triple-I” in December 2025. The AIII will be a dedicated space for exploring technical and operational questions about copyright infrastructure in the age of AI, as well as a neutral forum where creators, rights-holders, developers and experts can exchange ideas and explore practical solutions.

_{[1] https://www.straitstimes.com/singapore/spore-can-and-must-meaningfully-apply-tech-like-ai-in-a-way-that-creates-jobs-for-locals-pm-wong}

• Lianhe Zaobao, 2 August 2025, Singapore, p8

• CNA, 1 August 2025
• Channel 5 News, 1 August 2025
• Suria News, 1 August 2025
• CNA938, 1 August 2025
• Money 89.3FM, 1 August 2025
• Capital 95.8FM, 1 August 2025
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• The Straits Times, 2 August 2025, The Big Story, pA2
• Lianhe Zaobao, 2 August 2025 Singapore, p8
• Berita Harian, 2 August 2025, p2
• Tamil Murasu, 2 August 2025, p2

The National University of Singapore (NUS) and Google are embarking on a new strategic collaboration to accelerate applied AI research and nurture skilled AI practitioners. This collaboration reinforces Singapore’s ambition to be a global hub for AI innovation and talent, advances the national digital transformation agenda, and deepens industry-academia partnerships to strengthen the country’s research ecosystem.

NUS and Google exchanged strategic collaboration agreements to establish a joint research and innovation centre during the NUS School of Computing’s (NUS Computing) 50th Anniversary Gala Dinner, where the School commemorated five decades of sterling contributions to computing education and research.

The exchange of signed agreements between Professor Tulika Mitra, Dean of NUS Computing, and Ms Serene Sia, Country Director, Singapore and Malaysia, Google Cloud, was witnessed by Guest-of-Honour, Mr Tan Kiat How, Senior Minister of State, Ministry of Digital Development and Information, together with Professor Tan Eng Chye, NUS President, and Ms Yolyn Ang, Vice President, Knowledge and Information Partnerships, Asia Pacific, Google.

Professor Liu Bin, NUS Deputy President (Research and Technology), said, “Google has been a valued long-term partner of NUS, and we are excited to deepen this strategic relationship. The joint centre brings together NUS’ leadership in AI and multidisciplinary research and Google’s deep research expertise, advanced technologies and tools, as well as well-established pathways for research translation and deployment.

A key pillar of this partnership is talent development — through endowed professorships, mentorship, training programmes, and hands-on research projects. We are grateful to Google for their support to establish a professorship at NUS, which will strengthen faculty leadership and research excellence in AI. We are confident that our joint efforts with Google will nurture the next generation of AI scientists, engineers, and innovators equipped to tackle real-world challenges. Together, we are well-positioned to drive AI breakthroughs that will transform lives, reshape industries, and advance the future of education, healthcare, and beyond.”

Serene Sia, Country Director, Singapore and Malaysia, Google Cloud, said, “Google and NUS share a longstanding partnership, anchored on talent development and applying frontier technologies for public good. These include an on-campus Google Developer Group to equip students with advanced software skills; Google Cloud as a pioneering industry partner of the NUS AI Institute; cultivating talent to tackle biomedical challenges with AI; producing the world’s first AI-powered legal journal podcast with NotebookLM, and a Google PhD Fellowship programme to recognise exceptional work in computer science. Our new collaboration truly builds on those successes; it's a significant step forward in Google’s commitment to bringing new capabilities for scientific discovery to Singapore. NUS has consistently been at the forefront of Singapore's RIE ecosystem, supporting Singapore’s transformation into a knowledge-based, innovation-driven economy and society. By combining NUS’ world-class multidisciplinary research capabilities with Google’s world-class AI research and AI-optimised cloud infrastructure, this joint centre is poised to steer safe and responsible AI development and accelerate scientific progress that transforms public health, learning experiences, and other vital fields."

Joint Research and Innovation Centre

NUS and Google plan to establish a joint research and innovation centre, bringing together resources and technology to pursue experimental or applied AI projects across diverse domains.

There are also plans for a rapid prototyping sandbox to be established and governed by the joint centre to provide a controlled and flexible cloud-based environment, supported by Google Cloud’s power-efficient Tensor Processing Units (TPUs), for experimentation, testing, and validation of the solutions developed under each of the domains, before they are deployed or scaled in real-world settings.

Examples of these domains include:

●      AI in Education: Research aimed at utilising Google Cloud’s Vertex AI platform to develop and evaluate AI-driven tools for adult education, including adaptive scaffolding, blended learning, context-aware nudging, course-specific AI companions, and psychometrically robust measurement of learner engagement, skill acquisition, and career progression. This supports the national emphasis on lifelong learning and continuous upskilling of Singaporeans for the evolving demands of various industries.

●      AI in Legal: The development of a Singapore Law-specific LLM on Google Cloud by NUS Faculty of Law, NUS AI Institute, and NUS Computing. This domain-specific LLM will be grounded on local statutory interpretation, case precedents, and legal nuances to overcome the limitations of generic LLMs in legal contexts. This project aims to provide the core technology for an AI assistant supporting legal research, with potential to enhance productivity and access to contextually-relevant legal information across law firms, the judiciary, and public legal education.

●      AI in Public Health (AI4PH): Research that aims to utilise AI to drive population-level health outcomes, by integrating foundational models with diverse data sources across healthcare, social services, and environmental systems. This will enable the development of agentic AI solutions to support preventive care under programmes like Healthier SG and promote cognitive health and active ageing.

Talent Development Programme and Google-Supported Professorship in AI

Complementing the joint centre, Google plans to establish an AI-focused talent development programme at NUS. This initiative aims to provide training opportunities and certification pathways in Google Cloud AI platforms and tools for NUS students and researchers to accelerate their applied AI research projects.

Additionally, Google intends to establish a Google-supported professorship at NUS to further promote faculty leadership in AI-related fields, foster even deeper collaboration between academia and industry, and contribute to cultivating the next generation of talent in AI and digital innovation.

By Dr Woo Jun Jie, Senior Lecturer from the Lee Kuan Yew School of Public Policy at NUS

• The Straits Times, 1 August 2025, Opinion, pB3

By Dr Qi Dongtao, Senior Research Fellow from the East Asian Institute at NUS

• Lianhe Zaobao, 1 August 2025, Opinion, p18

• Lianhe Zaobao, 31 July 2025, Sports, p18

By Dr Yvette van der Eijk, from the Saw Swee Hock School of Public Health at NUS

• The Straits Times, 31 July 2025, Opinion, pB3

By Dr Xu Le, Lecturer from the Dept of Strategy and Policy at NUS Business School

• ThinkChina, 29 July 2025

By Dr Azhar Ibrahim Alwee, Senior Lecturer at the Dept of Malay Studies, Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences at NUS

• Suria News Online, 30 July 2025

In June this year, seven NUS students from various faculties embarked on a nine-day journey to New Delhi and Agra in India as part of the Study Trips for Engagement and EnRichment (STEER) programme led by Associate Professor Loh Wai Lam, Academic Director of NUS Global Relations Office (GRO). The trip, jointly organised by GRO and the Office of International Affairs & Global Initiatives at O.P. Jindal Global University (JGU), was curated to enable the students to experience the vibrancy and dynamism of India through a blend of academic discourse and cultural immersion.

Breaking existing mindsets and experiencing the cultural landscape

Through classroom sessions, site visits, and direct engagement with local communities and institutions, students were able to examine the relationship between community building and cultural expression in India, and gain insights into the intricacies of the country’s social fabric and development efforts.

