Alumnus jan mar 2015 issue 100 pdf file (for website) by NUS Alumni Office

The

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NUS ALUMNI MAGAZINE OF THE NATIONAL UNIVERSITY OF SINGAPORE JAN–MAR 2015 / ISSUE 100

The Art and Science

of Medicine

A SALUTE TO THE MEDICAL FACULTY’S 110 YEARS OF ACHIEVEMENTS

Celebrating years of

110 N S

and Alumni Connection DISTINCTION

DEDICATION

AMONG THE WORLD’S TOP 10 FOR ACADEMIC AND EMPLOYER REPUTATION

ALUMNI WHO CONSISTENTLY GIVE BACK

The

ALUM

NUS ALUMNI MAGAZINE OF THE NATIONAL UNIVERSITY OF SINGAPORE JAN–MAR 2015 / ISSUE 100

The Art and Science

of Medicine

A SALUTE TO THE MEDICAL FACULTY’S 110 YEARS OF ACHIEVEMENTS

Celebrating years of

110 N S

and Alumni Connection DISTINCTION

DEDICATION

AMONG THE WORLD’S TOP 10 FOR ACADEMIC AND EMPLOYER REPUTATION

ALUMNI WHO CONSISTENTLY GIVE BACK

HIGHLIGHTS OF 110 YEARS OF DISTINCTION AND DEDICATION 1823 An idea to establish a Singapore institution of higher studies with a scientific department as well as literary and moral departments for different races was discussed by Sir Stamford Raffles and sinologist missionary, Dr Robert Morrison. 1903 Representatives of the Chinese communities, led by Chinese Legislative Councillor Mr Tan Jiak Kim, and other communities in Singapore, petitioned for the establishment of a medical school.

1905

The Straits Settlements and Federated Malay States Government Medical School was founded with donations of S$87,000 raised by the Chinese community. 1910 The pioneering class, comprising seven young men, graduated from the Medical School with a Licentiate in Medicine and Surgery (LMS).

DR CHEN SU LAN (1885 – 1972) was one of Singapore’s first local Medical graduates. He was also an antiopium campaigner, philanthropist and social reformer. He served in a number of important committees including the Tan Tock Seng Hospital Management Committee.

DR BENJAMIN SHEARES was Singapore’s second President from 1971 until 1981 when he passed away. In 1923, he enrolled into the King Edward VII College of Medicine. He worked as an obstetrician in the Kandang Kerbau Hospital and was a professor at the University of Malaya. He was appointed Head of the Obstetrics and Gynaecology Department at the King Edward VII College of Medicine in 1948.

1981 President Mr Devan Nair became the Chancellor after the demise of President Sheares on 12 May. Professor Lim Pin succeeded Dr Tony Tan as Vice-Chancellor on 1 June. 1988 The Hon Sui Sen Memorial Library was officially opened by First Deputy Prime Minister Mr Goh Chok Tong in January. 1991 The Medical Faculty undertakes a much-needed review of its curriculum, leading to the setting up of new departments and the reorganisation of the five-year medical course into three distinct blocks. 1993 President Mr Ong Teng Cheong became the new Chancellor of the University. The NUS Centre For the Arts (CFA) was established to give greater focus for the development of cultural activities on campus.

The

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NUS ALUMNI MAGAZINE OF THE NATIONAL UNIVERSITY OF SINGAPORE

1911 The Tan Teck Guan Building at 16A College Road was opened to add to the existing facilities of the Straits and Federated Malay States Government Medical School. It was gazetted as a national monument in 2002.

1955

Nanyang University or Nantah was built from contributions and resources pooled from the Chinese community. 1959 The University of Malaya began to function as two autonomous divisions, with one located in Singapore and the other in Kuala Lumpur. The University of Malaya was re-named the University of Malaya in Singapore. The University of Malaya in Singapore admitted its first batch of 40 students from Chinese vernacular schools into a one-year pre-University course as a precursor to joining the Faculty of Science. The Faculty of Medicine operated as the Faculty of Medicine of the University of Malaya in Singapore.

1997 NUS was voted one of the top 10 universities in the Asia Pacific region. It ranked fourth in a survey of 50 top universities in Asia and Australia. In ratings by academic reputation, NUS was placed second by its academic peers in Asia and Australia. President Mr S R Nathan succeeded Mr Ong Teng Cheong as the new Chancellor. 2000 Professor Shih Choon Fong succeeded Professor Lim Pin as NUS’ new Vice-Chancellor.

1961 The University of Singapore admitted graduates of Nanyang University and other Chinese universities for degrees leading to the Bachelor of Arts or Bachelor of Science with Honours, or Diplomas in Education or Social Work.

1962

The two divisions of the University of Malaya became two separate entities and the University of Malaya in Singapore was re-designated the University of Singapore.

DR YONG LOO LIN graduated as a medical doctor from the University of Hong Kong in 1923. The Kuala Lumpur-born doctor established himself as a successful businessman in Hong Kong and was a strong advocate of education. Dr Yong passed away in 1959 and the Yong Loo Lin Trust was established by his family.

CONTACT US Office of Alumni Relations – National University of Singapore 11 Kent Ridge Drive, Singapore 119244 Tel: (65) 6516-5775 Fax: (65) 6777-2065 Email: oarconnect@nus.edu.sg Website: www.nus.edu.sg/alumnet Facebook: www.facebook.com/nusoar

1940 The Colonial Development and Welfare Bill was passed to support more rapid development in the colonies. Dr Raymond Priestly, Vice-Chancellor of Birmingham University, later recommended the creation of a university college in Malaya. 1947 A commission led by London School of Economics Director Sir Alexander Carr-Saunders began the study of the possibility of establishing a University College in Singapore.

Raffles College was officially opened. The College granted diplomas in English, History and Economics, Geography, Education, Physics, Chemistry and Mathematics.

EDITORIAL ASSISTANT Stephanie S Williams - Sivakumar

PUBLISHING CONSULTANT MediaCorp Pte Ltd

1926 A new three-storey Medical College building was completed in Outram Road.

1929

EDITOR Karin Yeo (Arts and Social Sciences ’97)

PRODUCTION ASSISTANT Noreen Kwan

1921 The King Edward VII Medical School’s name was changed to the King Edward VII College of Medicine.

1928 The first 43 students were admitted to Raffles College.

The AlumNUS is published quarterly by the NUS Office of Alumni Relations. The views and opinions expressed are those of the authors and do not necessarily represent the views of the NUS Office of Alumni Relations or the National University of Singapore. For more information or to read The AlumNUS online, please visit www.nus.edu.sg/alumnet.

ADVISOR Assoc Prof Victor R Savage (Arts and Social Sciences ’72)

1912 The name of the Medical School was changed to King Edward VII Medical School.

1948 The Carr-Saunders Commission proposed the formation of a full-fledged university with degree-granting powers rather than a university college.

DR TOH CHIN CHYE was a lecturer at the Department of Physiology in the University of Malaya, and from 1958 to 1964, a reader in Physiology in the University of Singapore. Dr Toh also served as Singapore’s Minister for Science and Technology from 1968 to 1975 and was appointed Vice-Chancellor of the University of Singapore. He prompted the move of the University from Bukit Timah to Kent Ridge and initiated the setting up of the National University Hospital.

2003 The Yong Siew Toh Conservatory of Music, an alliance with the Peabody Institute at Johns Hopkins University, admitted its first batch of students to its four-year Honours programme in Music. 2004 The Lee Kuan Yew School of Public Policy (LKYSPP) was launched as an autonomous school for study and research in public policy, in particular the study of public policy in Asian societies. The Institute of South Asian Studies (ISAS) was established as an autonomous research institute of the University.

2005

The NUS School of Medicine celebrated its Centennial. It was renamed the Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine.

2006 The first of April marked the beginning of a new chapter in NUS’ development as Singapore’s global university. NUS hosted the inaugural IARU Presidents’ Meeting on 14 January to officially launch the International Alliance of Research Universities (IARU). 2008 The Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine joined the NUS Faculty of Dentistry and the National University Hospital to form the National University Health System (NUHS). The groundbreaking ceremony for University Town was officiated by Prime Minister Mr Lee Hsien Loong on 31 January 2008 at the former Warren Golf Course. Professor Tan Chorh Chuan succeeded Professor Shih Choon Fong on 1 December 2008 as NUS’ fourth President.

The

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NUS ALUMNI MAGAZINE OF THE NATIONAL UNIVERSITY OF SINGAPORE JAN–MAR 2015 / ISSUE 100

The Art and Science

of Medicine

A SALUTE TO THE MEDICAL FACULTY’S 110 YEARS OF ACHIEVEMENTS

ALUMNUS JanMar15 Cover FA.indd 1

COVER CONCEPT: Samuel Ng PHOTO: Corbis

1971 The President of Singapore, Dr Benjamin Sheares, became the new Chancellor of the University of Singapore after the passing of the previous Chancellor Yusof Bin Ishak. The three-semester system beginning in May was changed to a two-semester system beginning in July to enable all first-year students to complete part of their National Service commitments. The Singapore University Press, with a full time-editor, was established to take over the activities of the Singapore branch of the University of Malaya Press.

2009 NUS President Prof Tan Chorh Chuan launched the University’s new Vision and Mission. With a Vision of “A leading global university centred in Asia, influencing the future”, it is hoped that NUS will be recognised as a key authority on Asia that could influence the future of the region.

2011 Singapore’s President His Excellency Dr Tony Tan Keng Yam succeeded Mr S R Nathan as NUS’ ninth Chancellor. Singapore’s Prime Minister Mr Lee Hsien Loong launched Yale-NUS College, the first liberal arts college in the country.

110 N S

and Alumni Connection DISTINCTION

DEDICATION

AMONG THE WORLD’S TOP 10 FOR ACADEMIC AND EMPLOYER REPUTATION

ALUMNI WHO CONSISTENTLY GIVE BACK

The governments of the Federation of Malaya and Colony of Singapore appointed a Committee to review the future of University medical education.

VII College of Medicine amalgamated with Raffles College to form the University of Malaya.

1968 Dr Thio Su Mien became the first woman in the history of the University to be elected Dean of the Faculty of Law.

The Duke-NUS Graduate Medical School Singapore (Duke-NUS) was officially opened by Prime Minister Mr Lee Hsien Loong.

1953 A new University Library building was completed and formally opened by Mr Tan Lark Sye, one of the largest subscribers to the University Endowment Fund.

1949 The King Edward

1965 The University of Singapore and Singapore Polytechnic accepted recommendations of Colombo Plan experts to develop the Polytechnic into an institute of advanced technology with schools of Engineering, Accountancy and Architecture for the award of degrees of the University of Singapore.

Contents

Celebrating years of

1952 The Dunearn Road hostels were completed.

DR LEE CHOO NEO made history in June 1920 when she became Singapore’s first woman medical practitioner. Her breakthrough remained a rare feat, as only five other women graduated from medical school in the decade that followed.

1972 Dr Toh Chin Chye officiated at a groundbreaking ceremony for the new University of Singapore campus site at Kent Ridge.

1980

The Singapore government announced the National University of Singapore Act. Dr Tony Tan was appointed the first Vice-Chancellor of the National University of Singapore. The Halls of Residence, Kent Ridge Hall and Raffles Hall, were opened. The University of Singapore merged with Nanyang University to form the National University of Singapore (NUS) at Kent Ridge on 8 August 1980.

2012 The NUS Bukit Timah Campus was among the five conservation sites to be presented with the Architectural Heritage Awards 2012 by the Urban Redevelopment Authority of Singapore. 2013 The Lee Kong Chian Natural History Museum held its groundbreaking ceremony graced by Guest-ofHonour Professor Tommy Koh, Singapore’s Ambassadorat-Large and Honorary Chairman of Singapore’s National Heritage Board. NUS University Town was officially opened by Singapore Prime Minister Mr Lee Hsien Loong on 17 October 2013 .

2015

The NUS School of Medicine – and by extension the University – turns 110.

JAN - MAR 2015 ISSUE 100

2 IN THE NEWS 5 COVER STORY SEAMLESS CONTINUUM 16 FEATURE STORY HISTORY IN THE MAKING 22 MY WORD AN EYE OPENER 24 ONCE UPON A MEMORY OFF TO A FLYING START 26 PURSUIT OF EXCELLENCE SCIENCE OF HIS SUCCESS 28 BREAKFAST DIALOGUE MR KWEK LENG JOO, MR ANDREW KWAN 32 U@LIVE PROF HSIEH TSUN-YAN, MS INDRANEE THURAI RAJAH 36 GLOBAL CONVERSTAIONS PROF TOMMY KOH 38 ALUMNI HAPPENINGS 45 IN MEMORIAM 48 LAST WORD 12/18/14 7:20 PM

First Word DEAR ALUMNI AND FRIENDS,

015 is an auspicious year for a double celebration of NUS and Singapore. While NUS welcomes its 110th anniversary, Singapore enjoys 50 years of independence. We have much to be proud of as alumni and Singaporeans. We hope that you will be part of the festivities for these key milestones, whether you are in Singapore or overseas. Singapore’s development over the last 50 years has been intertwined with the history of NUS and the institution’s previous incarnations. Our faculty and alumni have served Singapore well in various roles as ministers, politicians, government bureaucrats, professionals, corporate titans and employees in every sector of Singapore’s economy, as well as in public services. Given that NUS’ genesis arose from the Medical College which began in 1905, the spotlight for this issue is on our Medical faculty alumni. Our doctors, dentists and pharmacists have much to be proud of, and particularly because the Medical faculty has produced a strong alumni base – loyal, cohesive, active and generous. Indeed, without the Singapore doctors who managed and ran the General Hospital in the absence of their colonial medical superiors during the Second World War, the change from College (Raffles) to a University (Malaya) would not have taken place. In post-WW2, the Colonial government realised our medical alumni were well-trained, responsible, reliable and competent – and so our ‘University’ status became a reality. For NUS alumni, the Carpenters’ song, ‘Yesterday Once More’ will resonate with special meaning and nostalgia in 2015. It says something about the times we shared as students on different campuses: our friendships, love, experiences, pranks, disappointments and challenges. These form our vivid recollections or perhaps, fading memories of campus days, varsity life and bonds with our alma mater. For some the campus was the grounds of courtship, cementing lifelong partnerships which alumnus Mr Yeo Keng Joon (Business ’85) celebrates in his ‘Campus Couples’ initiative. At the Office of Alumni Relations, we treasure all forms of relationships to the University and hope you can join our reunion celebrations at the Bukit Timah Homecoming on 4 July 2015, and the Kent Ridge Alumni Family Day on 15 August 2015. I wish everyone a Happy and Healthy 2015. To all our Chinese, Vietnamese and Korean alumni, I wish you a very Joyful, Peaceful and Prosperous Lunar New Year in the year of the Goat. May you stubbornly keep your sustained relationships to your alma mater alive!

ASSOC PROF VICTOR R SAVAGE DIRECTOR, NUS OFFICE OF ALUMNI RELATIONS Arts and Social Sciences ’72 JAN–MAR 2015

IN THE NEWS

STATE OF THE UNIVERSITY ADDRESS 2014:

REFORMULATE SUCCESS TO INFLUENCE THE FUTURE

T THE STATE OF THE UNIVERSITY ADDRESS 2014 held on 10 October, NUS President Professor Tan Chorh Chuan (Medicine ’83) said that the existing NUS formula has been successful but the University must make adjustments to take its progress further. S$35 million will be invested by the University for education, research and entrepreneurship initiatives when it augments its existing blueprint for success, which focusses on talent, educational innovation, building global research peaks and strategic partnerships. Using the analogy of a three-part Chinese ink painting of mountain peaks, forests and lush terraces which he completed, Prof Tan outlined three strategic thrusts that would help NUS use its present strengths to “paint the future”. More than 300 guests including former Singapore President Mr S R Nathan, NUS Pro-Chancellors, Board of Trustees, senior administrators, donors, staff and students attended the annual Address, where Prof Tan shared his views with the campus community on the direction for the year ahead. “As we continue to build on these, it is also true that we must make strategic adjustments to other parts of the NUS formula, to give fresh impetus to our progress and further steepen the trajectory of our growth,” Prof Tan said. Referring to the NUS Vision – A leading global university centred in Asia, influencing the future – Prof Tan said that it was now time to put a transformative focus on “influencing the future”. To begin with, NUS will further strengthen its emphasis on preparing

ALUMNUS

The University will build on its existing formula for success, which focusses on strategic partnerships, talent, educational innovation and building global research peaks.

NUS President Prof Tan with former Singapore President Mr Nathan.

future-ready graduates. Prof Tan highlighted several initiatives that are already in place, such as the grade-free first semester system and expanding the use of technology-enhanced learning among others. The recent repositioning of the NUS Student Career Office, which was renamed the Centre for Future-Ready Graduates, and the extension of project-based learning and internships across campus signify the University’s commitment to better prepare students for the working world ahead, he said. Increasing the vibrancy of the University’s enterprise ecosystem and making NUS a key contributor to Singapore’s global aspirations in this area is the second strategic move. The University will add two new NUS Overseas Colleges (NOC) to its current six and raise the intake for the NOC programme to 300 students a year. To establish the NUS-Block 71@Silicon Valley in San Francisco,

WE MUST MAKE STRATEGIC ADJUSTMENTS TO OTHER PARTS OF THE NUS FORMULA, TO GIVE FRESH IMPETUS TO OUR PROGRESS AND FURTHER STEEPEN THE TRAJECTORY OF OUR GROWTH. NUS PRESIDENT PROF TAN CHORH CHUAN

in addition to the existing NUS Launchpad@Silicon Valley; and grow the NUS Launchpad@Suzhou out of the NUS (Suzhou) Research Institute, NUS will partner with SingTel Innov8 and the Infocomm Development Authority of Singapore. NUS will also increase incubator capacity on campus to house a student entrepreneurial community of more than 2,500, while expanding the existing space at Block 71 to cater to the rising number of start-ups. NUS will translate and apply its research in transformative ways, especially in strategic areas for Singapore. To boost the translational impact of NUS’ research, the University will continue to work with local partners and industry to develop major clusters of translational programmes. Prof Tan highlighted a new translational programme – the Centre for Healthcare Innovation and Medical Engineering – which will be established with an initial funding of S$15 million. Anchored by the Schools of Medicine and Computing, the Faculty of Engineering, and the National University Health System, the Centre will develop healthcare technologies that address the issues of functional ageing. Prof Tan also cited two recent initiatives by the NUS Risk Management Institute (RMI) that depicts NUS’ success in translational impact. The first is the International Monetary Fund (IMF)’s intention to adopt RMI’s stress-testing system, which centres on its corporate default prediction model and database, into IMF’s Financial Sector Assessment Program. The two entities will soon sign a formal research agreement. RMI has also developed a “public good” Credit Research Initiative, which provides the probabilities of default for more than 60,000 companies in 106 economies on a daily basis, with results freely accessible. This initiative has influenced work in this field and attracted collaborations with several financial institutions. In closing, Prof Tan announced that NUS will mark its 110th anniversary together with Singapore’s 50th anniversary as a sovereign nation in 2015. The direction he has charted is in line with the two themes that have defined the University since 1905. The themes are: the commitment and tradition of service to the advancement of the country; and the unwavering dedication to excellence and aspirations to global prominence. “Today, we are well-poised to make use of our considerable strengths to paint exciting new parts of the future,” he said.

23rd NUS Alumni and Friends Golf Tournament

ENTERING ITS 23RD YEAR, the highly-anticipated NUS Alumni and Friends Golf Tournament – organised by the NUS Office of Alumni Relations (OAR), in collaboration with the NUS Society (NUSS) – once again delighted NUS alumni golf enthusiasts. 152 players gathered at the Raffles Country Club, Lake Course on 1 October for the tee-off. Guest-of-Honour NUS Pro-Chancellor Mr Po’ad Mattar (Accountancy ’71) graced the tournament with his presence. The NUS Faculty of Science emerged as the champions of the NUS Inter-Faculty Vice Chancellor Trophy after hours on the green and NUS Business School was the runner-up. The event rounded off with a dinner and prize presentation ceremony held at the Della and Seng Gee Guild Hall of NUSS Guild House.

OAR Director Assoc Prof Victor R Savage (2nd from right) with the champions of the NUS Inter-Faculty Vice Chancellor Trophy. JAN–MAR 2015

110 YEARS OF MEDICINE

IN THE NEWS

CLOSE TO 1,200 GUESTS TURNED UP at this year’s China Film Festival (CFF) held at the Shaw Foundation Alumni House from 18 to 21 October. Organised by the NUS Office of Alumni Relations (OAR), in collaboration with the Embassy of the People’s Republic of China in Singapore and the Singapore China Friendship Association, this year’s CFF celebrated a third consecutive year of success these three parties have had in bringing the best of Chinese films to alumni audiences. Much to their delight, award-winning movies were featured this year. They included martial arts drama The Grandmaster 2013, perennial classic The Monkey King and winner of the Golden Bear at the Berlin film festival thriller Black Coal, Thin Ice. In his welcome speech, NUS President Professor Tan Chorh Chuan (Medicine ‘83) shared the beginnings that led to the realisation of the film festival. Stemming from an idea first mooted by Dr Phua Kok Khoo who – in his role as President of the Singapore

China Friendship Association – felt that he could facilitate cultural and scientific exchanges between China and NUS, the CFF was inaugurated in November 2012 as a collaborative event between the Embassy of China, the Singapore China Friendship Association and NUS OAR. Prof Tan expressed his gratitude to the collaborating parties, thanking Ambassador Duan of the Embassy of China for his advice and support and for the Embassy’s strong partnership in planning and putting together this year’s Festival. He also extended his thanks to Associate Professor Victor R Savage, Director of OAR and colleagues from OAR, on working hard to bring the event onto campus. At the end of each screening, four lucky winners walked away with sponsored tea pot sets and special-edition wallets, courtesy of the Embassy of the People’s Republic of China in Singapore, and Xiaomi phones, courtesy of Suntech International Group Pte Ltd.

EDITOR’S PICK He’s been anointed the ‘Godfather of Singapore fashion’ and hailed as ‘Singapore’s Fashion Royalty’ but Daniel Boey (Arts ‘89) is not a fashion designer. On the cusp of his 50th birthday and several months shy of his 25th anniversary in fashion, we take an unabashed, noholds-barred look at his colourful life in the industry. From his clueless early days as a shy kid through the time he picked up his first fashion magazine, his early dalliances with fashionistas, packing his bags for an uncertain future in the West, to his rise into the realms as a feared industry personality and eventual mentor to many of Singapore’s top fashion labels and models, Daniel takes us on a dizzy roller-coaster ride through his tumultuous time in a tough, unforgiving, unpredictable and often superficial industry. With forewords by Singapore’s top couturier, one of the nation’s most beloved actors, two of Singapore’s most popular radio personalities and a bevy of supermodels, this book is a fantastical journey of one singular sensation.

ALUMNUS

THE PRESENT-DAY NATIONAL UNIVERSITY OF SINGAPORE BEGAN AS SINGAPORE’S FIRST MEDICAL SCHOOL — THE 110 YEAR-OLD FACULTY HAS GRADUATED THE MAJORITY OF SINGAPORE’S PHYSICIANS. BY THERESA TAN

ABOUT THE AUTHOR Daniel Boey is a fashion director, lifestyle curator and television personality who was hailed as “one of the Singaporeans who matter most in 2009” by CNN.Go. His extensive portfolio includes work in most of the world’s fashion capitals, for high-profile clients like Vivienne Westwood, Christian Dior and Louis Vuitton. He served as creative director and has designed experiences for fashion events worldwide and is also a governor on the board of the Asian Couture Federation, Fashion Consultant to the DesignSingapore events in London, Beijing, Shanghai and Milan, and sat on the panel of the Haute Couture symposium in 2012 with Suzy Menkes. His television credits include appearing as the fashion director in the inaugural season of Asia’s Next Top Model.

The Book of Daniel is available at all select bookstores and retailing at S$46.70 (before GST).

SEAMLESS CONTINUUM

THE BOOK OF DANIEL: ADVENTURES OF A FASHION INSIDER

IMAGE: CORBIS

CHINA FILM FESTIVAL 2014

rom the time it began, when the ﬁrst school for the study of medicine was set up by the government following a 1903 petition led by the Chinese Legislative Councillor Mr Tan Jiak Lim, the Medical School has seen 110 years of great development in medical research and education. Within the many buildings and campuses that the Medical School has moved in and out of throughout its rich history, lies the true heart of the School – the doctors it produces and the impact they create. For 11 decades, the School of Medicine has been faithfully producing physicians who are taught to honour their public mission to serve Singapore, to value their patients and accord them their best care. Many of these medical graduates have gone on as doctors to change lives and some, society. The late Dr Benjamin Sheares (Medicine ’29) was one such forerunner. He achieved distinctions in his ﬁnal examinations in Obstetrics and Gynaecology, and worked as an obstetrician at the then Kandang Kerbau Hospital, and a professor at the University of Malaya. Dr Sheares sowed back to his alma mater – he entered King Edward VII College of Medicine in 1923 and

JAN–MAR 2015

110 YEARS OF MEDICINE

returned to teach in the faculty between 1946 and 1960, first in Midwifery, then in 1950 as Professor of Obstetrics and Gynaecology. From 1971 to 1981, Dr Sheares was the President of Singapore. Over the course of his life, he healed people, taught people and served people. Over the years, for all the technological and medical advances that have happened, the people factor has not changed, says Associate Professor Low Cheng Ooi (Medicine ’80), an orthopaedic surgeon who is currently the Chief Medical Informatics Officer at the Ministry of Health. “Our undergraduate learning then [in the ’70s] was really grounded on apprenticeship; learning by being close and observing closely how our teachers and mentors worked, how they thought, how they interacted with their patients, how they interacted with their colleagues, physicians as well as nurses, and their students.

Learning by observing, listening, touching and with empathy were all that we had – there was not much in technology then,” he says. “There is certainly a difference in how the medical students are wired up mentally [now], compared to students in the 70s. They are faster in acquiring knowledge and better in multi-tasking,” Assoc Prof Low notes. But the human touch – the learning that can only be gained through interaction – has not been touched by technology, he says. “Students respond universally to teachers who care for their patients, who passionately teach and mentor their junior colleagues. They need to develop their moral compasses and work ethos from such senior colleagues. Apprenticeship still has a place in today’s learning environment.” Medicine is a people-centred profession – a doctor’s genuine concern for and connection with his

patient is key to success. Associate Professor Quah Thuan Chong (Medicine ’76), Head and Senior Consultant, Division of Paediatric Haematology and Oncology at the National University Hospital (NUH), is renowned for his work in paediatric oncology, and for his role as an educator, for which he was awarded the National Medical Excellence Awards 2013 for National Outstanding Clinician Mentor. Assoc Prof Quah credits his love for pediatrics to his housemanship training under Emeritus Prof Wong Hock Boon (Medicine ’52) at the Singapore General Hospital (SGH)’s Paediatric Department. “That was when I realised that I love interacting with kids, and when I learned how to carry babies,” he says. Prof Wong taught him that “if you want to do paediatrics, you’ve got to live paediatrics, eat paediatrics, sleep paediatrics” – no doubt a lesson Assoc Prof Quah passes down to the medical students he mentors. His work brings him into contact with children with cancer and their families, and he admits that concern for them is an occupational hazard. “Right now, I’m worrying about some patients who have not responded well to treatment. This is always a constant challenge – we can do better for many patients now, but there are always some who don’t do so well. “But the challenge is not only medical. Children with cancer and their families face many problems – psychosocial, financial etc, and I’m glad we have an excellent team of doctors, nurses, CCF (Children’s Cancer Foundation) staff, etc who

I’M CONSTANTLY ENCOURAGED BY PATIENTS AND FAMILIES WHO COME BACK TO SEE ME. THEIR KINDNESS AND GENEROSITY CAN ONLY SPUR US TO WORK HARDER! ASSOCIATE PROFESSOR QUAH THUAN CHONG (MEDICINE ’76)

ALUMNUS

STUDENTS RESPOND UNIVERSALLY TO TEACHERS WHO CARE FOR THEIR PATIENTS, WHO PASSIONATELY TEACH AND MENTOR THEIR JUNIOR COLLEAGUES.

HONOURING THE PAST In 1905, the Straits Settlement and Malay States Government Medical School was officially opened at Sepoy Lines, following a petition led by Chinese Legislative Councillor Mr Tan Jiak Kim. The school offered a full-time five-year course to train doctors in medicine, surgery and midwifery. Seven young men graduated in 1910 with a Licentiate in Medicine and Surgery (LMS).

ASSOCIATE PROFESSOR LOW CHENG OOI (MEDICINE ’80)

work as a team to help them. “I’m constantly encouraged by patients and families who come back to see me – including some families whose children succumbed to their cancers. Their kindness and generosity can only spur us to work harder!” Assoc Prof Quah says the cases that are most heart-breaking are those “where the patients or their families opt to abandon therapy because of financial reasons – usually foreign patients – or other reasons, especially when we know that their cancers are curable.” Professor Tan Huay Cheem (Medicine ’87) is Senior Consultant Cardiologist at NUH, the Director of the National University Heart Centre and Associate Professor at the Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine (YLLSoM). His entry into Cardiology was inspired by his mother. “I had always thought that I would be an obstetrician and a gynaecologist because I topped the subject in my class,” he says. “However, something happened in my life that changed my initial plan. My mother had sudden death, presumably from a heart attack

when I was serving my National Service as a medical officer. I found her collapsed in the bathroom on my return [home] one day, and I started cardiopulmonary resuscitation on her till the ambulance arrived. “She did not make it and died shortly after. It was a shocking experience for me and it changed my life completely. My mother was only 55 when she passed away. She was simply too young to have died! I then decided that I would take up Cardiology, and specifically interventional cardiology, so that I can make a difference to heart attack patients in future. Although I could not save my own mother, I hoped to be able to save someone else’s parent or spouse.” Having performed nearly 10,000 cardiac catheterisation procedures both locally and overseas over the last 20 years, Prof Tan has made an impact on many people’s lives. “For that, I am grateful to Professor Maurice Choo (Medicine ’74), then Chief of the Cardiac Department

In 1911, Mr Tan Chay Yan, a rubber tycoon, donated S$15,000 to the School for the creation of the Tan Teck Guan Building, named for his father. Tan Teck Guan Building was opened to add to the existing facilities. It housed various offices, a library, a reading room, a lecture room and a pathology museum. In 1912, the Chair of Physiology was established. That same year, the School was also renamed the King Edward VII Medical School. By 1916, the General Council of Medical Education of Great Britain accorded official recognition for the King Edward VII School of Medicine’s Licentiate of Medicine and Surgery Diploma. In 1921, the School was renamed King Edward VII College of Medicine. Chairs of anatomy, medicine, midwifery and gynaecology, clinical surgery and surgery were also created. By 1926, a new building — the Medical College — had been erected on Outram Road. The College had also received, in 1925, S$350,000 from the Rockefeller Foundation to establish chairs of bacteriology, biochemistry and biology.