A key component of the programme was a series of six classroom sessions at JGU which provided students with foundational knowledge of the historical, social, and economic factors shaping community development in India. At a visit to the Constitution Museum on campus, they also learned about the birth of the Indian Constitution, which was established following the country’s independence from British rule.

For second-year Business Administration undergraduate Kuo Tsung Hsun, learning how the nation emerged as the world’s largest democracy was deeply inspiring. “The value of democracy is not something easily earned. This is an idea that I’m beginning to appreciate,” he reflected.

In addition to learning about India’s history and governance, the students examined the enduring impact of the caste system — a social hierarchy that, although legally abolished, continues to influence access, identity, and opportunity in both subtle and overt ways. The students also explored India’s cultural heritage, diving into the preservation of indigenous languages as a means of maintaining community identity, and the role of traditional ecological knowledge in advancing sustainable development.

A visit to a village in Sonipat, where JGU is located, and an interaction with a local self-help group also left a lasting impression on the students. They were deeply moved by the stories of hardship and perseverance from women who had started businesses despite social and financial barriers. Many were inspired by their simple yet powerful message to “just dream”.

Reflecting on the encounter, second-year Psychology undergraduate Ameline Ang said, “These women carved out their journeys not because conditions were ideal, but because they believed change was possible. Their entrepreneurial spirit wasn’t built on access, but on sheer will. It made me reflect on my own privilege and the responsibility I have to create meaningfully, not just comfortably.”

These experiences were further enriched by a visit to the High Commission of the Republic of Singapore in New Delhi, where the students had the opportunity to engage with Singaporean diplomats and gained first-hand insights into their roles and daily lives in India.

No STEER trip would be complete without visits to iconic historical sites. The first visit was to Humayun’s Tomb, a UNESCO World Heritage Site located in Delhi that was built in 1570. As the first garden-tomb in the Indian subcontinent, it represented a turning point in Mughal architecture, setting the stage for later masterpieces like the Taj Mahal, another UNESCO World Heritage Site, which the students visited later in their trip.

Looking back and moving forward

At the end of the programme, the students were asked to reflect on their experiences in India: what were they passionate about; what emotions did they experience; what changes in mindset did they undergo; and what tangible plans can they make and act on?

For Eric Sim, a third-year Information Security undergraduate, the visit marked a fitting end to an insightful and rewarding journey in India. More than just academic learning, the trip offered him fresh perspectives and lasting memories. “It was so much fun that it’s etched in my mind to this day—and hopefully these memories will last for more than a lifetime. I already miss every moment with them. Dhanyavaad (which means ‘Thank you’ in Hindi), everyone.”

By NUS Global Relations Office

The Bezos Centre for Sustainable Protein at the National University of Singapore (Bezos Centre @NUS) and Enterprise Singapore (EnterpriseSG) announced a new partnership to accelerate early-stage sustainable protein innovation through a startup competition. This is part of Bezos Centre @NUS’ US$3 million in grants over five years to support early and growth-stage startups in this space.

The inaugural Sustainable Protein Startup Competition will identify and support early-stage startups in sustainable protein solutions. Three winning startups will be selected through a competitive pitching process. Each winner will receive funding and in-kind support of up to S$175,000, while gaining access to Singapore's comprehensive ecosystem of resources. The competition will be launched on 1 August 2025 at the first International Summit on Sustainable Protein (ISSP). There are plans to hold the competition annually, supporting up to 15 early-stage global and local startups over a five-year period.

Professor Zhou Weibiao, Acting Director of the Bezos Centre for Sustainable Protein at NUS and Head of the NUS Department of Food Science and Technology, said, “One of our goals at the Bezos Centre for Sustainable Protein at NUS is to bridge world-class research in sustainable protein with real-world impact. This startup competition and the ISSP are natural extensions of that mission — paving the way for promising technologies to move from lab to market, and from local to global impact. Our partnership with EnterpriseSG will further support our aspiration by accelerating innovation and strengthening the sustainable protein ecosystem in Singapore and beyond.”  

Ms Jeannie Lim, Assistant Managing Director for Services and Growth Enterprises at EnterpriseSG, said, “Our partnership with the Bezos Centre @NUS comes at a crucial time to support promising foodtech startups in securing funding to develop their technologies and bring innovative solutions to market. This initiative reflects our commitment to advance promising sustainable food innovations while catalysing greater private sector participation and investments in Singapore's foodtech sector. We welcome foodtech startups to leverage Singapore’s resources, robust innovation ecosystem and progressive regulatory framework to accelerate their R&D efforts and scale their impact across the region.”

Bezos Centre @NUS x EnterpriseSG’s Sustainable Protein Startup Competition

The competition aims to support early-stage startups developing novel sustainable protein technologies that can address critical challenges in food security and climate resilience. This includes innovative solutions in fermentation, cultivated meat, plant-based proteins, and food safety & toxicology. Startups will be evaluated on their technology innovation and readiness, market potential and validation, business model scalability, and team capabilities.

From the entries, eight promising startups will advance to the final pitching round which will be held at the Singapore International Agri-Food Week in November 2025. Three winning startups will be selected, and each winner will receive seed funding and in-kind support of up to S$175,000. Bezos Centre @NUS will provide a S$75,000 cash grant and EnterpriseSG will match this with a S$75,000 Startup SG Founder (Competition) grant. Winners can utilise the seed funding for R&D, prototype development and to conduct pilot trials for sustainable protein products. Besides the funding, winners will receive up to S$25,000 worth of in-kind support from Bezos Centre @NUS. This includes mentorship, laboratory facilities, office space, startup incubation resources, and the opportunity to pitch at an annual startup event.

Interested startups can submit their applications from 1 August to 8 September 2025. More information on the Sustainable Protein Startup Competition is available here. 

Support for growth-stage sustainable protein startups

As part of its US$3 million funding to accelerate sustainable protein solutions, Bezos Centre @NUS has earmarked up to US$1.5 million to help growth-stage sustainable protein startups and high-potential projects scale up production, strengthen market presence, and drive international growth.

Bezos Centre @NUS plans to award grants of up to US$500,000 each to three promising startups or high-potential projects. EnterpriseSG will be partnering with Bezos Centre @NUS to further enhance this support through the Startup SG Tech Grant matching. More details will be announced in November this year.

ISSP: A collaborative platform to drive innovation and knowledge sharing in sustainable protein

The ISSP is co-organised by the Bezos Centre for Sustainable Protein at NUS, the Department of Food Science and Technology at the NUS Faculty of Science, the Singapore Food Agency, and Enterprise Singapore, with the Agency for Science, Technology and Research as a strategic partner. The two-day event will be held from 31 July to 1 August 2025 at Pan Pacific Hotel Singapore.

Talks and discussions held at ISSP addressed one of the most urgent global challenges: how to sustainably feed a growing and aging global population, projected to exceed 9 billion by 2050, amidst intensifying climate pressures and resource constraints. To cater to the rising demand for safe and high-quality protein, it is imperative to develop innovative solutions that guarantee food security and optimal nutrition while reducing environmental impacts. ISSP provides a unique platform for experts, stakeholders, and innovators from diverse fields to converge and collaborate on advancing sustainable proteins.

Core themes at ISSP include:

• Scientific Knowledge Exchange: Showcasing cutting-edge research on sustainable proteins by global and regional thought leaders.

• Technology Translation and Growth: Accelerating promising research and commercialisation efforts through competitions, industry feedback, and curated investor engagement.