Continued on page 9

JAN–MAR 2015

110 YEARS OF MEDICINE

A LASTING LEGACY

(MEDICINE ’83) PRESIDENT, NUS

Alumnus and Former Dean of the Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine (YLLSoM), Prof Tan speaks to The AlumNUS about teaching, and being a medical student today. WHAT ARE SOME MEMORABLE CONTRIBUTIONS OF THE MEDICAL FACULTY?

Many distinguished alumni have gone on to serve not just in the medical profession but in other areas in Singapore and around the world; for example, Dr Andrew Chew (Medicine ’55), who was the head of the Civil Service. Another lasting legacy is the strong tradition of excellence in teaching and research which has filtered through to the rest of the University. Most important though is the tradition of service which has become an integral part of the University’s ethos. HOW HAS TEACHING EVOLVED?

The pedagogy of 30 years ago was very academically compartmentalised – students had a lot of instruction in the basic medical sciences, without much

ALUMNUS

reference to its relevance to medical practice. Over the years, there has been much greater integration between subjects so that students learn across traditional disciplines in Medicine. In the late 1990s, problem-based learning was introduced as a way to expose students to clinical issues and problems, [and] to stimulate their interest in understanding basic science subjects. The School has always been known for its focus on clinical training and bedside learning. What’s happened in recent years is a strengthened focus on professionalism, which covers ethics and the practice of medicine, and this is distributed throughout the course. This is augmented by a great deal more experiential learning – a large proportion of students spend a significant amount of time participating in community health screenings or other engagement events. Recently, there has been added focus on communication with patients and peers, and teamwork. And more focus has been added to the “global” experience, which is very much tied to NUS’ overall thrust as a global university. For medical students, this means experiencing a broader range of practise conditions, as well as a wider range of patients and disease presentations. WHAT STEPS IS NUS TAKING TO FOSTER A CLIMATE CONDUCIVE TO RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT?

Our research impact has risen very sharply in recent times, and I would say that research here is highly competitive internationally. We strongly encourage this for several reasons: Research is not a luxury that doctors should only do in their free time; it is integral to making the

at NUH, who accepted me as a Cardiology trainee when the training positions then were highly limited and competitive.” Having served at NUH for the past 27 years, Prof Tan still sees many patients who are on followup with him after 15 years. “While I am definitely not the richest doctor around, I am wealthy with the showers of gratitude and thanks which many of my patients bestow on me,” he says. “Recently in Jakarta, I was hosted to a banquet by 26 of my Indonesian patients and their families. It was such a heartwarming experience! That, to me, is the best gift.”

advances in medicine that are important and necessary for Singaporeans and the populations in this part of the world. Secondly, it helps to retain talented doctors and specialists in our public sector because it differentiates the type of opportunities, fulfilment and contribution that they can make, as opposed to pure clinical practice. Thirdly, it supports the Singapore Biomedical Sciences Initiative and helps to fully realise its potential. It is really important for the doctors, the faculty, YLLSoM and the Duke-NUS Graduate Medical School (Duke-NUS) to pursue high-quality research because it drives improvements in health and treatments for Singaporeans, as well as economic development.

IMPACTING A NATION

Then there are the School of Medicine graduates who help people on a larger scale. Professor Ivy Ng (Medicine ’82), Group Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of SingHealth is one. “In SingHealth, we’ve made everything revolve around the patient. The biggest challenge is really how we can improve patients’ lives, ” she says. Prof Ng oversees the largest healthcare group in Singapore comprising two of Singapore’s

WHAT DOES IT TAKE TO BECOME A MEDICAL STUDENT TODAY?

Medicine is a difficult course that requires a deep understanding of a large range of subject matter, so academic capacity is necessary – but not sufficient. Students intrinsically need to be interested in people and have a sense of wanting to help. At the end of the day, the practice of medicine is not about the technical delivery of care; it is also about delivering that care with compassion and empathy in ways that connect and comfort patients and their families. I would say that, because the field of medicine is itself changing quite rapidly, we are also looking for people who are curious about the future and who are interested in contributing innovations and new ideas. WHAT ADVICE DO YOU HAVE FOR MEDICAL GRADUATES GOING OUT INTO THE WORLD?

Be as multi-dimensional as you can – Medicine is one of those all-consuming disciplines that can easily occupy all your time and conversations. It is very important for our students to explore, develop and discover different dimensions of their personality so as to develop their full potential. In the longer term, this helps them to become better doctors and leaders.

PROF TAN’S INTERVIEW: AMIR ALI

PROFESSOR TAN CHORH CHUAN

Continued from page 7

Professor Tan Huay Cheem

ALTHOUGH I COULD NOT SAVE MY OWN MOTHER, I HOPED TO BE ABLE TO SAVE SOMEONE ELSE’S PARENT OR SPOUSE. PROFESSOR TAN HUAY CHEEM (MEDICINE ’87)

flagship hospitals – SGH and KK Women’s and Children’s Hospital (KKH), five national specialty centres, nine Polyclinics and a community hospital. It also partners Duke-NUS in its Academic Medicine journey to drive the transformation of healthcare and provide affordable, accessible, quality healthcare (see ‘Childhood Ambition’, page 14). Professor Leo Yee Sin (Medicine ’83) is the head of the Institute of Infectious Diseases and Epidemiology of Tan Tock Seng Hospital. She is also Clinical Director of the Communicable Diseases Centre (CDC). Her work in public health includes the comprehensive HIV programme she started at CDC in 1995, and Prof Leo continues to devote her efforts to improving HIV management as well as the general well-being of those infected and affected by the disease. She is a legend in the medical community, being an infectious diseases expert who has led her team in battle against a series of outbreaks in recent years: the Nipah virus (NiV) in 1999; SARS in 2003; the Chikungunya virus in 2008; and the Pandemic H1N1 Influenza outbreaks in 2009; as well as the surge of dengue cases since 2013. “Public health actually didn’t come into the equation of my training or practices in my earlier

HONOURING THE PAST (continued)

In 1929, the School of Dentistry in Medical College saw its first enrollment of seven students for its four-year course. A public clinic was opened at the King Edward VII College of Medicine. 200 pre-World War II medical students resumed their studies at the King Edward VII College of Medicine in 1946. The British Medical Council recognised the College’s Dental Surgery degree. In 1949, the University of Malaya was formed, amalgamating Rafﬂes College with King Edward VII College of Medicine, which now became the Faculty of Medicine in the University. In 1959, it became necessary for there to be two autonomous campuses, one in Kuala Lumpur and one in Singapore. The Faculty of Medicine was located in Singapore. In 1962 the two campuses became two separate entities. The University of Malaya in Singapore was redesignated the University of Singapore. In 1964, the School of Post-graduate Medical Studies was established. In 1965, the Faculty celebrated its diamond jubilee. The Medical Progress Fund was started and aimed to raise S$4,750,000 to build an Institute of Medical Specialities and a library extension to the Medical Faculty. In 1966, the Department of Dentistry departed from Medicine and became a faculty on its own. In 1970, the School of Postgraduate Medical Studies began a new degree, the Master of Medicine, for specialisations in surgery, internal medicine, paediatrics or obstetrics and gynaecology. The School of Post-graduate Dental Studies was also announced.

JAN–MAR 2015

110 YEARS OF MEDICINE

years,” says Prof Leo. “Sadly, it was something remote to the kind of infectious diseases (ID) training I received locally as well as abroad. I was trained as an acute ID person: solve the immediate infection and move on, case closed. “However, soon I realised when I started running the HIV programme that providing treatment opinions or pushing my pen writing out prescriptions was merely a small fraction of what the patients need in totality. The huge unmet demands from social psychological aspects brought on more suffering than the illness in many instances. Something about disease prevention then lingered in my mind.” What changed things for Prof Leo was the first challenge of an outbreak of NiV. “The ground was totally unprepared and disconnected. Cases were drained to CDC, public health aspects such as contact tracing, epidemiology was done then by the Quarantine Epidemiology department in the Ministry of Environment, food control and operation by the Ministry of National Development.” From that first encounter with NiV, Prof Leo drew ammunition. “Much of the immediate responses we put in place for SARS were in fact lessons learned during the Nipah outbreak. We were the first to institute triage, a one-stop screening clinic, the health monitoring of healthcare workers, for example, temperature monitoring, etc.” For her outstanding work against SARS, Prof Leo was

conferred the most prestigious national award, The Public Service Star, in 2003. She reflects now that what was not good was “our inability and lack of capacity to do research during an outbreak.” But overall, the lessons learned have been valuable. “Every outbreak tells a story and every outbreak provides new learning points,” she says. “For every outbreak we’ve been through will enhance and add on to our knowledge and capability. We are as ready as where the current knowledge allows, there will be new things and fresh challenges ahead. It is prudent the system is flexible and responsive. I believe we have come a long way since Nipah and SARS – and the system in place will support us through future challenges.” Today, Prof Leo is overseeing the setting up of the upcoming infectious disease hospital, the National Centre for Infectious Diseases (NCID), which opens in 2018, and which is already making waves for its state-ofthe-art technology. “The primary objective of NCID is to ensure Singapore has the healthcare capacity and ability to swiftly respond to an outbreak. The building is designed to be fully equipped and self-contained, with the full suite of care facilities; a screening centre, outpatient, inpatient isolation beds, intensive care, imaging, laboratories, etc. “The principles of the design of NCID take in several factors: flexibility, that is, to design a

I REALISED WHEN I STARTED RUNNING THE HIV PROGRAMME THAT PROVIDING TREATMENT OPINIONS OR WRITING OUT PRESCRIPTIONS WAS MERELY A SMALL FRACTION OF WHAT THE PATIENTS NEED IN TOTALITY... SOMETHING ABOUT DISEASE PREVENTION THEN LINGERED IN MY MIND. PROFESSOR LEO YEE SIN (MEDICINE ’83)

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HONOURING THE PAST (continued)

building effective during an outbreak and good for regular routine day to day use; scalability, that is, to scale the capacity that was modelled after SARS where over 300 beds were used during the height of the outbreak; and as and where needs arise able to expand its capacity. Last but not least, to ensure safety to the users within the building and safety to the environment,” she says.

RISING TO THE NEED

According to the Ministry of Health’s statistics, Singapore had 10,953 doctors in 2013. In 2012, thenMinister Mentor Mr Lee Kuan Yew pegged the number of foreign doctors at around 2,000. Back then, Singapore was producing 250 doctors a year which he pointed out was insufficient for the nation. For some time now, consistent efforts have been made to increase the number of doctors in Singapore, although the crunch will probably only be eased as the years progress and greater numbers of medical students graduate. YLLSoM’s current intake is 300 a year. Two other medical schools have been set up in the past decade to meet the manpower crunch: the Duke-NUS in 2005 – with an intake of 250 graduate students each year – and the Lee Kong Chian School of Medicine at the Nanyang Technological University in 2013

– with a first intake of 50. YLLSoM remains the chief producer of doctors for Singapore’s healthcare system, a fact that SingHealth’s Prof Ng is proud of. “The majority of us (doctors) graduated from the School of Medicine,” she points out. “The Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine’s greatest accomplishment is being a strong talent pipeline of physicians for Singapore.” What sets YLLSoM apart, says its Dean, Associate Professor Yeoh Khay Guan (Medicine ’87), is its history and tradition, and the fact that it is homegrown. “Our School wears its heritage proudly as Singapore’s first medical school, a uniquely Singaporean, home-grown institution that has produced the great majority of doctors in our country, whose work and achievements compare with the best in the world. Today NUS Medicine is internationally recognised as one of Asia’s leading medical schools,” he points out. “Our educational philosophy emphasises both the mind and the heart, imparting both a strong foundation of clinical skills as well as nurturing values of public ethos and reminding our students of our public service mission. We remind our students that we look after Singaporeans.” YLLSoM’s curriculum and skills training is now enhanced by the

In 1972, a new renal unit in the Department of Clinical Medicine to treat kidney patients was opened. The Unit on Human Reproduction was set up by the Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology (O & G), and was opened at the Kandang Kerbau Hospital for Women. The hospital was designated one of the 10 World Health Organization (WHO) Clinical Research Centres on Human Reproduction. The Department of Psychological Medicine was introduced to the Faculty in 1979. In 1982, the Department of O & G became one of the few medical centres in Southeast Asia to have an active in-vitro fertilisation programme which attracted researchers worldwide. 1985 saw the momentous move of the Faculty of Medicine from Outram Road to Kent Ridge, the new site of the National University of Singapore. Full relocation was completed in 1987. In 1988, the Department of O & G achieved a successful microinjection pregnancy using a technique called MicroInsemination Sperm Transfer (Mist), a world’s first. In 1991, there was a review of the Medical curriculum, which led to the setting up of new departments and the reorganisation of the five-year medical course. In 1994, the National University Medical Institutes — today these include the National University Cancer Institute and the National University Heart Centre — were established.

JAN–MAR 2015

110 YEARS OF MEDICINE

COMPASSION IS THE MOST IMPORTANT QUALITY FOR A DOCTOR AND IS WHAT PATIENTS EXPECT MOST FROM A DOCTOR... WE WANT OUR GRADUATES TO BE DOCTORS WHO ARE BIG IN HEART AND SKILLED IN THE ART AND SCIENCE OF MEDICINE.

HONOURING THE PAST (continued)

In 2002, the one-third quota of females being admitted to Dentistry was lifted, after the Association of Women Doctors Singapore - formed in 1998 - successfully lobbied for it.

ASSOCIATE PROFESSOR YEOH KHAY GUAN (MEDICINE ’87)

latest pedagogies and simulation training which gives its students intensive hands-on training and experiential learning, and allows for repeated practice in a safe and realistic environment to enhance their skills. Says Assoc Prof Yeoh, “We emphasise awareness of global health issues as the world is more inter-connected and interdependent than ever before, and the majority of our students enjoy overseas elective attachments and actively participate in overseas community improvement projects

Associate Professor Yeoh Khay Guan

In 2004, Sweden’s Karolinska Institutet (KI), one of Europe’s largest medical universities, set up an office at the Faculty. This, KI’s first overseas office, helps facilitate existing programmes such as the NUS-KI Joint PhD Programme in Genetic and Molecular Epidemiology and promote new initiatives between KI and NUS.

in the region.” It is no small feat grooming medical graduates year upon year, decade upon decade, who not only emerge from the University with the tradition, dedication and compassion that their predecessors have graduated with, but who are ready for a world in which technology and communication have redefined the way medicine is practised and studied. Infrastructural changes to prepare the faculty for new challenges in the new millennium

HAPPY 110 , YLLSoM!

DR YEO SIANG KHIN (DENTISTRY ’89)

A dental surgeon at Thomson Dental Centre, she was a founding member and current exco member of the Association of Women Doctors in Singapore.

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TOWARDS HOLISTIC CARE

TO KEEP IMPROVING

“The Faculty of Dentistry attained its own status as a full-fledged Faculty in 1966 with Professor Edmund Tay (Dentistry ’52) as the first dean. My first year was Prof Tay’s last as Dean, though he stayed on many years longer as a favourite teacher. The spirit of the School remains strong and cohesive... I hope to see Singapore’s medical industry, through our doctors, provide holistic care for children and their families. To work to maximise each child’s potential, for both ‘well’ children as well as those with chronic medical illnesses. To look not just at curing diseases, but also at disease prevention.”

“NUS School of Medicine has a long history of pioneers in various fields; people with the desire to do the best for their patients, the tenacity to keep going and being bold to do and try things that no one else had done before. I think this is something that the School of Medicine has, whether this is in patient care, or in education for our future generation of doctors; the constant desire to keep improving, not being satisfied with status quo, always on the look-out for how to do things better.”

ASSOC PROF MARION AW (MEDICINE ’92)

Senior Consultant, Division of Paediatric Gastroenterology, Hepatology and Nutrition at Khoo Teck Puat-National University Children’s Medical Institute at NUH, and Associate Professor at YLLSoM.

IMAGE: SHUTTERSTOCK

began in 1991 with a review of the Medical curriculum, which led to the setting up of new departments and the re-organisation of the five-year medical course. In 1994, the National University Medical Institutes – today these include the National University Cancer Institute and the National University Heart Centre – were established with the primary objectives of boosting medical research and developing facilities and expertise for top-level research into the 21st century. Assoc Prof Yeoh emphasises that through YLLSoM’s current curriculum – which includes cross-disciplinary exposure in every medical student’s first year – students receive an education at the School that prepares them to bring their training and their unique gifts to the world in a way that is beneficial. “Compassion is the most important quality for a doctor and is what patients expect most from a doctor. That is why we look for students with qualities that will

make them good doctors. These include intrinsic motivation, a genuine desire in wanting to help others in need and to make a difference. We want our graduates to be doctors who are big in heart and skilled in the art and science of medicine,” he says. “To be a good custodian of people’s health, the 21st century doctor needs to be a good communicator, able to build rapport with patients and combine knowledge and technology with wisdom and compassion. The School places great emphasis on nurturing values such as empathy, professionalism and good communication skills.” Nurturing these values begin in the first week of school in a ‘White Coat Ceremony’, where teachers assist students in donning white coats as a symbolic gesture of passing on the values and attributes of professionalism. Students are given the opportunity to reflect on, discuss and sign a “Statement of Commitment to Professionalism” within their first week of school.

In 2005, the NUS School of Medicine turned 100, and it received a birthday gift of S$100 million from the Yong Loo Lin Trust. The School was bestowed its current name, the Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine (YLLSoM) that year. In 2008, the National University Health System (NUHS), an academic health science centre set up as a joint venture between NUS and MOH Holdings Pte Ltd, was established. NUHS groups NUH with YLLSoM, the Faculty of Dentistry and the Saw Swee Hock School of Public Health under a common governance structure in order to develop and promote academic medicine. A S$148 million Singapore Centre for Nutritional Sciences, Metabolic Diseases and Human Development was jointly established in 2013 by YLLSoM and the Singapore Institute for Clinical Sciences under Singapore’s Agency for Science, Technology and Research. The Centre aims to be the leading hub in Asia for research into the connections between nutritional sciences, metabolic diseases and human development.

JAN–MAR 2015

110 YEARS OF MEDICINE

I ENJOY THE INTERACTIONS WITH STUDENTS. IT IS A PRIVILEGE TO SHARE EXPERIENCES WITH THEM. PROFESSOR IVY NG (MEDICINE ’82)

one speaker 10 minutes

“The teaching and assessment of professionalism and ethical practice are integrated throughout the five years through a longitudinal Health, Ethics, Law and Professionalism (HELP) track led by our School’s Centre for Biomedical Ethics,” says Assoc Prof Yeoh. “The School nurtures empathy by helping students understand how patients manage their disease in the context of their everyday life. The School also encourages and supports student involvement in community service programmes, especially those targeted at the

underserved communities. Such community involvement projects give students deep insight into the communities they serve and empower them with the knowledge that they can give back to society and make a difference.” Assoc Prof Yeoh says his proudest moment is “the annual Commencement Ceremony when our students formally graduate. As an educator, the greatest gratification comes from seeing our students master their skills and take their place in the world as confident, competent and compassionate doctors.”

CHILDHOOD AMBITION A NEIGHBOURHOOD GP’S CARE AND COMFORT SPURRED PROF IVY NG TO PURSUE MEDICINE

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PROFESSOR IVY NG (MEDICINE ’82)

ne lasting memory Professor Ivy Ng has of her childhood is going to the neighbourhood general practitioner’s clinic with her mother whenever she fell sick. “He had this big wooden bed, and on the side was this little drawer,” she recalls. “And in that drawer, he would keep sweets. “The whole memory of being sick and being comforted by the care of a physician — that was the basis of me entering medicine. It was my childhood ambition.” Prof Ng graduated from the National University of Singapore’s School of Medicine and went on to do her houseman training at Singapore General Hospital (SGH). “I did Paediatrics as an intern and enjoyed my time there the

ALUMNUS

most,” she says, explaining her choice of specialty. “I love kids, and Paeds is one of the few specialties in which the ability to see your patients recover well is higher.” She worked in the Department of Paediatrics in SGH until 1997 when she joined the newly-rebuilt KK Women’s and Children’s Hospital (KKH). In 2002 she became KKH’s head of the Paediatrics Department, Chairman of its medical board in 2003, and Chief Executive Officer (CEO) in 2004. She served as Deputy Group CEO of SingHealth from 2008 until 2012 when she became its Group CEO. The mother of four, who met her husband – politician and surgical oncologist Dr Ng Eng Hen (Medicine ’82) – when they were both undergrads, chose Genetics as her sub-speciality two decades ago. She is renowned for her work on Thalassemia and in genetic counselling, and is currently also Senior Consultant in the Genetics Service, Department of Paediatric Medicine at KKH and Director of the National Thalassaemia Registry. “Genetics helps us to understand disease better, and it improves the potential for precision medicine. Genetics helps you to tailor customised therapy for a patient,” she says. “The patient is at the heart of

all we do,” she says, echoing the motto of SingHealth. It is not a vain proclamation: Prof Ng is known for her patient-centric focus, which helped her to establish KKH as a respected women’s and children’s hospital. Under her leadership and emphasis on service quality, KKH received the WHO-UAE Health Foundation Award in 2009 for outstanding clinical outcomes achieved through its integrated perinatal care programme. Prof Ng is also an active member of the KKH Health Endowment Fund which provides medical and other support for needy patients. Prof Ng credits her former School of Medicine tutor Professor Tan Cheng Lim (Medicine ’64), a paediatric haematologist who is Emeritus Consultant at KKH, for showing her what it means to be a great physician. “I have very clear memories of how he demonstrated what it was like to be a compassionate and caring doctor,” she says. “He was also very patient with us students.” Prof Ng is herself an inspiring educator. She is Clinical Professor at YLLSoM, a role she clearly enjoys. “I enjoy the interactions with students. It is a privilege to share experiences with them. There is real fulfilment in teaching them — it’s truly an honour.”

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JAN–MAR 2015

NUS 110 FEATURE

HISTORY IN THE MAKING

Tan Chay Yan – was added to the existing facility in 1911, serving as the administrative block housing offices, a library and lecture room. (This handsome brick building has since been designated a National Monument and stands near the College of Medicine Building, built in 1926.) The school was founded on endowments, and so this would continue. In 1912, the King Edward VII Memorial Fund gave a gift of S$124,800 for the endowment of a professorship of Physiology. This led to the school being renamed the King Edward VII Medical School in honour of the gift. In 1916, the Licentiate of Medicine and Surgery Diploma offered by the school was recognised by Great Britain’s General Council of Medical Education. Having gained significant renown, the college did not just benefit Singapore but students from Malaya, as well, so in 1916 the Government of the Federated Malay States built a hostel that housed 72 students at Sepoy Lines.

The College of Medicine Building – now home to the Ministry of Health – is an elegant reminder of the early days of medical education in Singapore.

HOW THE NATIONAL UNIVERSITY OF SINGAPORE GREW FROM A TINY MEDICAL COLLEGE INTO A WORLD-CLASS INSTITUTION.

V ISITORS TO THE SINGAPORE GENERAL HOSPITAL

compound may not even notice it, but at 16 College Road stands the quietly handsome colonial-era College of Medicine Building, its imposing 12-column façade a proud symbol of its longevity. Though literally overshadowed by taller and newer edifices, the gazetted National Monument – now home to the Ministry of Health – stands as a reminder of how far the National University of Singapore (NUS) has come since it started life as a medical college 110 years ago, in a former lunatic asylum nearby…

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A MODEST START

It was 1903 and Singapore was already a bustling port, with a large number of immigrants contributing to unprecedented economic prosperity. There was thus a growing need to provide modern healthcare to a growing population. Seeing this for himself, Chinese businessman and philanthropist Tan Jiak Kim led a petition alongside representatives of other communities for the establishment of a medical school in Singapore. In the end, some S$87,000 was raised by the Chinese community, with S$12,000 of that coming from Tan himself. These monies culminated in the foundation of the Straits Settlements and Federated Malay States Government Medical School in 1905. In the years hence, many a joke has been made about the fact that the Medical School started life in a former female lunatic asylum at Sepoy Lines, not far from the College of Medicine Building, near the intersection of Outram and

New Bridge roads. Singapore’s current Defence Minister Dr Ng Eng Hen (Medicine ’82) once quipped that “This may explain why some within our medical fraternity have been egregiously mistaken for raving lunatics.” All jokes aside, though, NUS’ Medical School has gone on to become one of the premier medical faculties in the world – at one point being ranked first in Asia (education consultancy Quacquarelli Symonds placed it just behind the University of Tokyo’s Faculty of Medicine in the 2014 rankings) and 21st place globally. Just 23 students made up the pioneering cohort of students of the Straits Settlements and Federated Malay States Government Medical School at Sepoy Lines. These students would spend five years training as doctors, surgeons and midwives. In May 1910, seven men graduated with a Licentiate in Medicine and Surgery, with another six following in December. Admissions soon grew. The Tan Teck Guan building – donated by another local businessman,

PHOTOS: WIKIPEDIA AND PICTURESG

BY AMIR ALI

MEDICAL EDUCATION CAME TO A HALT AFTER JAPANESE FORCES INVADED MALAYA IN 1941. ONLY FIVE DOCTORS AND FIVE DENTISTS GRADUATED JUST BEFORE THE IMPERIAL ARMY ARRIVED IN SINGAPORE IN EARLY 1942, DUE TO EXAMS BEING BROUGHT FORWARD.

A PERMANENT HOME

With its reputation on the rise, the Medical School’s name was again changed in 1921 to the King Edward VII College of Medicine, to better reflect its status as an institution of university standard. A new building was needed and the College of Medicine Building – with its splendid Doric colonnades and bas-relief eagle greeting visitors – was a fitting (and lasting) reflection of the grandeur of the institution. For 60 years from its completion in 1926, the building was the centre of medical education in Singapore. “There are few buildings which feature as significantly in the history of medical education in Singapore as the Tan Teck Guan Building and the College of Medicine Building,” said Dr Kwa Soon Bee, then Permanent Secretary for Health and Director of Medical Services in a book published in 1987. In 1929, the first cohort of students to complete the now six-year medical course graduated. Among these graduates was Dr Benjamin Sheares, who would go on to become the second President of Singapore. That was also the year that Raffles College was opened at a campus on Bukit Timah Road. With medical education the preserve of King Edward VII College of Medicine, Raffles College was intended as a college for higher education in the arts and sciences.

THE WAR YEARS

Medical education came to a halt soon after Japanese forces invaded Malaya in 1941. Indeed, a lucky five doctors and five dentists managed to graduate just before the Imperial Army arrived in Singapore in early 1942, due to final exams being brought forward in anticipation of this event. The College of Medicine was closed by the Japanese on 16 February 1942. The occupying forces used the facility as a base for their medical corps to receive casualties of war. The building would soon be used by the Japanese as a serum and virus institute. Meanwhile, students of the King Edward VII College of Medicine were all accepted by the new Syonan Medical College, established by the Japanese Military Administration at Tan Tock Seng Hospital. (These 200-odd students learned nothing medical at this College and were instead taught Japanese songs and customs.) At the same time, Raffles College was requisitioned by the Japanese to serve as their military headquarters. When the Japanese Occupation ended in September 1945, the British colonial government made it an urgent priority to re-establish hospitals, clinics and public health

The Manasseh Meyer Building of Raffles College located at the Bukit Timah campus.

JAN–MAR 2015

NUS 110 FEATURE

FINALLY, A UNIVERSITY

Soon thereafter, in 1949, the King Edward VII College of Medicine and Raffles College merged to become the University of Malaya. The College of Medicine was duly renamed the Faculty of Medicine. This was, in effect, the genesis of the modern-era National University of Singapore. In 1950, the University of Malaya conferred its first Bachelors degrees – in Medicine and Surgery – to 17 graduates. Soon, yet more space was required, and a new two-storey building was built behind the Tan Teck Guan Building to provide more classrooms and laboratories. In the following years, the University established a number of new departments. The Departments of Education, Zoology (within the Faculty of Science), Orthopaedic Surgery and Engineering were established by 1952. A Philosophy department began in 1954, and a four-year Law course was taught from 1955 onwards. The pre-Independence era brought about some changes. A Commission was formed in 1957 to review the constitution, administration, finances and expansion of the University of Malaya. In view of constitutional

Five honorary graduands (from left), Sir Roland Braddell, Morris Jamieson, Sir Alexander Carr-Saunders, Professor Edgar K Tratman and Sir Raymond E Priestley in procession to the Oei Tiong Ham Hall to receive their Honorary Degrees at the first Convocation of the University of Malaya in 1950.