• Ecosystem Building: Facilitating collaborations among academia, startups, government bodies and industry.

• Showcasing Capabilities: Highlighting ready-to-license innovations and technical expertise from research institutes, universities, and enterprise partners.

ISSP convened more than 200 participants from top research institutes, alternative protein hubs, industry, and policy circles. Notable speakers at the summit included Professor Francesco Branca, Invited Professor from the Institute of Global Health at the University of Geneva, and Dr Lynnette Marie Neufeld, Director of the Food and Nutrition Division at the Food and Agriculture Organisation of the United Nations (FAO).

More information on ISSP is available at: https://issp2025.sg/index.php

The Bezos Centre for Sustainable Protein at the National University of Singapore (Bezos Centre @NUS) and Enterprise Singapore (EnterpriseSG) announced a new partnership to accelerate early-stage sustainable protein innovation through a startup competition. This is part of Bezos Centre @NUS’ US$3 million in grants over five years to support early and growth-stage startups in this space.

The inaugural Sustainable Protein Startup Competition will identify and support early-stage startups in sustainable protein solutions. Three winning startups will be selected through a competitive pitching process. Each winner will receive funding and in-kind support of up to S$175,000, while gaining access to Singapore's comprehensive ecosystem of resources. The competition will be launched on 1 August 2025 at the first International Summit on Sustainable Protein (ISSP, more details on ISSP in Annexe). There are plans to hold the competition annually, supporting up to 15 early-stage global and local startups over a five-year period.

Professor Zhou Weibiao, Acting Director of the Bezos Centre for Sustainable Protein at NUS and Head of the NUS Department of Food Science and Technology, said, “One of our goals at the Bezos Centre for Sustainable Protein at NUS is to bridge world-class research in sustainable protein with real-world impact. This startup competition and the ISSP are natural extensions of that mission — paving the way for promising technologies to move from lab to market, and from local to global impact. Our partnership with EnterpriseSG will further support our aspiration by accelerating innovation and strengthening the sustainable protein ecosystem in Singapore and beyond.”  

Ms Jeannie Lim, Assistant Managing Director for Services and Growth Enterprises at EnterpriseSG, said, “Our partnership with the Bezos Centre @NUS comes at a crucial time to support promising foodtech startups in securing funding to develop their technologies and bring innovative solutions to market. This initiative reflects our commitment to advance promising sustainable food innovations while catalysing greater private sector participation and investments in Singapore's foodtech sector. We welcome foodtech startups to leverage Singapore’s resources, robust innovation ecosystem and progressive regulatory framework to accelerate their R&D efforts and scale their impact across the region.”

Bezos Centre @NUS x EnterpriseSG’s Sustainable Protein Startup Competition

The competition aims to support early-stage startups developing novel sustainable protein technologies that can address critical challenges in food security and climate resilience. This includes innovative solutions in fermentation, cultivated meat, plant-based proteins, and food safety & toxicology. Startups will be evaluated on their technology innovation and readiness, market potential and validation, business model scalability, and team capabilities.

From the entries, eight promising startups will advance to the final pitching round which will be held at the Singapore International Agri-Food Week in November 2025. Three winning startups will be selected, and each winner will receive seed funding and in-kind support of up to S$175,000. Bezos Centre @NUS will provide a S$75,000 cash grant and EnterpriseSG will match this with a S$75,000 Startup SG Founder (Competition) grant. Winners can utilise the seed funding for R&D, prototype development and to conduct pilot trials for sustainable protein products. Besides the funding, winners will receive up to S$25,000 worth of in-kind support from Bezos Centre @NUS. This includes mentorship, laboratory facilities, office space, startup incubation resources, and the opportunity to pitch at an annual startup event.

Interested startups can submit their applications from 1 August to 8 September 2025. More information on the Sustainable Protein Startup Competition is available at https://go.gov.sg/spsc-2025.  

Support for growth-stage sustainable protein startups

As part of its US$3 million funding to accelerate sustainable protein solutions, Bezos Centre @NUS has earmarked up to US$1.5 million to help growth-stage sustainable protein startups and high-potential projects scale up production, strengthen market presence, and drive international growth.

Bezos Centre @NUS plans to award grants of up to US$500,000 each to three promising startups or high-potential projects. EnterpriseSG will be partnering with Bezos Centre @NUS to further enhance this support through the Startup SG Tech Grant matching. More details will be announced in November this year.

More than 400 students from over 20 pre-tertiary and tertiary institutions across Singapore and the Asia-Pacific region convened to debate critical global concerns at the 22nd Singapore Model United Nations (SMUN) conference that was organised by the NUS Political Science Society (NUS PSSOC) in June at NUS University Town (UTown).

Themed “Building a New Era of Diplomacy”, SMUN 2025 provided an incisive lens through which young participants navigated the intricate complexities of global geopolitics by role-playing as UN delegates and members of international organisations such as the International Monetary Fund and the World Trade Organisation to discuss current issues such as digital currencies and tariffs.

A key highlight of the event was the thought-provoking keynote by distinguished diplomat and academic Mr Kishore Mahbubani, Distinguished Fellow at the NUS Asia Research Institute. In his address, Mr Mahbubani explored the shifting paradigms of global power and offered compelling insights into the current international order. He highlighted the remarkable success of ASEAN as a testament to effective regional cooperation and presented it as a model for navigating complex global challenges.

Mr Mahbubani also critically examined the structure of the UN, particularly the influence of the permanent members’ veto powers. While acknowledging that the UN’s effectiveness is often shaped by the interests of the major powers, he emphasised that it remains in the interest of small states to strengthen the multilateral system by “build[ing] upon a rules-based order and cooperat[ing] in issues of global importance such as climate change and denuclearisation.” His remarks struck a chord with the young delegates, reinforcing their understanding of the importance of multilateralism and the pursuit of shared global interests to shape a more equitable world. 

Diverse agendas and dynamic debates: Inside the councils of SMUN 2025

This year’s conference featured delegates from 11 councils tackling a wide array of pertinent topics. In the United Nations Security Council, discussions centred on reforming peacekeeping operations – with delegates debating their effectiveness, future direction and the complexities of maintaining peace in conflicts such as the Syrian Civil War. The United Nations Economic Commission for Europe (UNECE) engaged in intricate negotiations on transboundary water treaties across the Pan-European region, a critical issue with far-reaching environmental and geopolitical implications. Meanwhile, the House of Commons (HOC) simulation offered a unique platform to examine the ongoing complexities and multifaceted consequences of Brexit, giving participants the opportunity to explore national political dynamics within an international context. 

Through extensive research, preparation of detailed position papers, and the development of innovative policy proposals, delegates engaged in intense debates, striving to pass resolutions through collaborative effort and majority vote.

As with previous iterations, SMUN 2025 was meticulously designed to spur active participation and meaningful dialogue. Participants who demonstrated significant contributions throughout the conference were duly recognised with prestigious awards such as Best Delegate, Outstanding Delegate, Honourable Mentions, and Best Position Paper, celebrating their dedication and diplomatic acumen.

Mr Arav Taneja from Temasek Secondary School received an honourable mention award for his outstanding contributions in the House of Representatives of Japan (HRJ). Recounting his experience, he shared, “When I first walked into the House of Representatives Japan SMUN conference room, I felt like a small fish in a big lake. However, as we progressed through council sessions, I found my voice. I engaged in constructive debate with other delegates and worked on resolutions like it was second nature. I gained invaluable knowledge not only about Japan but also about global dynamics. However, I think the biggest takeaway was the connections and friendships I made along the way.”