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venerated College of Medicine Building was recommended for preservation. In 1988, the new King Edward VII Hall opened at Kent Ridge, signalling the beginning of a new era for medical students in Singapore.

IN 1962, THE SINGAPORE DIVISION OF THE UNIVERSITY OF MALAYA BECAME THE FULLY-FLEDGED UNIVERSITY OF SINGAPORE. THE KUALA LUMPUR DIVISION, MEANWHILE, RETAINED THE UNIVERSITY OF MALAYA NAME. changes in Malaya and Singapore, the Aitken Commission, as it was known, recommended that a single university system be established in each of the two territories. Two autonomous divisions were thus established – one in Singapore and the other in Kuala Lumpur – each with its own council, academic committees and staff. The Faculty of Medicine operated as the Faculty of Medicine of the University of Malaya in Singapore. A Legislative Assembly election in 1959 saw the People’s Action Party sweeping a majority of the available seats, and party leader Mr Lee Kuan Yew became the first Prime Minister of Singapore. Dr Toh Chin Chye, who lectured in the Department of Physiology, led the committee that designed the state crest, anthem and flag, which were unveiled on 3 December 1959. (Dr Toh would go on to become Minister of Science and Technology, and Vice-Chancellor of NUS. He also later prompted the University’s move from Bukit Timah to Kent Ridge and initiated the creation of the National University Hospital.) In 1962, the Singapore Division of the University of Malaya became the fully-fledged University of Singapore. The KL Division, meanwhile, retained the University of Malaya name. Dato Lee Kong Chian – a wealthy businessman and philanthropist – was appointed the newly-minted

LOOKING TO THE FUTURE

Kent Ridge Campus. NUS admits 28,000 undergraduates and 10,000 graduate students each year.

University’s first Chancellor. Dr B R Sreenivasan was the first Vice-Chancellor of the University.

THE BEGINNING OF THE MODERN ERA

PHOTO: NATIONAL ARCHIVES OF SINGAPORE

services. In April 1946, the College of Medicine Building was given back to King Edward VII College of Medicine before being reopened in June that year. Some 200 students who had left the school during the war returned to continue their medical education. Raffles College, too, was reopened, with Mr W E Dyer appointed as Principal. Slowly and with some difficulty, both colleges resumed operations. In 1947, a young Mahathir Mohamad – Malaysia’s longest-serving Prime Minister (1981 to 2003) – began his medical education at King Edward VII College of Medicine. In 1948, Dr Sheares was appointed Head of Obstetrics and Gynaecology. (One of Dr Sheares’ most notable contributions to medicine was a technique to create an artificial vagina for those born without one.) With two separate colleges covering a range of subjects, Singapore’s educational landscape began to take a fuller shape. Seeing this, a commission led by the London School of Economics Director Sir Alexander CarrSaunders began studying the possibility of establishing a University College in Singapore. In the end, the commission proposed instead the formation of a fully-fledged university.

The late ’60s saw the start of Singapore’s meteoric rise in economic growth and international stature. The University of Singapore, too, was rapidly expanding its programmes and admissions, with the donation of many funds and gifts. The United States government, for example, gave a research grant worth S$136,200 to the Department of Pharmaceutics to study the action of drugs on the human body, the first time such a grant was issued by the US to a university in Southeast Asia. The Ford Foundation provided a US$300,000 grant to help expand the University Library. Meanwhile, the Medical Progress Fund was started through the generous donations of local businessmen and entities: S$1 milllion from the Lee Foundation and more than S$100,000 each from Tan Sri Runme Shaw, Tan Chin Tuan, Nanyang Siang Pau, Reuben Meyer Trust Fund, Dato Dr Aw Cheng Chye, Dato Lee Chee Han, Mr Yap Twee of Chin Ho and Company, and the Singapore Turf Club. At the time, the University of Singapore was scattered around the island. Singapore had become an independent Republic, and the exiting British colonial authorities had vacated a number of prime sites. In 1968, a site was secured for a new campus and Dr Toh, then Minister for Science and Technology, initiated the relocation of the University to Kent Ridge. The United

Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) had similarly advised the Singapore government to house the many departments and faculties of the University in a single campus. In 1970, the Master Plan proposal for a new campus was accepted by the Cabinet, and the ground-breaking took place in 1972. Construction commenced in 1973.

THE NATIONAL UNIVERSITY OF SINGAPORE IS BORN

The government announced the National University of Singapore Act in 1980. Under the Act, the University of Singapore and Nanyang University merged to form the National University of Singapore. Dr Tony Tan Keng Yam (Science ’62) was appointed the first Vice-Chancellor of NUS. The University was formed on 8 August 1980, an auspicious date indeed (8/8/80). With the University’s Central Administration and many faculties already at Kent Ridge – including the Faculty of Engineering, which moved from its former home at Prince Edward Road – halls of residence were opened for students to live in, and the modern-era NUS was up and running. Completing the picture, a new Coat of Arms was adopted by the University in 1982. The design incorporated symbols from the crests of both the University of Singapore and Nanyang University. It was only later, between 1983 and 1987, that the Faculty of Medicine would move fully from Sepoy Lines to Kent Ridge. The

Medical education had largely remained the same throughout a tumultuous 20th Century – but given the rapid technological advances going on in the world, a revamp was needed to take Medicine into the 21st Century and beyond. To this end, the Medical Faculty began to revamp the curriculum in 1991, which saw the creation of new departments and the reorganisation of the five-year course into three distinct blocks. The curriculum was further revised in 1997, with problem-based learning introduced in 1999. (Problem-based learning is a pedagogical approach where a problem stands at the beginning of the learning process, rather than teaching theories and concepts before outlining their practical application.) The University’s campus-wide optical fibre network, NUSNET, went online as early as 1991. It was the largest such network in the Asia-Pacific region, and connected NUS to a worldwide network of 3,000 academic and research systems via the Internet, greatly enhancing its research productivity. In line with the pedagogical advances made by the venerated British and American tertiary education systems, NUS introduced a semester-based modular system, incorporating the best of the British and American systems. First introduced to the Faculty of Business Administration in 1993, the modular system was later extended to the Faculties of Arts and Social Sciences, Engineering, Science and the School of Building and Estate Management. The University took up the challenge set by then Prime Minister Mr Goh Chok Tong (Arts ’64) in 1997 to make Singapore the “Boston

JAN–MAR 2015

NUS 110 FEATURE

The Clinical Research Centre at the Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, adjacent to the National University Hospital.

of the East”, by working towards becoming a world-class university. A need-blind admission policy, in which a student’s financial situation is not a consideration in their possible enrollment, was introduced to attract more top students from Singapore and the region. Scholarships were established for outstanding (but financially-needy) undergraduates. True enough, NUS’ academic standing was on the rise, being voted one of the top 10 varsities in the Asia-Pacific region. The vision of becoming a top university globally never waned, and in 2002 NUS’ vision and new mission were articulated. The NUS Vision “Towards a global knowledge enterprise, building synergies between education, research and entrepreneurship” and NUS Mission to “Advance knowledge and foster innovation, educate students and nurture talent, in service of country and society” position the University to embrace new challenges and seize new opportunities in a rapidlyinnovating knowledge-driven global economy. The Lee Kuan Yew School of Public Policy was launched in 2004 as an autonomous school for study and research in public policy, particularly in the study of public policy in Asian societies.

ALUMNUS

NEW NAME, NEW START

In 2005, NUS celebrated its centennial. The year-long celebrations kicked off with an Ushering In ceremony at which the a new NUS flag was raised and the NUS Centennial Sculpture unveiled. As NUS was built on the foundations of the Medical School, the centennial of the school was observed, too. This milestone was celebrated with a S$100-million gift from the Yong Loo Lin Trust. The late Dr Yong Loo Lin was a Hong Kong doctor-turnedbusinessman who was a strong advocate of education. The Yong Loo Lin Trust has made many significant contributions in the name of medicine. The National University School of Medicine was renamed the Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine (YLLSoM) in honour of this transformational gesture. A post-graduate school of medicine was planned to further advance the teaching of Medicine. NUS signed an agreement with Duke University in the US to establish the Duke-NUS Graduate School of Medicine (Duke-NUS), at a purposebuilt building at College Road – right next to the spiritual home of medical education, the College of Medicine Building. A new governance structure was devised for the YLLSoM, the

Faculty of Dentistry and the National University Hospital (NUH). Together, they would jointly form the National University Health System (NUHS) which would allow doctors, faculty and staff to work more effectively together, achieving greater synergies in the delivery of care, medical training and research. The Duke-NUS was officially opened in 2009. (The inaugural class graduated in 2011 with a joint M.D. degree from NUS and Duke University.) That same year, Professor Tan Chorh Chuan (Medicine ’83) – who had recently taken over as President of the University – announced a new Vision and Mission for NUS: “A leading global university centred in Asia, influencing the future”. It is hoped that NUS will be recognised as a key authority on Asia that could hold influence on the region. The Kent Ridge campus saw further development, with a spanking new Alumni Complex – comprising the Shaw Foundation Alumni House and the NUS Society’s Kent Ridge Guild House – opened by NUS Eminent Alumnus Minister Mentor Mr Lee Kuan Yew. The Alumni Complex serves as a focal point for the NUS community to bond with one another. Like the University, donations to NUS have become larger and more impressive over the years. In 2010, the family of the late businessman Khoo Teck Phuat gifted S$50 milllion to the NUHS and NUS for the expansion of the University’s Children’s Medical Institute. The following year, YLLSoM received S$30 million pledged by Dato Sri Dr Tahir to advance medical education and research. In light of these donations and support from the authorities who have earmarked much of the south-western part of the island for education and research, the future of NUS is bright. In 2011, the first two residential colleges of the new University Town complex welcomed their first residents. (UTown was officially opened in late 2013 by Prime Minister Mr Lee Hsien Loong.) In 2012, PM Lee launched Yale-NUS College – Singapore’s

first liberal arts college, offering an educational model that is unique in Asia. The YLLSoM received another gift, for S$25 million, from the Yong Loo Lin Trust to work with the National University Cancer Institute, Singapore to develop new models of cancer care. The School also received a S$19.5 million gift from Siemens Medical Instruments to support the Master of Science (Audiology), including the establishment of the Centre for Hearing, Speech and Balance in partnership with NUHS. The year 2012 saw the addition of the YLLSoM’s flagship Centre for Translational Medicine, with stateof-the-art facilities. This ambitious project next to NUH houses laboratory and teaching spaces, and medical students will benefit from the cutting-edge facilities there. In 2013, a S$148 million Singapore Centre for Nutritional Sciences, Metabolic Diseases and Human Development was established by YLLSoM and the Singapore Institute for Clinical Sciences. The centre aims to be the leading hub in Asia for research into nutritional sciences, metabolic diseases and human development. Today, NUS – from its modest start as a medical school born of necessity to its future as a leader in global education – has become a leading light in Asia. Here’s looking forward to another century of innovation and leadership ahead.

IN 2005, THE SCHOOL OF MEDICINE WAS RENAMED THE YONG LOO LIN SCHOOL OF MEDICINE IN HONOUR OF THE S$100 MILLION DONATION FROM THE YONG LOO LIN TRUST.

THEY MIGHT BE GIANTS Mr S R Nathan

Mr Goh Chok Tong

Dr Mahathir Mohamad

Dr Goh Keng Swee

Dr Margaret Chan

Dr Noeleen Heyzer

Prof Kishore Mahbubani

Mr Ivan Heng

FROM PRESIDENTS AND PRIME MINISTERS TO PUBLIC HEALTH EXPERTS AND PLAYWRIGHTS, THE NATIONAL UNIVERSITY OF SINGAPORE (NUS) COUNTS A WIDE VARIETY OF LUMINARIES AS ALUMNI. PRESIDENTS OF SINGAPORE Dr Benjamin Sheares (Medicine ’29), Mr S R Nathan (Diploma, Social Studies ’54) and Dr Tony Tan Keng Yam (Science ’62) all graduated from NUS. Dr Tan enrolled in 1959 as a student at the Department of Physics in the University of Malaya. He lectured at the newly-renamed University of Singapore in the Physics Department and later lectured in the Department of Mathematics from 1967 to 1969. He was later appointed as the again-renamed NUS’ first Vice-Chancellor in 1980, a post he held till 1981. In 2011, Dr Tan succeeded Mr S R Nathan as NUS’ ninth Chancellor. PRIME MINISTERS AND CABINET MINISTERS Former Malaysian Prime Minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad (Medicine ’54) and his wife, Tun Dr Siti Hasmah Mohamad Ali (Medicine ’55), were trained at the University of Malaya in Singapore. Emeritus Senior Minister Mr Goh Chok Tong graduated in 1964. Both Dr Goh Keng Swee and Dr Toh Chin Chye – pioneers of Singapore who helped to shape the nation in the formative years – came from the colleges that pre-dated the University; Dr Goh from Raffles College and Dr Toh from the King Edward VII College of Medicine. THINKERS AND EXPERTS Director-General of the World Health Organization, Dr Margaret Chan (Medicine ’85), holds a Masters of Medicine in Public Health from NUS. Dr Noeleen Heyzer (Arts and Social Sciences ’71), the Under-Secretary-General of the United Nations and UN Secretary-General’s Special Adviser for Timor-Leste, also holds an MSc from NUS. Professor Kishore Mahbubani (Arts and Social Sciences ’71) – thinker, former ambassador and Dean of the Lee Kuan Yew School of Public Policy – was a President’s Scholar and graduated from the University of Singapore with a degree in Philosophy. ACTORS AND PLAYWRIGHTS Playwright Mr Haresh Sharma (Arts and Social Sciences ’90) is an alumnus. TV actors Mr Elvin Ng (Arts and Social Sciences ’06), Ms Jeanette Aw (Arts and Social Sciences ’01), and Mr Tay Ping Hui (Arts and Social Sciences ’96) too hail from the University. And one of Singapore’s best-loved stage actors and recipient of the Cultural Medallion 2013, Mr Ivan Heng (Law ’88), read Law at NUS.

JAN–MAR 2015

MY WORD

AN EYE-OPENER STUDYING MEDICINE OPENED HER EYES TO THE INTERCONNECTEDNESS BETWEEN THE DISCIPLINE AND THE ENVIRONMENT FOR OPHTHALMOLOGIST AND FORMER NATURE SOCIETY PRESIDENT, DR GEH MIN (MEDICINE ’74). BY ARTI MULCHAND

EDICINE WAS NOT ACTUALLY MY FIRST CHOICE for a career.

I was not averse to it, but I had wanted to study architecture. It was my grandmother, whom I was close to and respected very much, who persuaded me to become a doctor. So I studied medicine – and was miserable for the first two years. The preclinical sciences involved a lot of rote learning and staring down microscopes at slides that looked pretty identical to me. The wonders of the human body did not fascinate me then, and I almost gave up in despair. It was only in my third year when we were allowed to go into the wards and see actual patients that everything suddenly fell into place and became meaningful, and interesting. I also encountered inspiring teachers. One was Emeritus Professor Sir Gordon Arthur Ransome (1910 - 1978), one of the pioneers of modern medicine in Singapore, who taught me in my final year. He was legendary as an erudite physician and inspired diagnostician, but the story I found most moving [about him] was about a final-year medical student who had just flunked his “long case”. [This was] a patient that [a medical student] would have dealt with from start to end, from taking their history to making a diagnosis – with Prof Ransome. [Flunking his long case] meant that the student had failed the entire finals and would have to repeat the year. Although devastated, the student thanked the patient and helped him to get dressed – and that so impressed Prof Ransome

ALUMNUS

that he changed the fail mark to a pass on the grounds that medical knowledge could always be learnt, but consideration for the patients came first. To Prof Ransome, someone who had that quality under duress deserved to pass. Medicine has always got to be about that doctor-patient relationship. SEEING IS BELIEVING I chose to specialise in ophthalmology because I find the eyeball fascinating. I also like using my hands but did not have the stamina or guts – no pun intended – to deal with more heroic lifesaving surgery. But the idea of being able to restore vision – that was so romantic. And I learnt a lot from the biggest medical challenges I faced, especially when it came to diseases that you cannot cure, like glaucoma. What makes the difference is picking up the early signs which may not be very obvious, and preventing these from getting any worse. You can’t restore sight, but you can slow down visual loss. The same can be said for environmental degradation. You have to look for the early signs and then prevent further damage. Like in climate change, we do all we can to mitigate, or at least adapt. If you cannot cure it, then you have to buy as much time as you can. Treating a patient is also not black and white – you have to see every shade, and keep on looking for an optimal solution. That insight helped when I became President of the Nature Society in 2000 and also when I was a Nominated Member of Parliament. I could appreciate that policymakers cannot guarantee the future in absolute terms. This prompted a more measured

approach, a contrast to the earlier head-on collisions the Nature Society had in the 1990s over incidents like the development of part of Pierce Reservoir into a golf course, even if the Society did win that fight. Both sides – the Society and the Government – had started to take on a more moderate approach and we realised we would get a lot more accomplished if we worked together. A more moderate approach does not mean agreeing to compromise from the start. We just tried to see things from the other’s point of view. One of the early situations was dealing with the ecologicallyrich Chek Jawa mudflats on Pulau Ubin. There seemed to be no way of reversing the government’s decision to reclaim the land. We were also dealing with a battle on the Kranji Marshes front, where a golf course was planned. There was a lot of bargaining going on, and there was an indication that [the Government] would give way on Kranji if we backed down on Chek Jawa. A committee member was indignant, and said: ‘Dr Geh, if you had two patients who were critically ill, what would you do? You would fight for both lives.’ That became my guide – we had to fight for every nature area we could. It might involve some compromise, but we should treat each as though it was a human life. LEARNT FROM NATURE I can’t say that being an environmentalist – which is what others call me, not what I call myself – also makes me a better doctor, but it certainly requires me to see life as an integrated whole. Human health and the health

PHOTO BY WILSON PANG

“

Eye surgeon Geh Min, who met her heart-surgeon husband while she was doing her housemanship at Toa Payoh Hospital in 1975, was the Nature Society President from 2000 to 2008, and a Nominated Member of Parliament from 2004 to 2006. In 2006, she was one of three recipients of the inaugural President’s Award for the Environment. She is a member of the Nature Conservancy’s Asia Pacific Council; Birdlife International; and the Climate Change Network.

of the planet are intertwined. We like to think of ourselves as separate from nature, but we are not. A lot of diseases are linked to environmental problems, like pollution, haze, dirty air and contaminated water. We depend on biodiversity and forests to keep the air clean and remove pollutants from water. Nature provides food through pollination and reproduction. We depend on other living things. We also need nature. Studies show that, genetics aside, outdoor activity can prevent myopia. Based on a study involving genetically similar children in Singapore and Sydney, the children from Sydney – who read as much if not more than those in Singapore – had a lower incidence of myopia. The reason seemed to be that they had three times as much outdoor activity. The body adapts. If you only look at things close up, you lose your distance vision. If you spend less time glued to your devices and more time outdoors, your eyes adjust. It slows down the damage. Many reputable studies have shown that surgical patients recover faster if there is a view of nature from their beds. Most of the modern drugs we have to cure or treat disease also ultimately come from nature – about 80 per cent of drugs in current use can ultimately be traced back to natural origins. Urbanisation and overdependence on technology is destroying the way that we look at things. We are surrounded by man-made objects, but even items we see as man-made require natural resources. The problem is that many who live in urban settings view nature as ‘dirty and unnecessary’, and reduce it to the insects and bacteria that cause epidemics and diseases. The reality is that it is only when the natural ecosystem is disrupted that you get diseases. Sir Francis Bacon, often called the Father of Modern Science, did say: “Nature, to be commanded, must be obeyed”. You need to understand the laws of nature. Ignore them and you might win a battle or two, but you will lose the war, whether in terms of an individual’s health or the health of the planet.” JAN–MAR 2015

ONCE UPON A MEMORY

OFF TO A FLYING START

“FLYING DOCTOR” MANI JEGATHESAN (MEDICINE ’67) MIGHT HAVE BEEN THE FASTEST MAN IN ASIA FOR A TIME – BUT HE STILL COULDN’T SKIP CLASS IF HE WANTED TO GRADUATE! BY ARTI MULCHAND

for the Commonwealth Games in Perth held in November 1962, the sprint champion tipped to take the bronze or better in the 220-yard event stayed in Singapore. During the Asian Games in Jakarta earlier that year, Tan Sri Dr Mani Jegathesan, then 18, had won the 200m, setting a new record of 21.3 seconds. He also won silvers in the 100m, and the 1,600m relay. Two years earlier, in 1960, he had competed at the Rome Olympics – the first of three consecutive Olympics showings, and at the Rangoon SEAP Games (now the SEA Games) in 1961 had won golds in the 200m, 400m and 1600m relay events, as well as a silver in the 100m. But in October of 1962, the speed demon was also a second-year medical student, and a month away from his exams. “If I had missed the exams, I would have had to repeat the year,” says Dr Jegathesan, who was born in Ipoh but moved to Singapore in 1955 to live with his newly-married sister and attend Anglo Chinese School (Barker). “Sport was a leisure pursuit. When you won, you got a pat on the back. But you weren’t given any concessions. Others biked or played billiards, mahjong or tennis. I ran. And, like them, the next day I went back to class,” the 71 year-old remembers. The skeptics among the faculty only added to the pressure.

ALUMNUS

Running as a schoolboy.

Dr Jegathesan’s (3rd from left) 1967 graduation photo, taken with his clinical group.

The 1958 relay team for an inter-school meet.

PHOTO COURTESY OF TAN SRI DR M JEGATHESAN

S THE REST OF HIS MALAYAN TEAMMATES left

“They knew of my reputation as an athlete, and some thought I was a joker who thought I would breeze through medical school,” he says. Dr Jegathesan knew success would take some strategising. He fell in with the “good boys”, and even if he spent some time “grazing the prairies” and having fun with friends on a Friday night, by 11pm, it was back to the books. He found some fans among his lecturers. To attend the Tokyo Olympics in 1964, Dr Jegathesan, then working under surgical legend Dr Yahya Cohen, got the go-ahead to miss a month of his clinical posting on one condition – that he spent a month of his vacation time as Dr Cohen’s “fetcher and gatherer”. It was an “amazing opportunity”, he recalls. And a month before his final MBBS (Bachelor of Medicine, Bachelor of Surgery) exams in 1966, he competed in the Bangkok Asian Games, flying out the night before his first event and returning to Singapore – and straight to his Obstetrics and Gynaecology class with Dr Tow Siang Hwa (Medicine ’53) – on a Monday morning, with three gold medals in his bag and the title of the Fastest Man in Asia. “When Dr Tow spotted me, he said: ‘Our champion has arrived.’ And they gave me a standing

ovation.” Even the congratulatory telegram that had arrived from the President of Malaysia paled in comparison. But the biggest win for him came in February the following year when, with the rest of his cohort, Dr Jegathesan made his way to the medical faculty at Outram Road at 9.15am, and waited for the Registrar to appear with a piece of paper with the names of those who had passed the MBBS. “I just honed in on the middle of the list – the Js – and looked for any indication of a very, very long name. And it was there. I got a piece of paper that said I passed and then I bought a night train ticket back to KL, where I was expected to return to work,” he recalls. He completed his one-year housemanship at Hospital Kuala Lumpur, and in 1968, a chance encounter while waiting to find out where he would be posted as a Medical Officer sealed his fate. He was at a kopitiam near the hospital when a senior gentleman recognised him as “that athlete fellow”. “He said he was George De Witt, Deputy Director of the Institute for Medical Research (IMR) next door, and [asked if I would] like to work there.” Dr Jegathesan joined the IMR as a trainee pathologist, and that year, also competed at the 1968 Mexico Olympics. He set Malaysia’s standing record of 20.92 seconds for the 200m in a semi-final, and then announced his retirement from sports. Twenty years later, he became

the IMR’s Director, holding the post for five years before moving on to become Deputy Director-General (Research and Technical Support) at the Ministry of Health, Malaysia. Throughout his career, Dr Jegathesan has made significant contributions in the global control of infectious diseases, and served as a consultant to agencies including the World Health Organization. Even after his “retirement” from sports, Dr Jegathesan found himself back in Olympic stadiums in various capacities between 1972 and 2012, including as chef de mission for the Malaysian team. Today, he is the Chairman of the medical committees of the Olympic Council of Malaysia, the Olympic Council of Asia, and the Commonwealth Games Federation. But some of his best memories were made in the Outram campus mastering “both the art and science” of medicine, he says. It is where he met his wife of 45 years then, a pharmacy student. They have three children and five grandchildren, with another on the way. And the friendships he forged in his first year anatomy class remain to this day. “[My fellow students and I] spent two years dissecting one half of a human body. That forces some serious bonding. Years can go by without contact, but when we meet, it’s like we’re back [at University] – and right next to that cadaver,” he says with a laugh.

[MY FELLOW STUDENTS AND I] SPENT TWO YEARS DISSECTING ONE HALF OF A HUMAN BODY. THAT FORCES SOME SERIOUS BONDING. YEARS CAN GO BY WITHOUT CONTACT, BUT WHEN WE MEET, IT’S LIKE WE’RE BACK [AT UNIVERSITY] – AND RIGHT NEXT TO THAT CADAVER!

JAN–MAR 2015

PURSUIT OF EXCELLENCE

SCIENCE OF HIS SUCCESS WHAT DOES IT TAKE TO EXCEL IN BOTH SPORTS AND MEDICINE? SIMPLY SCIENCE, SAYS DR BENEDICT TAN (MEDICINE ’91). BY ARTI MULCHAND

XACTLY FIVE HOURS – not

even just half an hour more, and especially not the seven hours of sleep that is accepted as ideal. Five hours is Sports Medicine specialist and former sailing champion Dr Benedict Tan’s “sweet spot for sleep”. “I need five hours to function normally. Six hours and I don’t feel any more refreshed, and seven makes me even more tired. I can go on four hours for two days straight, and three hours for one,” says the 47 year-old Chief of Sports Medicine at Changi General Hospital (CGH). Dr Tan came to that conclusion “experimenting with sleep-hours” while studying Medicine at the National University of Singapore. Sleeping less, he says, is a “form of ‘forced efficiency” and helps him get as much as he needs out of his day. He had also worked out that three hours of studying would make up for a missed lecture, and that making the leap from the 80th to the 90th percentile of his cohort required more hours in the day that he had to spare. “I didn’t aim to be the top of my class, and I wanted to sail. Getting to the 90th would have required 60 per cent amount more studying time,” he explains.

Dr Tan’s love for all things scientific started early as a child when he had questions about everything – from rainbows to racing cars. He fell even more in love with science when he got serious about sailing at the age of 12. “The sail is an aerofoil and the hull cuts through the water, so you have

PHOTO BY WILSON PANG

SCIENCE WAS THE ANSWER, WHATEVER THE QUESTION

to understand basic aero dynamics and hydro dynamics. You gain an appreciation of meteorology since you rely on the wind to move. Science made me a better sailor,” he says. And sailing made him a better student. “When you sail, you have to be very systematic, and much of what you learn can be brought over to work and life.” At Hwa Chong Junior College, Dr Tan did triple science, eventually qualifying for medical school. But getting into Medicine was only half the challenge – he was not sure how he could keep his grades up and his sailing career afloat. The difficult decision made in his first year to give sailing a break lasted all of one year. It made no difference to his grades, he says. The time freed went to fun, but provided a lesson in efficiency. He could keep sailing, especially now that he had gotten “fun out of the system”. He was back on the water in his second year, rushing to East Coast Park after his 3pm lecture on most days to make the most of the remaining daylight. After a quick dinner, it was to the gym until 10pm, and then back to NUS to study with his clinical group until 1am. “I knew I had to spend a lot of time in the water racing and training, yet I couldn’t become a half-baked doctor,” he says. What has stayed with him to this day is the fact that his lecturers were not prescriptive and, instead, made him accountable for his decision. “The faculty treated me like an adult. They laid down the high standards expected, and as long as I met them I could train and race as much as I wanted. As a doctor, that’s important. You alone are responsible for ensuring that you remain a good one.” During his housemanship, he would cover night call duties for his colleagues to chalk up experience. Those all-nighters also meant he could head straight out to sea after lunch. “If you wanted to sail better, you had to spend more time sailing. If you wanted to be a better doctor, you had to see as many patients as you could,” explains Dr Tan who, as a houseman, delivered 13 babies solo.

ANSWERING THE CALL It was accepted by most that Dr Tan was destined for surgery, especially after being accepted as an Ophthalmology trainee under the late Professor Arthur Lim (Medicine ’56). It was not to be. In 1996, he got a call from Dr Teh Kong Chuan (Medicine ’73), then the Director of the Sports Medicine and Research Centre Singapore Sports Council (SSC), who told Dr Tan that his training as a doctor and experience as an athlete would be invaluable there.

THE FACULTY TREATED ME LIKE AN ADULT. THEY LAID DOWN THE HIGH STANDARDS EXPECTED, AND AS LONG AS I MET THEM I COULD TRAIN AND RACE AS MUCH AS I WANTED. “Sports Medicine was where I could make a bigger difference, even if people thought I was crazy to give up Ophthalmology,” he recalls now, with a laugh. He became Deputy Director (Sports Science) at the SSC’s Sports Medicine and Research Centre, building the department of five scientists and technicians into a 15-member team, covering all five disciplines under Sports Science, including strength and conditioning as well as sports nutrition. A second call came in 2002, this time from the then Chief of Orthopedics Professor Low Cheng Ooi (Medicine ’80) and Sports Orthopedic Surgeon Dr Tan Jee Lim (Medicine ’89), and the then-Chief Executive Officer T K Udairam (Arts and Social Sciences ’76) of CGH. They were keen to elevate sports medicine to

a specialty – something other public hospitals had not yet done. “They were real visionaries, and the whole hospital had bought into the idea. And being at CGH meant that Sports Medicine could ride on the Health Ministry machinery and get a lot more support. It was a chance for sports medicine to level up,” Dr Tan says. CGH now has 11 Sports Medicine practitioners, as well as specialist disciplines such as Sports Cardiology to Sports Endocrinology.