PSSOC President and Year 2 student from the NUS Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences Ms Irdina Duran, expressed her thanks to all involved for the success of SMUN 2025. “We are immensely grateful to Mr Mahbubani for his profound insights and to all the dedicated participants who made this year’s conference an undeniable success.”

SMUN 2025 Secretary-General and first-year student from the NUS Faculty of Law Mr Aditya Garladinne noted that this year's event has proven to be a vibrant crucible of intellect and diplomacy. Far more than a mere simulation, it is a testament to the boundless potential of our youth, he said.

“Witnessing these bright minds grappling with the world's most pressing challenges is not just inspiring; it is a profound reassurance that the future of global cooperation rests in exceptionally capable hands. This event truly exemplifies how experiential learning can cultivate not only future leaders but also compassionate and globally aware citizens." 

By the NUS Political Science Society at the NUS Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences

International Friendship Day, observed annually on 30 July, celebrates friendships between people of different countries and cultures to cultivate a shared sense of solidarity and promote dialogue to bridge differences.

As a global university, NUS nurtures students into global citizens through overseas opportunities, collaborations with foreign universities, and immersion in a cosmopolitan community that has 123 nationalities represented among staff and students. This diversity is especially prominent at the Yong Siew Toh Conservatory of Music (YST), which boasts one of the most culturally diverse student bodies at NUS. There are more than 20 nationalities in its undergraduate student population of about 240, creating a vibrant environment for friendships to blossom across different nationalities and cultures.

In celebration of International Friendship Day, five Voice majors hailing from various parts of Southeast Asia, South Korea, and India share how their multinational group of friends has enriched and shaped their university experience both inside and outside the classroom.

Embracing curiosity and kindness

Like many university friend groups, Val Chong, Samiksha Argal, Park Minjun, and Leanne Reese first met and bonded in shared core classes in Year 1. Representing Singapore, India, South Korea, and the Philippines respectively, they became acquainted through casual chats between lessons and grabbing meals together after classes and performances.

Notably, the friend group also comprises their major’s entire Class of 2026, as YST only takes in an average of three to five Voice students per year. Due to the small size of the cohort, Indonesian Jason Suryaatmaja (Class of 2025) would often fill in for missing parts in their group performances and soon joined their circle of friends, adding another nationality to the already diverse squad.

Making friends with people of other nationalities feels natural in YST, said Minjun: “We’re lucky because our faculty is one of the smallest at NUS with people from so many different backgrounds. It makes it easier to get close to people from other countries.”

Navigating cultural differences is a major part of the YST experience, especially when classes are led by an international faculty and exchanging feedback is an important part of the learning experience. Cultural differences can often impact how tone and intention are conveyed and perceived, and nuance can sometimes be lost when a thought is translated between languages.

The five friends overcame this challenge by embracing an attitude of curiosity towards cultures other than their own, as exemplified in a quote that Leanne learnt from a professor while on exchange in Scotland: “Don’t be interesting; be interested.” This mindset led them to gain a better understanding of each other’s colloquialisms and mannerisms, which differ across cultures and languages. Over time, they have developed a shared trust and now count the ability to exchange candid feedback among themselves as one of the most valuable benefits of their friend group.

“Val is an amazing performer, so when we are rehearsing for productions, I will ask her, ‘Do you think this works?’ I ask Minjun for technical advice and we explore singing techniques together. It has really helped me on the career side,” Jason said, prompting some good-natured ribbing from his friends that they are only useful to him as career support.

The supportive environment they have nurtured in their group also extends to their interactions with students from other cohorts, such as during weekly Voice studio classes. Val shared that they make it a point to chat with their juniors during these shared classes and cheer them on even when they make mistakes.

Said Samiksha: “Through the years, we have created the kind of environment that we want for ourselves and others – a warm and nurturing one where everyone can grow and learn together.”

Growth lies outside the comfort zone

While cultural differences can pose challenges at times, they create positive opportunities for growth and connection too. As a Singaporean, Val takes on the responsibility of helping the others feel at home, introducing them to the Chinese New Year tradition of yusheng and taking them café-hopping to explore the country.

“As a local, it is easy to stick to our own cliques, but it is also important to make our fellow international students feel welcome and ‘at home’. We can invite them out for a meal, or even a simple greeting could make their day,” she said.

“YST is so diverse that we’re compelled to integrate, and honestly that pushed me out of my comfort zone as an introvert. Talking to people from different cultures, you’ll learn so much about them and the world in general,” said Samiksha, who recalls learning the entire history of Korea from Minjun, starting from the Stone Age to the present day.

Val noted that her friendships with people whose countries are undergoing crises make her more informed about what is happening overseas and prompt her to empathise.

She added that such interactions can also serve as an important first step in countering racial and cultural stereotypes. “Stereotypes often arise from preconceived notions about others. But when we take the time to talk to others and understand them, we start to realise that we need to correct our assumptions.”

Forming friendships with people of other cultures is crucial for foreign students who do not have family in Singapore, said Leanne, who has heard of students leaving due to loneliness. “It’s really important to have someone who can listen and be there for you,” she said. “There were tough times when school got hectic and stressful, but it’s the friends I’ve made that supported me through my dark times and helped me emerge stronger.”

Ultimately, international friendships are not so different from friendships among people of the same culture, the students said. Social media makes it easier than ever to find common topics like pop culture and memes that can serve as a starting point for conversations, and once a connection is established, deeper shared interests can be discovered to strengthen the friendship.

The group’s favourite stress-busting activity is cycling to West Coast Park, where they would sit by the sea and talk about life, and some of their best memories are from post-concert suppers at the row of eateries along Clementi Road known to NUS students as “Supper Stretch”. “We always eat at the same three places, and I don’t know why we’re not bored of the food yet, but it’s just a lot of fun,” said Samiksha.

Said Minjun: “Most of us are living and studying here alone, but having these friends to journey alongside us makes life a lot more fun and exciting.”

By Dr Azhar Ibrahim Alwee, Senior Lecturer from the Dept of Malay Studies, Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences at NUS

• Berita Minggu, 27 July 2025, p9

• Suria News Online, 25 July 2025
• Lianhe Zaobao, 26 July 2025, Singapore, p7

• Lianhe Zaobao, 26 July 2025, Business, p19

• Berita Harian, 26 July 2025, p7

• Money 89.3FM, 22 July 2025
• Hao 96.3FM, 22 July 2025
• The Straits Times, 23 July 2025, Business, pA17
• The Business Times, 23 July 2025, p3
• Lianhe Zaobao, 23 July 2025, Business, p22

• 8world Online, 22 July 2025
• 8world Online, 22 July 2025
• Vasantham News Online, 22 July 2025
• The Business Times, 23 July 2025, p2
• Lianhe Zaobao, 23 July 2025, Business, p22
• Berita Harian, 23 July 2025, p5
• Berita Harian, 23 July 2025, p5

Driven by a shared passion for finance and investing, second-year students Fong Zhi Heng from NUS Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences and Brandon Lim from NUS Business School teamed up for the 2025 UBS Finance Challenge. The pair beat 300 other teams to clinch the first prize at the competition.

The UBS Finance Challenge is a high-profile stock pitch competition that brings together some of the brightest and most innovative university students in finance from around the world to showcase their market research and equity analysis skills. Now in its fifth year, the competition has expanded to a dual-region format, allowing participants to compete in either Hong Kong or Mainland China, with top teams from both tracks advancing to the finals in Shanghai to vie for the coveted Greater China Championship title.

United by a shared passion for finance

Zhi Heng and Brandon first connected through the NUS Asset & Wealth Management Club and the Next Gen Investors Endowment Ltd, a Singapore-based non-profit organisation that promotes investor education to local and international students. They quickly became friends over a shared passion for applying their classroom learnings to solve real-world challenges through competitions.  

In April, the pair had already made waves by winning the Singapore & Southeast Asia rounds of the 2025 CFA Institute Research Challenge at NUS. Following this success, they were eager to take on a bigger stage. 

“For us, the UBS Finance Challenge presented yet another valuable learning opportunity,” said Brandon. “We wanted to put our finance skills into practice again and push ourselves, especially since it was our first time doing a long/short equity research pitch.”

Pitching with precision and perseverance

Teams in the UBS Finance Challenge were required to analyse stocks from one of six sectors – industrials, consumer, technology, internet, healthcare and energy – and to develop a long-short pairs trade strategy. This involved evaluating trade logic, industry outlook, company financials, stock valuations and presenting actionable trade recommendations.

Zhi Heng and Brandon centred their investment pitch on China’s restaurant sector, comparing two major players – Yum China, the country’s largest quick-service operator, and Jiumaojiu International Holdings, a full-service restaurant specialising in Chinese cuisine. They argued that Yum China would outperform Jiumaojiu; driven by the long-term growth trend toward takeaway and fast food convenience in China. Conversely, dine-in models, such as Jiumaojiu would suffer as they face headwinds from declining foot traffic. On this basis, they proposed a pair trade strategy of buying Yum China stock and shorting Jiumaojiu stock.

Having just wrapped up the CFA Research Institute Challenge in April, the pair had only two weeks to prepare for the UBS Finance Challenge. Balancing competing priorities made it even more intense.

Zhi Heng recalled, “It was a tough balancing act – I was interning, and Brandon was studying for his finals during the day, so we had to work on our presentation late into the night. Some nights we barely slept. But with sheer determination and a genuine passion for understanding the company we were pitching, we pushed through and made it work.”

The duo also made the strategic decision to personally fund their travel to Hong Kong for an in-person semi-final presentation – a move they believed gave them a competitive edge. “We felt that presenting in person gave us a better opportunity to connect with the judges and communicate our ideas more effectively,” shared Brandon.

Both students credited their earlier experience in the 2025 CFA Institute Research Challenge as instrumental to their success in the UBS challenge, noting how they benefitted immensely from the mentorship received, as the experience shaped their thought processes and helped refine their research and pitching abilities.

Zhi Heng also acknowledged the role of the NUS Investment Society, a student-led club promoting financial literacy, in sharpening his analytical capabilities. “Regular stock pitch sessions and feedback from seniors and alumni really honed my research skills,” he said. “Courses like Accounting and Economics gave me the technical foundation to understand financial statements and market dynamics, but it was the student groups and competitions that brought those concepts to life.”

More than a win: Valuable skills and future careers in finance

For their win, the pair received prizes worth 14,000 yuan (S$2,500) and secured the opportunity for fast-tracked interviews with UBS.

“We’re definitely elated,” Brandon said. “But more than the win, it was the invaluable skills gained and the personalised feedback from the judges that mattered most. They were able to provide meaningful and actionable insights that we could use in our future internships and careers in finance.”

In a milestone for campus operations and digital transformation, NUS has launched Singapore’s first university-based Integrated Operations Centre (IOC) – a state-of-the-art facility that is redefining how campus services are managed.

Fully operational since January 2025 and located at Prince George’s Park, the facility consolidates real-time data from multiple critical systems, including security, emergency services, and building management, onto a single, integrated digital platform. With this capability, NUS now has unprecedented oversight of its operations across its sprawling, multi-site campus, which serves a community of over 64,000 students, faculty and staff.

“The IOC is more than just a control room, it is a strategic enabler that helps us manage the complexity of campus operations with greater precision and foresight,” said Mr Koh Yan Leng, NUS Vice President (Campus Infrastructure). “This is a key pillar in our Smart Campus journey and a model of what’s possible when digital transformation is aligned with operational excellence.”

One centre, many systems

Conceptualised in 2022 as part of NUS’ Smart Campus Envisioning, the IOC was designed to address longstanding operational pain points such as fragmented legacy systems, manual incident reporting, and reactive maintenance practices.

The project was piloted at NUS University Town in May 2024 and became fully operational early this year. Today, the IOC provides centralised oversight across six key domains: security, emergency response, facilities, transport, housing, and sustainability.

At the heart of the IOC is a cutting-edge digital twin of the NUS campus, an interactive 3D model layered with live feeds from CCTV cameras, IoT sensors, and building maintenance and management systems. This allows operators to visualise the entire campus environment, conduct virtual patrols and respond to incidents in real time.

This is coupled with a dynamic, integrated dashboard that consolidates alerts from multiple systems, enabling operators to detect anomalies, coordinate responses and streamline workflows, thereby reducing downtime and enhancing service delivery.

“From emergency responses to campus-wide facilities monitoring, the IOC gives our operations teams a single source of truth,” said Mr Leonard Li, Head of IOC. “We can detect incidents ranging from an isolated fire alarm to a chiller plant fault within 20 seconds and automatically trigger a work order via the NUS iReport system. That speed is a game changer.”

Smarter operations, better outcomes

Beyond the control room, the benefits of the IOC are already being felt across campus. Students and staff enjoy faster fixes for faulty facilities and more reliable Internal Shuttle Bus services. Operations teams report smoother coordination, reduced downtime, and clearer performance metrics. Campus safety has been enhanced through AI-powered surveillance tools, including facial and licence plate recognition technology – all achieved without the need for expanded manpower.

“The IOC is built on scalable, secure infrastructure that supports continuous improvement,” said Mr Lim Yeow Khee, Section Head of Integrated Operations, “By integrating disparate systems and adding layers of automation, we’ve laid the groundwork for long-term innovation in campus infrastructure.”

In its first months of full operation, the IOC has already delivered tangible improvements. Fault response times have improved by 45 per cent for urgent cases and by 57 per cent for non-urgent ones, while emergency dispatch times have reduced by up to 50 per cent with better triaging capabilities. Operator productivity has also increased by 40 per cent, aided by the centralised dashboard and automated alerts.

Scaling and enhancing capabilities

While operational efficiency remains a core focus, the IOC is also paving the way for a more sustainable campus. For example, real-time alerts are now triggered when utility consumption exceeds baseline thresholds by 40 per cent, allowing for timely corrective action. Over time, these alerts will be linked to automated responses built into standard operating procedures, further improving efficiency.

“We’ve observed that most IOCs stop at security or facility management,” noted Mr Li. “What sets the NUS IOC apart is the vision to support evolving campus services in mobility, space optimisation, and even hospitality.”

With University Town now fully integrated, the IOC is expanding its capabilities under Phase 2 to the NUS Kent Ridge and Bukit Timah Campuses. Planned enhancements in this phase include using real-time mobility dashboards to optimise Internal Shuttle Bus operations, aligning NUS’ environmental targets with sustainability reporting, and adopting smart city technologies such as Wi-Fi-based crowd sensing and large vision model (LVM) AI analytics for deeper operational insights.

“The scale of operations needed to support a university of this size is often invisible,” said Mr Koh. “The IOC shines a light on these efforts while giving us the tools to do them better,” he added.

By University Campus Infrastructure

By Prof Kwan Ok Lee, Deputy Head of the Dept of Real Estate at NUS Business School

• CNA Online, 28 July 2025

Associate Professor Koh Ming Joo from NUS Department of Chemistry has received the Kyoto Rising-Star Lectureship Award (2025) in recognition of his impactful contributions to organic chemistry research.