FULFILLING HIS ROLE Today, Dr Tan clearly finds even more use for his theories of “forced efficiency”. On top of his administrative work, he does a minimum of nine clinical sessions a week and two evening sessions a week to keep himself “sharp”. He is also a Senior Consultant at both the Singapore and Changi Sports Medicine centres, and Chairman of the Exercise is Medicine Singapore National Centre. The Asian Games and four-time SEA Games Gold medalist, and three-time Sportsman of the Year, retired from competing in 1996, but still sails recreationally. He has completed all six of the World Marathon Majors, a championship-style competition for marathon runners that comprises six annual races in Berlin, Boston, Chicago, London, New York City and Tokyo. He is also a Nominated Member of Parliament, President of the Singapore Sailing Federation, sits on various other boards and panels, and has authored three books about sailing, running and weight loss. “At the end of the day, it is about the role I believe I have in society – to be a good citizen by doing all I can to push Singapore to greater heights, including in sports and medicine. I am doing what I need to do to fulfill that,” he explains. What would he change given the chance to do it all over? Dr Tan’s answer is decidedly pragmatic. “Nothing. I have always been forward-thinking, and my decisions have been a series of rational ones made after careful consideration of all the factors. Logically, I would do it all exactly the same.” JAN–MAR 2015

NUS ALUMNI-GREAT EASTERN LIFE BREAKFAST DIALOGUE

THE 8Cs OF SUCCESS City Development Limited’s reputation as an environmentally and socially responsible company owes much to Mr Kwek Leng Joo’s life motto — that monetary success alone is not enough. BY WANDA TAN

“

INGAPORE HAS A HIGHLYCOMPETITIVE and successful

economy. But as the nation approaches its 50th birthday [in 2015], it is very important that we ask ourselves: ‘Who are we as a people?’” Opening his talk with this question, Mr Kwek Leng Joo gave participants at the latest NUS Alumni-Great Eastern Life Breakfast Dialogue much food for thought. Some 125 NUS alumni and students were at the M Hotel Ballroom on 3 October 2014 to hear the Deputy Chairman of City Developments Limited (CDL) ruminate on the topic, ‘Success – Is It All About Money?’. Having joined CDL’s Board of Directors in 1980, Mr Kwek served as Managing Director for 19 years prior to his February 2014 appointment as Deputy Chairman. Over the past two decades, he has played a crucial role in building the company’s portfolio of residential and investment properties. Today CDL is not only one of Singapore’s biggest landlords but also an international property and hotel conglomerate, with more than 400 subsidiaries and associated companies in 88 locations across 25 countries. 28

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I PROPOSE A NEW DEFINITION OF SUCCESS THAT TAKES INTO ACCOUNT THE ‘8Cs’ – THE AFOREMENTIONED 5Cs AS WELL AS CHARACTER, CREATIVITY AND COMMUNITY. Under Mr Kwek’s leadership, sustainability has been the centrepiece of CDL’s corporate social responsibility (CSR) and business agenda since 1995. Founded on his vision to ‘conserve as we construct’, the company has adopted a triple-bottom-line approach in managing its business with a view to strike a balance between financial,

social and environmental performance. To this end, the company focusses on the so-called ‘3Ps’ – profit, people and planet. Mr Kwek said of the last ‘P’, “We strive to make sure all our buildings are eco-friendly. We also prefer to work with suppliers and other stakeholders who adopt ‘green’ practices.” CDL also engages with the public through a number of initiatives. “To spread the message of social and eco-consciousness, we organise annual youth competitions such as the CDLSingapore Compact Young CSR Leaders Award and the CDL E-Generation Challenge. And in 2013, we collaborated with the National Library Board to open ‘My Tree House’ – the world’s first green library for kids,” said Mr Kwek. He added that CDL also has a Chief Sustainability Officer in the ranks of senior management. As a result of its commitment to environmental sustainability and CSR, CDL has won a plethora of honours. It is the first developer to receive the prestigious Built Environment Leadership Platinum Award in 2009 and the only developer to win ‘Quality Excellence Award – Quality Champion (Platinum)’ from Singapore’s Building and Construction Authority for two consecutive years (in 2013 and 2014). On the international front, CDL is also the first Singapore company to be listed on the world’s top three sustainability benchmarks – FTSE4Good Index Series since 2002, Global 100 Most Sustainable Corporations in the World since 2010 and Dow Jones Sustainability Indexes since 2011. Given CDL’s standing as a leading green developer, Mr Kwek was – not surprisingly – critical of modern-day notions of individual success. He lamented, “For many youths, success is usually defined in terms of financial wealth or how much money they earn. It’s all about achieving the ‘5Cs’ – cash, car, credit card, condominium and country club membership.” Instead, he challenged those present at the Breakfast Dialogue to step away from the ‘rat race’ and go beyond such myopic thinking.

“I propose a new definition of success that takes into account the ‘8Cs’ – the aforementioned 5Cs as well as character, creativity and community,” said Mr Kwek who sits on the Advisory Committee of NUS’ Master of Science (Environmental Management) (MEM) programme. “Character development is important if you are truly serious about growing as a person, while applying creativity to your work will help increase productivity. Lastly, we should not look after or think of ourselves as individuals, for we are all part of a larger community.” Mr Kwek’s talk was followed by a dynamic Q&A session moderated by Dr Geh Min, an ophthalmologist, former Nominated Member of Parliament and Immediate Past President of the Nature Society (Singapore). She is also on the Advisory Committee of NUS’ MEM programme. Dr Geh also spoke about her decade-long friendship with Mr Kwek and touched on his pioneering role in ushering the green movement into Singapore’s built environment. “Through his actions,

AN ENLIGHTENING PERSPECTIVE

he has shown that land is important not just as a moneyMr Kwek’s words left a deep impression on participants at the making piece of Breakfast Dialogue: real estate, but as “My main reason for coming today was to network with fellow a valuable natural students and alumni, but I really enjoyed listening to what resource worth Mr Kwek had to say. His talk was a good reminder that success is conserving,” she not just about money.” said. “Even though Zitong, a Year 2 Bachelor of Business Administration student he is a successful businessman, I “I’m now in the final year of my course, so this session was think of him more a good opportunity to hear from a prominent figure in real as a dedicated estate before I enter the industry myself.” environmentalist Kevin Yap, a Year 5 Bachelor of Science (Real Estate) and and a humanist.” Bachelor of Business Administration student One participant voiced his worry that any attempt other developers can be persuaded to to achieve all 8Cs might prove too adopt environmental practices. burdensome, to which Mr Kwek’s Mr Kwek acknowledged the increased response was a resounding “no”. “We competition among developers of work in a very competitive business comparable size in recent years. environment, and the 5Cs are – for “There are four or five large developers the most part – already ingrained in in Singapore, including CDL. Nothing us,” he explained. “All I want to do is would please me more than to see the to encourage people to look beyond rest of them becoming green leaders the material world. After all, material and contribute to conserving possessions do not equal happiness.” the environment,” he said. Another participant asked how

NUS ALUMNI-GREAT EASTERN LIFE BREAKFAST DIALOGUE

“

CCORDING TO A STUDY OF PUBLICLY-LISTED AMERICAN COMPANIES on the S&P 500

Index, the average lifespan of companies fell from approximately 60 years in the 1950s to about 15 years in 2012. The same is true if you look at companies on the Fortune 500 list. What this means is that the average lifespan of companies today is diminishing, and diminishing at a faster rate due to technological changes like Internet expansion.” Despite the gloomy outlook that Mr Andrew Kwan, Group Managing Director of Singapore-based investment holding company Commonwealth Capital Pte Ltd appraised his audience of, he himself was in a buoyant mood when he spoke at the NUS Alumni-Great Eastern Life Breakfast Dialogue. Held on 12 November 2014 at the Marina

Mandarin hotel, this event was the last in the series of morning talks conceived for NUS students and young alumni to engage with industry veterans, as well as network with one another. The session was moderated by Associate Professor Tan Tin Wee from the NUS Department of Biochemistry who voiced his admiration for Mr Kwan’s outstanding business achievements. It all started in the early 1990s when, with a business partner, Mr Kwan co-founded Globamatrix Holdings (GMX) to sell window films for the automotive and building industries. By the end of the decade, the company had amassed a global marketing and distribution network for high-end window film brands. In 2002, GMX made its first foray into the F&B sector by investing in the Italian restaurant chain PastaMania,

ENTREPRENEURSHIP – THE BIG PICTURE Noted entrepreneur Mr Andrew Kwan shares how his businesses flourish in a fragile economy. BY WANDA TAN

which at the time comprised only two food court stalls in Singapore. After GMX’s window film unit was sold to a US-based firm in 2010, Mr Kwan established Commonwealth Capital and expanded its F&B portfolio. Aside from PastaMania – which now consists of more than 50 outlets in South-east Asia, China and the Middle East – Commonwealth Capital now also owns brands such as Swissbake, Swisstreats, NYC Bagel Factory and Zac Meat & Poultry. So what is the secret to his success? How has Mr Kwan – who has garnered numerous awards, including the RotaryAssociation of Small and Medium Enterprises (ASME) ‘Entrepreneur of the Year Award 2004’ – thrived when other businesses struggle to survive? That was the subject of his talk, ‘Entrepreneurship: A View from the Trenches’, in which he gave a noholds-barred account of the triumphs and tribulations experienced as an entrepreneur. In particular, he identified three traits that all entrepreneurs must possess if they are to succeed. The first is an appetite for disruptive technologies. “Just as [the late Apple co-founder] Steve Jobs ushered in the era of personal computing, entrepreneurs harbour a conviction that they can change the world. They see a gap that nobody else is serving,” said Mr Kwan who referred to this as the “romance of entrepreneurship”. “Second, [as romantic as the journey might appear to be,] it is fraught with hard work and requires persistence. It is not just about talent, genius or education.” Nowadays, Mr Kwan spends about one-third of his time on non-work pursuits, mainly with his wife – an NUS graduate through whom Mr Kwan joked that he has vicariously experienced NUS life – and their four children. But during

THERE IS A SENSE OF EMPOWERMENT THAT COMES FROM BEING ABLE TO DO WHAT YOU WANT TO DO IN YOUR OWN TIME. 30

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GMX’s early days, Mr Kwan regularly worked around-the-clock on a variety of tasks, from ordering and unpacking shipments to meeting clients and typing up documents. Lastly, Mr Kwan explained that being an entrepreneur offers rewards that go beyond monetary benefits. “There is a sense of empowerment that comes from being able to do what you want to do in your own time. You have the autonomy to do something you believe in, something you are passionate about,” he said. “That means you can’t be in it just for the ‘pot of gold’ at the end; you must enjoy the journey as well.” He took questions from the floor during the second half of the Breakfast Dialogue. One participant asked for his thoughts on what role governments should play in promoting entrepreneurship. Mr Kwan’s answer was that government involvement in business requires a delicate balancing act. “Entrepreneurs are supposed to be creative and come up with their own ideas. So [on the one hand] it is counterintuitive for them to depend on

external or government funding to get their businesses up and running.” On the other hand, governments can contribute by bridging the gap between domestic and overseas markets. “The Singapore Government has [excelled] in helping local companies achieve the economies of scale or critical mass needed to establish a foothold overseas,” he observed in his capacity as Board Member of SPRING Singapore, an enterprise development agency under Singapore’s Ministry of Trade and Industry. Another member of the audience commented on the challenges currently facing young start-ups in Singapore, such as oversaturation of small businesses, rising rental costs and manpower constraints. But as Mr Kwan pointed out, free-market principles will naturally resolve the situation and business owners should thus distinguish themselves from competitors. “If demand is only so big and the market is oversaturated with suppliers, it is inevitable that there will be a winnowing out of weaker players,” he noted.

WHAT THEY SAY… Participants were impressed by what they had experienced at this final installment of the Breakfast Dialogue series. “I wasn’t sure what to expect today as this is my first time here, but I had a good time. The session was very well-organised and allowed for an informal discussion with Mr Kwan.” Mr Andreas Möbius, an Aeronautical Engineering exchange student from the United Kingdom “I’ve really enjoyed the Breakfast Dialogues that I have attended. These events have given me a chance to hear from industry leaders whom I would not ordinarily get to meet.” Mr Sam Loo (Business ’94) who has set up a corporate training firm

U @LIVE

ONE SPEAKER. 10 MINUTES. BOUNDLESS INSPIRATION. U@live is our monthly guest speaker series that showcase NUS alumni who have a passion for making a difference. Hosted by Alumni Advisory Board member and veteran TV presenter Mr Viswa Sadasivan (Arts and Social Sciences ‘83) at the Shaw Foundation Alumni House, the one-hour session is also streamed live on the U@live website. To register for future U@live events, visit www.nus.edu.sg/ualive.