The Kyoto Rising-Star Lectureship Award was first established in 2020 by the MSD Life Science Foundation and later expanded to become an international accolade in 2023.

Assoc Prof Koh has gained international acclaim for his research in sustainable catalysis and radical chemistry that addresses critical challenges in chemical synthesis through base metal catalysis and radical cross-coupling chemistry.

Assoc Prof Koh said, “It’s an incredible honour to win this award and represent Singapore and NUS in the international arena. It really motivates us to continue our work to develop sustainable solutions that address challenges in chemical synthesis.”

See more

By Dr Samer Elhajjar, Senior Lecturer from the Dept of Marketing at NUS Business School

• The Straits Times, 24 July 2025, Opinion, pB2

By Dr Clemens Chay, Research Fellow from the Middle East Institute at NUS

• CNA Online, 24 July 2025

Artificial Intelligence (AI) is speeding up scientific progress in diverse disciplines, from discovering new materials, to applying generative AI to detect dementia early, to improving climate modelling approaches by employing a combination of physical, hybrid AI and fully-data driven models.

These topics and more were explored at the inaugural AI4X 2025 conference held at NUS University Town. Taking place from 8 to 11 July 2025, the conference aims to spark cross-disciplinary collaboration and breakthroughs in AI innovation, accelerating scientific discovery and translational potential on all fronts.

AI4X 2025 is jointly organised by NUS Institute for Functional Intelligent Materials (I-FIM), together with the National Research Foundation, Singapore (NRF), Singapore’s Ministry of Education, Nanyang Technological University and the DSO National Laboratories. This strong alliance reflects the relevance and importance of the field in global research. I-FIM led the full planning and execution of the conference, which included conceptualisation, programme design, speaker selection and operations.

The world’s largest AI conference revolutionising the natural sciences, AI4X 2025 gathered close to 600 global researchers and industry leaders for talks and pre-conference workshops on AI innovation across sixteen different topics. It also comprised 27 keynote talks, 16 thematic sessions, and close to 100 poster presentations.

About 80 leading speakers from academia, start-ups, and global industry laboratories – including luminaries Gerbrand Ceder from the University of California, Berkeley, Boris Kozinsky from Harvard University, and Alex Aliper from Insilico – took part in the event.

“AI is reshaping how science is done,” said AI4X conference chair Professor Sir Konstantin Novoselov, Director of NUS I-FIM and winner of the 2010 Nobel Prize in Physics.

“Through AI4X, we aim to position Singapore and I-FIM as leaders in this global transition, by convening top minds to share, debate, and drive progress.”

Conceived in early 2024, the idea for AI4X was prompted by the increasing investment in the local “AI for Science” initiative, which focuses on the development and adoption of AI methods and tools that are transferable across multiple domains of science. In AI4X, the “X” represents all the scientific disciplines, including Climate, Environment, Medicine, Education, Finance, Mathematics and more.

Prof Novoselov noted that there were many things the researchers could learn from each other as experts from different disciplines. “We attempt to enhance this synergy through a mix of different topics in the talk sessions.”


Leveraging AI to enhance research

Conference speakers shared their views on how AI could further scientific progress, such as helping scientists work in more efficient ways.

The sheer volume of academic literature waiting to be read, combined with time-consuming experiments, often slows down scientific progress, said world-renowned mathematician Professor Weinan E in his talk “Building AI-Powered Infrastructure for Scientific Research”. 

“AI can transform the way we conduct scientific research,” he said.

Tools using AI can be used to streamline lab processes and automate experiments. “Instead of doing tedious work, you can spend more time thinking about new ideas,” said Prof E, who is the Inaugural Director of Beijing’s AI for Science Institute and a professor at Peking University’s Center for Machine Learning Research and School of Mathematical Sciences.

One key roadblock to scientific progress, he added, was the “curse of dimensionality”. As a problem’s dimensionality – the number of free parameters it has – grows, so did the amount of compute required using traditional methods. Deep learning, which powers most AI applications today, was the first methodology that could very accurately handle high-dimensional problems, said Prof E, whose team won the 2020 Association for Computing Machinery Gordon Bell Prize for their deep learning-based approach to simulating atomic movement.

Accelerating scientific discovery

Materials science is another frontier being reshaped by AI. The symmetrical atomic structure of a crystal is not merely aesthetic — it also governs its properties, from conductivity to transparency, said NUS I-FIM research fellow Dr Nikita Kazeev in a later presentation “Generation of Novel Stable Beautiful Materials”.

Designing crystals with ideal symmetrical properties would thus lead to the discovery of new materials for stronger batteries, solar cells, and more, explained Dr Kazeev in his talk.

He shared details of a new generative model he helped build, dubbed the “Wyckoff Transformer”, which can design uniquely symmetrical structures much faster than previous models. His team had introduced concepts such as “Wyckoff positions” (special positions that atoms tend to occupy) and “symmetry groups” to the model, which helped it learn about crystalline properties more easily.

What else does the future hold for AI in science? The talks and discussions at the AI4X 2025 Conference has shown that as technology advances, disciplinary boundaries will eventually disappear, with integrated databases and facilities in place.

Plans are underway to make AI4X an annual event, with expanded international participation and deeper industry engagement. The next edition, held in collaboration with the Acceleration Consortium at the University of Toronto, is slated for 2026.

Researchers at the National University of Singapore (NUS) have found new applications of magnetic field therapy with potential benefits for food sustainability and metabolic health.

One study, published in the International Journal of Molecular Sciences on 5 June 2025, demonstrated that short, weekly exposures to low-energy magnetic fields during early development enhanced muscle growth and quality in developing organisms, which has implications for improving meat yield and nutritional value in poultry production. A second study, published in the same journal on 6 June 2025, demonstrated that magnetic field therapy could alter the gut microbiome in beneficial ways that support better metabolism and bone health, with these effects transferable via microbiota-based therapies.

Led by Associate Professor Alfredo Franco-Obregón, Principal Investigator at the Institute for Health Innovation & Technology (iHealthtech) at NUS and faculty member at the Department of Surgery in NUS Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, the research team showed that magnetic stimulation can induce long-lasting physiological changes without the need for drugs, genetic modification, or invasive procedures.

The team’s findings highlight how a non-invasive, low-energy magnetic approach may be used to improve food production outcomes, develop microbiome-based therapies, and strengthen preventive health strategies.

Improving meat quality and growth

Poultry is the most imported livestock commodity globally by volume, with demand projected to grow in years to come. Breeding strategies in the industry that focus solely on muscle growth have often come at the expense of meat quality. In particular, there has long been a trade-off between faster growth and better taste, texture and nutrition.

The team’s latest research explores a new way to resolve that challenge. They found that exposing eggs to short bursts of magnetic fields during incubation could improve embryonic survival, overall growth and the development of oxidative muscle, which is a muscle type rich in mitochondria and associated with improved flavour and nutritional profile.

The work builds on earlier research by the team, which showed that magnetic pulses could be used to stimulate animal cells to produce the nutrients needed for lab-grown meat, reducing the need for animal-derived growth supplements. The study pointed to a greener, safer, and more cost-effective method of cell-based meat production.

In the current pilot study, the team demonstrated that brief, twice-weekly magnetic exposure of eggs promoted muscle development, and did so without genetic modification or pharmaceutical intervention.

“By improving both meat growth and quality, and importantly, in a sustainable and drug-free manner, our research could potentially overcome a major bottleneck in poultry farming,” said Assoc Prof Franco-Obregón. “Our research also highlights how magnetic stimulation can influence tissue development, which has wide-reaching applications in various sectors from food to agriculture to biomedicine.”

Conditioning the gut microbiome to improve health

In the second study, the researchers looked into how pulsed electromagnetic field (PEMF) therapy affects the gut microbiome, and whether its benefits can be transferred to others.

Their study found that weekly magnetic therapy instigated changes in the gut microbiota that led to healthier fat metabolism, improved glucose regulation and stronger bones. In preclinical studies, when gut microbes from magnetically treated donors were transplanted into obese recipients, the latter exhibited similarly enhanced metabolic traits — without receiving direct magnetic treatment.

Interestingly, transferring gut bacteria from donors that received magnetic stimulation led to more consistent improvements in bone health and blood sugar control than transfers from donors that had exercised. This suggests that magnetic stimulation may shape the gut microbiome in uniquely helpful ways.

These preliminary findings extend a broader line of magnetic field research led by Assoc Prof Franco-Obregón and his collaborators. In earlier studies, they showed that magnetic muscle stimulation in humans could improve mobility and lean body mass, especially in older adults. Other studies demonstrated that pulsed magnetic fields could trigger muscle cells to release anticancer molecules, enhance chemotherapy drug uptake in tumours and disrupt the energy metabolism of cancer cells. Crucially, these were all possible without harming surrounding healthy tissue.

Among these diverse applications is a common thread: the use of low-energy, non-invasive pulsed magnetic fields to initiate biological responses that support regeneration, immune modulation or systemic metabolic balance.

“Our work continues to show that the body can respond to magnetic cues in powerful ways — sometimes more gently and effectively than drugs or physical interventions,” added Assoc Prof Franco-Obregón. “This latest research adds a feather to the cap, placing the gut microbiome on the list of systems that can be modulated in this way.”

The potential implications span multiple domains, from preventive health and metabolic disorders to therapeutic strategies for ageing populations. With metabolic disease and frailty on the rise in many parts of the world, magnetic conditioning of the microbiome could offer a scalable, non-invasive alternative to improve health resilience.

A joyous season celebrating the accomplishments of over 17,000 graduates from the Class of 2025, set against the backdrop of NUS’ 120^th anniversary, culminated in a festive Commencement Dinner held on 22 July 2025 at the dining hall of the College of Alice and Peter Tan and Residential College 4.

Gathering valedictorians and representatives from the Class of 2025, along with the newly minted honorary graduates – Ambassador Chan Heng Chee, Dr Noeleen Heyzer, and Dr Wong Ngit Liong – the dinner was attended by about 350 guests. They included NUS Pro-Chancellor Mr Po’ad Mattar, NUS Chairman Mr Hsieh Fu Hua, NUS Trustee Ms Chew Gek Khim, NUS President Professor Tan Eng Chye, as well as students, faculty, staff and alumni.

The celebratory night kicked off on a high note with an exuberant performance by students from various NUS Centre for the Arts dance groups. Specially choreographed for the occasion and blending influences from Indian, Chinese, Malay and Western artistic traditions, the piece showcased the multiculturalism and diversity of student life at NUS.

Leading the night’s proceedings were Class of 2025 graduates Ms Rachel Chin from the NUS Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences and Mr Clement Ling from the NUS Faculty of Science. Reminiscing about university life and the vibrant community they encountered along the way, they recounted the highlights of their NUS journeys.

“Looking back, I’m really grateful for the many experiences I’ve had at NUS — from taking eye-opening modules and electives, to going on an unforgettable exchange programme, and getting to contribute to signature events like Open House and Commencement,” Ms Chin said.

For Mr Ling, graduating as part of the Class of 2025 during NUS’ 120th anniversary made his experience especially memorable. “Over the past four years, I’ve had the chance to explore my interests in science and technology, meet inspiring peers and professors, and contribute to the NUS community through different ways. It’s truly been a journey I’ll never forget.”

Lead with the heart

In his speech at the event, NUS President Prof Tan Eng Chye commended the graduating class for their hard-won achievements, noting the determination and resilience that enabled them to rise above academic challenges, personal obstacles and periods of uncertainty.

He highlighted the strong foundation laid during their time at university – from the rigorous academic training to opportunities for personal growth and the lasting bonds they forged along the way. 

As they prepare to begin their next chapter, he encouraged the graduating class to stay grounded in the values that had shaped them and to lead with clarity and heart, drawing inspiration from NUS’ founding mission.

“Lead with your heart, with purpose lighting your way. This was the case in 1905, 120 years ago, when we started out as a small medical school for the community. Even as we have evolved and redefined our identity as an educational institution, we remain committed in our mission to serve our country and society,” he said.

Concluding his speech with a toast, he added, “Congratulations once again on this very important milestone and welcome to the NUS alumni family! You are the generation that will shape what comes next, leading us to NUS150… and beyond.”

Grit and resilience

Taking to the stage to address his fellow graduates, Mr Lee Yat Bun, Student Senior Advisor of the 46th NUS Students’ Union (NUSSU) Executive Committee, offered a heartfelt message to his peers.

“Four years at NUS didn’t just earn us a degree. It gave us something more valuable – character. It taught us how to stay grounded in uncertainty, how to persevere under pressure, and how to lead in times of change,” said Mr Lee, an NUS Computing graduate in Computer Science who served two terms as NUSSU President between AY21/22 and AY22/23.

“As we step into the future as the next generation of leaders, thinkers, and creators, we carry with us the grit, the resilience, and the adaptability that have been refined during our time here.”

The evening drew to a close with two musical performances by Elton and Friends, a band led by Mandopop singer-songwriter Elton Lee, a Class of 2025 graduate from the Yong Siew Toh Conservatory of Music (YST), who was accompanied by a string quartet comprising fellow YST graduates Reina Teo, Tan Xin Jie, Shannon Chan and Saran Charoennit.

Along with a stirring rendition of the classic ballad, “The Greatest Love of All”, the group also performed a poignant debut of “The Soundtrack of Youth” (谱写的青春), an original graduation song penned by Mr Lee, in a fitting close to the celebratory season.

This story concludes NUS News’ coverage of Commencement 2025, which celebrates the achievements of our graduates from the Class of 2025. For more on Commencement, read our stories and graduate profiles, check out the official Commencement website, or look up and tag #NUS2025 on our social media channels!

By Mr Shane Pereira, Research Associate at the IPS Social Lab, Lee Kuan Yew School of Public Policy at NUS, and Associate Professor Julien Cayla, from the Nanyang Business School at NTU

• The Straits Times, 22 July 2025, Opinion, pB2

By Dr Woo Jun Jie, Senior Lecturer at the Lee Kuan Yew School of Public Policy at NUS

• CNA Online, 22 July 2025

• Lianhe Zaobao, 21 July 2025, Singapore, p6

• Lianhe Zaobao, 21 July 2025, Singapore, p8

By Dr Azhar Ibrahim Alwee, Senior Lecturer at the Dept of Malay Studies, Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences at NUS

• Berita Minggu, 20 July 2025, p11

It isn’t every day that you get to see the material in your textbooks come to life. For Bernard Liang, this year’s valedictorian from the NUS Alice Lee Centre for Nursing Studies (NUS Nursing), it was an experience he would never forget.

The undergraduate, then 27, was about to sit his second-year mid-term exams on Women and Children’s Health. At 3am a few days prior, he had to rush his pregnant wife to the hospital as her contractions intensified. By afternoon, their daughter was born; by evening, he was back to his lecture notes, preparing for his exams. On the day his wife was discharged from the hospital, he sped to school for his exams after sending his family home — and aced them.

While his university life was not always so dramatic, it was an intense balancing act between family and studies during his time at NUS. Over four years, the Singapore Armed Forces (SAF) Medical Corps regular welcomed two children, renovated his home, stayed combat fit — and, to top it off, graduated as valedictorian.

“I am deeply grateful to my wife, my family, my mentors, and everyone else who helped me in this journey. This is a validation of the sacrifices that not just me, but everyone supporting me, had to make,” said Bernard, 30, who received his Bachelor of Science (Nursing) (Honours) degree on 10 July 2025.

The army medic’s journey to NUS Nursing began six years into his time in the medical corps. Bernard, who had a diploma in veterinary technology, decided he wanted to “close the gap” between himself and his peers who were nursing-trained.

The NUS programme offered a good mix of theoretical knowledge and hands-on clinical work, noted Bernard, who received the SAF Military Domain Expert Scheme Study Award.
 

A hands-on approach to patient care

Transitioning from the rigours of military life to university took some getting used to at the beginning. “That time away from academia made it slightly challenging to readjust to the mindset of a student,” admitted Bernard.

But he soon hit his stride — armed with intellectual maturity, a steely resolve to soak up new knowledge, and existing skills in areas such as emergency resuscitation and triage.

He also benefitted from the guidance of NUS Nursing mentors such as Associate Professor Shefaly Shorey, who advised him on his thesis; as well as Assistant Professor Catherine Dong, whom he assisted with data collection, sample processing and more in-depth research studies such as the Heart-Brain Connection Translational Research Programme.

His clinical attachments left a deep impact. “We were taught theoretical frameworks — anatomy, physiology, how to assist doctors in providing better care. But an unexpected takeaway (was) how our patients taught us as well, because they have that lived experience of their own conditions,” he added.

He recalled encounters during home visits to patients as a student research assistant in Year 3, when he asked elderly stroke patients if they knew whether their condition had been caused by a blocked blood vessel or bleeding in the brain.

“When we asked them in (these) layman terms, they replied to us using medical terms, such as ‘ischaemic’ or ‘haemorrhagic’ stroke,” he said.

This experience taught him to view the patient-nurse dynamic in a different light.

“Instead of trying to micromanage them or (simply) educate them on their condition, we can shift to having a partnership with them,” he noted. “We should try to respect their knowledge and empower them to better manage their conditions.”
 

It takes a village

Beyond his studies, Bernard found time to captain the NUS Shooting Team — building on his leadership experience in the SAF, where he had led COVID-19 vaccinations at Selarang Camp and coordinated emergency preparedness for the National Day Parade.

He earned the NUS Achievement Award (Merit) for excellence in academics and sport, and also appeared on the Dean’s List.

Bernard credits his success to a robust support system at home, from his wife — the main caregiver of their children — to his parents and in-laws who stepped in regularly to help.

While an undergraduate, he carved out pockets of time to focus on schoolwork. After getting home in the evening, he would spend time with his daughter, before hitting the books from 10pm till as late as 2am after she had gone to bed. His NUS peers accommodated his schedule, agreeing to late-night Zoom meetings when they had to discuss groupwork.

Now back in the SAF Medical Corps and currently a Military Expert 4 Apprentice, Bernard believes his nursing training has given him a fuller, more patient-centric perspective of care.

“I hope I can be a leader who truly inspires trust and cultivates resilience in my men, and be someone who can champion continuous learning so we do not lose sight of our medical knowledge,” he added.

“My goal is to contribute towards advancing the standard of military medicine and integrate evidence-based care into our daily SAF operations.”

To help bridge a critical funding gap for early-stage tech ventures in Asia, NUS is launching a S$150 million Venture Capital (VC) Programme through its entrepreneurial arm, NUS Enterprise.

In Asia, venture capital funding has nosedived to a decade low of S$85 billion, with early-stage investments declining five per cent from 2023 to S$38 billion in 2024^[1]. In this challenging climate, tech start-ups, particularly those born from intensive research and development cycles, face some of the steepest hurdles.

“Research-based start-ups face distinct challenges, including R&D cycles that are much longer than traditional start-ups, making them especially vulnerable in today’s cautious investment environment,” said Professor Tan Eng Chye, NUS President. “The new NUS Venture Capital Programme brings together capital, strategic partnerships, and specialised venture expertise to create a more resilient path from lab to market.”

A first-of-its-kind initiative by a university in Asia

The NUS VC Programme is designed to enhance support for early-stage tech innovation by focusing on high-potential ventures within the NUS ecosystem, including start-ups from the National Graduate Research Innovation Programme (National GRIP).

National GRIP empowers innovators to transform lab-based research discoveries into globally competitive, market-ready ventures. While GRIP currently provides up to S$250,000 in seed funding per start-up, many start-ups require continued support to move beyond proof of concept and into commercial markets.

The programme addresses this need by focusing on post-seed growth, combining capital and structured, hands-on venture-building support to help these start-ups scale effectively.

Backing tech start-ups with capital and expertise

The NUS VC Programme comprises two key components.

First, NUS will commit S$50 million over the next three years in selected venture capital firms with strong track records in early-stage deep tech investments. These firms will provide structured, hands-on support to start-ups, including time, expertise, and access to their networks to help them scale effectively.

The first two VC partners are Granite Asia, a leading multi-asset investment platform with a 25-year track record of backing breakthrough technology ventures globally, and 4BIO Capital, a specialist life sciences investor focused on advanced therapeutics.

Second, NUS will commit S$100 million to an autonomous investment fund focused on NUS-affiliated start-ups, with the flexibility to invest alongside selected VC partners.

“NUS has built one of the most ambitious deep tech pipelines in Asia — a launchpad for breakthrough ideas with global relevance. This partnership sets a new model for how deep tech can scale: pairing world-class research with long-term capital, deep operational support, and Granite Asia’s global network. Together, we aim to accelerate the next generation of transformative technologies from Singapore to the world,” said Ms Jenny Lee and Mr Jixun Foo, Senior Managing Partners, Granite Asia.

“The NUS VC Programme marks a significant step forward for early-stage tech innovation in Asia. By pairing investment with expert-led support, we are accelerating the growth of promising start-ups and strengthening the region’s innovation ecosystem. At 4BIO Capital, we look forward to partnering with NUS on this exciting initiative and learning from each other as we build and grow the companies developing the treatments of tomorrow,” added Dr Dima Kuzmin, Managing Partner, 4BIO Capital.

Enabling a complete pathway from lab to market

According to Dr Tan Sian Wee, NUS Senior Vice President (Innovation & Enterprise), the programme is designed to plug a critical gap in the innovation ecosystem. “National GRIP is an important first step in helping deep tech start-ups take root,” he said. “The VC Programme builds on this by pairing promising ventures with globally connected investors, enabling a more complete pathway to scale and commercial success.”

What sets this programme apart is its direct engagement with leading VC firms selected not only for their track records, but also for their market access in global innovation hubs. Beyond funding, these partners provide structured support ranging from mentorship, investor feedback, market entry, fundraising networks to operational guidance.

By strengthening the bridge between research and the market, NUS aims to boost the resilience and scalability of its tech start-ups and keep the innovation engine running despite a tough investment climate.

By NUS Enterprise

^[1] https://news.crunchbase.com/venture/asia-startup-funding-tanks-eoy-2024/