PROFESSOR HSIEH TSUN-YAN

A LEADER AMONG LEADERS Professor Hsieh Tsun-Yan, Chairman and Lead Counselor of LinHart Group, believes that strong leadership derives, above all, from having a strong sense of self. eadership is a somewhat nebulous concept that is difficult to pin down, with many so-called ‘gurus’ touting their own theories and mantras. But how do we know if we even have what it takes to be a leader? According to Professor Hsieh Tsun-Yan, who has drawn on his experiences in the corporate sphere to forge a career in leadership counselling, there is a leader in each of us – we just do not know it yet. A former President’s and Colombo Plan Scholar, Prof Hsieh

went against the grain when, after completing his Bachelor’s degree in Mechanical Engineering at the University of Alberta, Canada in 1974, he turned down a spot in Singapore’s elite Administrative Service and instead sought an engineering job. In 1980, he joined McKinsey & Company as a consultant and then spent the better part of three decades with the global consulting giant. By the time he retired in 2008, Prof Hsieh had gained renown as the first ethnic Chinese to be elected as

YOU WILL FIND POSITIVE ENERGY IN WHAT YOU DO IF IT’S PLEASURABLE, MEANINGFUL AND CONSTRUCTIVE IN YOUR OWN ESTIMATION. Managing Director of McKinsey & Co.’s Canadian and Southeast Asian offices. In 2010, he founded LinHart Group, a leadership services firm that advises Chief Executive Officers (CEOs), boards of directors, owners and senior executives of large companies throughout Asia on 32

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issues of leadership development and succession. The Harvard MBA graduate also serves as Provost Chair Professor (Practice) of NUS Business School and the Lee Kuan Yew School of Public Policy, and is a member of NUS Business School’s Management Advisory Board. To a full auditorium at the U@live session, Prof Hsieh defined leadership as “a force in us that causes a large collection of people …to do something they would not otherwise do, to do something better or to create something totally new”. Unlike managers, who are content with preserving the status quo or making only incremental improvements, leaders have the ability to attract and influence followers to go beyond their usual limits for a positive outcome. “There is a huge opportunity for the world to be a better place if all of us become leaders – not just in high office [as CEOs of companies and presidents of countries] but even among, say, fellow colleagues in your hospital ward,” he said. In particular, he identified four arenas in which an individual’s leadership style is shaped: as a volunteer in community service organisations, when parenting children, in one’s relationship with a spouse, and in the workplace. “The problem,” said Prof Hsieh, “is that the world is full of [social] constructs that try to convince us we are not leaders. For example, you may have been told at work that you cannot ask questions above your pay grade.” So what is needed to unleash one’s leadership? He touched on the three vital elements of knowing (possessing knowledge in a specific field), doing (demonstrating the required skills) and most importantly being (recognising one’s uniqueness). “People follow leaders because of who they are, not just because of what they do or what they know.” Prof Hsieh then engaged in an animated discussion with moderator Mr Viswa Sadasivan (Arts and Social Sciences ’83) and the audience on the

oft-mentioned leadership crisis in Singapore. Mr Sadasivan got right to the heart of the matter, questioning whether there is in fact a dearth of good leaders in the first place. “I get put off whenever I hear the government say that we have a shortage of talent. The way I see it, the only reason they say so is because they see talent only in President’s Scholars,” he claimed. Although grateful to have received the scholarship himself, Prof Hsieh commented that such a narrow perspective of leadership is unfortunate, if indeed it is true. “I believe we as a society are suffering from a crisis of confidence [as opposed to a crisis of leadership], both in ourselves and in each other,” he asserted. In other words, everyone is born with the ability to lead, but due to societal labelling and selfdoubt, we lack the confidence to step up to the plate and assume the worst in ourselves and other people. As the first ethnic Chinese in a

then-predominantly Caucasian male board at McKinsey & Co. in Canada, Prof Hsieh was a vocal supporter of workplace diversity. Whereas others were hasty in writing off women and racial minorities, he picked them to join his team because he was confident they could do a good job. “I am proud that I helped them, and many of them are now senior partners in the firm,” he said. “You will never discover how good a leader you can be until you are faced with a setback or failure.” It is precisely during such moments of unfamiliarity and disappointment that we often prove our mettle and take charge of the situation in a way we perhaps did not realise we could. Thus, Prof Hsieh called for a society in which failures are accepted and challenges are embraced as opportunities for personal growth. When asked by a member of the audience about the importance of charisma in cultivating strong leadership, Prof Hsieh said that

it comes secondary to one’s own passion for a particular cause. In his case, he set up LinHart Group because he was driven by a sense of purpose to help people – to mentor corporate executives and bring out the best in them. “If you have a burning passion for the cause – be it a commercial calling to help [fledgling] enterprises or a social undertaking to help hospital patients get well – what you do won’t feel like work. You will be on a mission,” he explained. “You will find positive energy in what you do if it’s pleasurable, meaningful and constructive in your own estimation. And as long as you enjoy what you do, [the effort] will be sustainable.” BY WANDA TAN PROF HSIEH SPOKE ON 29 SEPTEMBER 2014.

NUS Faculty of Engineering

Gala Dinner 2015 Date: 16 Oct 2015, Friday Time: 6.30pm Venue: Shangri-La Hotel

For enquiries, please contact Desmond at engkcpd@nus.edu.sg or 6516 7925

U @LIVE

MS INDRANEE THURAI RAJAH (LAW ’86)

ASPIRE-ING FOR A BRIGHTER FUTURE

Ms Indranee Thurai Rajah, Senior Minister of State for Law and Education, is unfazed about steering the course to overhaul the landscape of Singapore’s post-secondary education.

WE NEED TO PROMOTE LIFELONG LEARNING SO THAT PEOPLE WILL UPGRADE THEIR SKILLS – A COMBINATION OF THEORETICAL KNOWLEDGE, APPLIED OR HANDSON LEARNING, AND EXPERIENCE.

ike it or not, there is a general perception in Singapore that junior colleges (JCs) are superior to polytechnics and Institutes of Technical Education (ITEs) when it comes to post-secondary education. But as Ms Indranee Thurai Rajah (Law ’86), Senior Minister of State for Law and Education told a packed audience, this situation has gone on for far too long. And those in attendance clearly agreed with her, judging from their nods of approval. Having studied at Raffles Institution and the National University of Singapore, Ms Rajah is well aware of the importance of a good education in achieving

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career success. But what exactly constitutes a top-notch education? On the whole, public- and privatesector companies consider academic qualifications to be a fair and objective barometer when assessing the employability of potential recruits. Unfortunately, this often results in an over-reliance on grades and paper qualifications when employers make hiring decisions, at the expense of other equallycritical criteria such as possessing practical skills. It is this imbalance that prompted the Ministry of Education (MOE) to establish the Applied Study in Polytechnics and ITE Review (ASPIRE) Committee in January 2014. “Today’s volatile, uncertain,

complex and ambiguous – or ‘VUCA’ – environment makes it difficult to plan for the future. Thus, we need people who can adapt to change quickly,” said Ms Rajah, Chairperson of the ASPIRE Committee. “We need to promote lifelong learning so that people will [continually] upgrade their skills – not just vocational skills, but a combination of theoretical knowledge, applied or hands-on learning, and experience.” In August 2014, the Committee released a report comprising a set of recommendations to enhance the academic and career prospects of Polytechnic and ITE students. Ms Rajah briefly summarised these recommendations, which include the provision of education and career guidance (ECG) officers at secondary and post-secondary schools, enhanced internship and training programmes with industry partners, more places for students who wish to pursue Higher National ITE Certificate (Higher Nitec) courses, and more modular post-diploma courses to impart sector-specific skills. Ms Rajah noted that the Committee aims “to create multiple pathways to success [for the purpose of] valuing each person and each job”. The current ‘one-size-fits-all’ approach places undue emphasis on the more academic JC route. But once the new recommendations – which have been accepted by the Singapore Government – are fully implemented, students who go to Polytechnics and ITEs will be able to carve out equally-successful careers. In the ensuing Q&A session, Ms Rajah addressed doubts over the merits of the ASPIRE Committee report in a good-natured yet thoughtful manner. U@live moderator Mr Viswa Sadasivan (Arts and Social Sciences ’83)

kicked things off by bringing up the proverbial ‘elephant in the room’: How effective are such reforms in the face of deeply-entrenched mindsets that have, for decades, perpetuated Singapore’s stratified education system? “The Singapore Government should be lauded for setting up the ASPIRE Committee, whose recommendations are long overdue,” he said. “But even if different progression pathways exist, the perception remains that some pathways are put on a pedestal – JCs are still preferred to polytechnics and ITEs, and ‘hard’ science subjects are favoured over ‘soft’ arts subjects. How can we ensure a more level playing field?” Ms Rajah – while acknowledging the challenges associated with changing fixed mindsets – expressed optimism that the status quo can be broken. “It won’t be easy and it will take time, but I do believe that change is possible. [The reform process] will hopefully gather momentum once parents see that their children can attain decent

jobs and progress in life [regardless of their choice of post-secondary education institution]. “Besides, the future is so uncertain that we will, in all likelihood, need to fill all kinds of jobs. To do that, we need to cater to all types of talents.” The alternative, she warned, would be a monolithic society characterised by conformity and loss of individuality. “[Should that happen,] we as a society would be the poorer for it.” According to Ms Rajah, efforts to flatten the hierarchical structure of Singapore’s education system are already underway. As laid out in the ASPIRE Committee report, different institutions have been designated to excel in different niches or subject areas, such as Singapore Polytechnic in food technology and Ngee Ann Polytechnic in marine and offshore engineering. And by making ECG officers specialised professionals in their own right, students will receive valuable advice when

identifying their own strengths and career ambitions, thus allaying parents’ concerns about their children’s future. She also responded positively when asked by a member of the audience what could be done to bridge the divide between JC and Polytechnic students. She named several platforms through which both sets of students can interact with each other, such as MOE’s annual Pre-University Seminar, the Youth Corps Singapore and community organisations. “There is a tendency to think negatively of the other party in a segmented society,” she admitted. “The only way to understand and appreciate the value and strengths of each individual is by having [both sides] work closely together on the same project.” BY WANDA TAN MS RAJAH SPOKE ON 29 OCTOBER 2014.

FILM FESTIVAL

7, 9 &10 February 2015 SHAW FOUNDATION ALUMNI HOUSE

FREE Admission

To reserve your seats please register online at alumnet.nus.edu.sg/event/iff2015

Jointly presented by:

NUS ALUMNI-STANDARD CHARTERED GLOBAL CONVERSATIONS

WHERE POLITICS MEETS ECONOMICS Singapore’s Ambassador-at-Large Professor Tommy Koh (Law ’61) gives his perspective on how things stand in the ASEAN bloc. BY WANDA TAN

HERE’S NO GETTING AROUND THE FACT that we live in

an ever-shrinking world. Globalisation has erased geographical and cultural boundaries, opening up our horizons in ways previously unimaginable. Recognising the need for young professionals to widen their scope of discussions beyond Singapore-centric issues, the NUS Office of Alumni Relations has collaborated with Standard Chartered Bank on a new series of talks dubbed Global Conversations. And who better to speak

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at the inaugural session than Professor Tommy Koh (Law ’61), Ambassador-at-Large at Singapore’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs? Prof Koh’s glittering career in public service spans almost 50 years, most notably as former Ambassador to the United Nations and the United States. He has also enjoyed a long and fruitful relationship with NUS ever since his student days, and in 1971 – 1974 served as Dean of the Faculty of Law. Today he holds a number of positions at NUS, including Special Adviser to the Institute of Policy Studies, Chairman of the Governing

Board at the Centre for International Law, and Rector of Tembusu College. The first Global Conversations was held on 14 November 2014 at The Westin Hotel. Prof Koh’s talk, titled ‘Economic Integration Versus Political Disputes in Asia: Which Side Will Prevail?’, focussed on issues concerning the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), of which Singapore is one of 10 member-states. Despite tepid recovery in the US and Europe, things are generally looking up for ASEAN on the economic front. “Most countries are liberalising trade by reducing both tariff and non-tariff barriers. They are also pursuing greater regional and inter-regional economic integration,” said Prof Koh. At the regional level, ASEAN has launched negotiations for a proposed Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership with six countries – Australia, China, India, Japan, Korea and New Zealand – each of which already has existing free trade agreements with ASEAN. At the inter-regional level, there appears to be a face-off between two trade pacts currently under negotiation. The US-led Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP), which excludes China, is viewed as a rival to the China-backed Free Trade Area of the Asia-Pacific (FTAAP), which was broached by Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation leaders. But as far as Singapore is concerned, Prof Koh said, “We support both the TPP and FTAAP, and believe them to be complementary initiatives.” However, the news is not as promising on the political front. Worryingly, the long-running tensions between China and Japan have escalated in recent years due to the territorial dispute over ownership of the Diaoyu/Senkaku Islands in the East China Sea. “Unlike in the West, the Cold War in Asia [between Beijing and Tokyo] is not yet over,” he explained. “There has not yet been a historical reconciliation between [both sides], and the ghosts of the past are still present today.” Prof Koh then raised what he termed the “64-billion-dollar question”: Will the US, the

incumbent hegemon, and China, a rising challenger, become cooperative partners in the future or will the two powers go to war? “Economic interdependence is [sadly] not a guarantor of peace,” he warned. “At the end of the day, politics trumps economics. We must never underestimate man’s capacity for irrational behaviour.” He highlighted ASEAN’s role as a convenor in bringing China and Japan as well as China and the US to the negotiating table, for example during the annual East Asia Summit. “If [either] relationship deteriorates, Asia will be badly affected... Ultimately, we need figureheads on both sides who have the political will to settle disputes.” Prof Koh’s speech was followed by a Q&A session in which Mr Lim Cheng Teck, Chief Executive Office for ASEAN markets at Standard Chartered Bank, served as moderator. Given the bank’s presence in all ASEAN countries and the region’s high growth prospects, Mr Lim was as eager as the rest of the audience to learn whether “ASEAN’s economic miracle” could possibly be derailed. One participant brought up the rise of the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS) in

ECONOMIC INTERDEPENDENCE IS [SADLY] NOT A GUARANTOR OF PEACE. AT THE END OF THE DAY, POLITICS TRUMPS ECONOMICS. WE MUST NEVER UNDERESTIMATE MAN’S CAPACITY FOR IRRATIONAL BEHAVIOUR. the Arab region, and wondered what impact such religious extremism might have closer to home. Although quick to defer to more qualified pundits on this complex matter, Prof Koh answered in broad strokes, “Within the ASEAN region, the Islamic countries of Brunei, Indonesia and Malaysia are mostly made up of moderate Muslims [as opposed to those, like ISIS members, who reject the West and other Islamic factions]… My hope is that, in the struggle for the ‘soul of Islam’, moderates will win.” Prof Koh was also queried about China’s seeming culpability in fomenting border conflicts with ASEAN countries like the Philippines and Vietnam over parts

of the South China Sea. “It is wrong to villainise China and blame it as the root of all troubles,” he said adamantly. “China wants a prosperous country and a strong military, which is understandable after years of being bullied by other countries [such as England and Japan] in the past.” But he was apprehensive about what could happen if China were to use its clout in an undesirable manner. “ASEAN’s vision is that our region should be open to all powers big and small. We welcome all nations that have good intentions, but we never want to be under any country’s sphere of influence, be it China or the US.”

CANADIAN FILM FESTIVAL 2015 16 - 18 March 2015

SHAW FOUNDATION ALUMNI HOUSE

FREE ADMISSION

To reserve your seats please register online at alumnet.nus.edu.sg/event/cff2015 *Film ratings to be advised on official website.

16 March 8pm

18 March 8pm

17 March 8pm

(French with English Subtitles)

Jointly presented by: High Commission of Canada

ALUMNI HAPPENINGS GIVING

CLASS GIVING WELL-RECEIVED

THE LEGACY OF AN UNCOMMON EDUCATION

lass gifts have been a major tradition of almost every educational institution, and NUS is no exception. There are many causes in NUS which need support, and one such worthy cause is helping future colleagues with the cost of education. An alumnus from the MBBS Class of 1981 remembers the strong bonds the class forged. “We have a special friendship as we have been through much together. Bonding starts from Day One at Medical School. I remember the fights and the quarrels but also the helping of one another in all matters big and small. We had a class gathering where almost the whole class came together and many from various parts of the world came back to meet up and catch up with one another,” shares Dr Francis Seow (Medicine ’81). In 2010, the MBBS Class of 1981 felt it was time to make a difference, and active fund-raising for a Bursary commenced, with the response still going strong today. Currently, the School administers 140 bursaries annually to students from families with a certain per capita income a month, but it is estimated that up to 300 students are in financial need. Professor John Wong (Medicine ’81) says, “We are who we are because of NUS. NUS allowed us to become doctors and have the careers we’ve enjoyed for more than 30 years. No Government subsidy will ever cover the whole cost of a Medical education. If we don’t help, who will?” Other class bursaries established at the Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine (YLLSoM) include the NUS Medical Society – Christine Chong Hui Xian Bursary (Class of 2012) and the Balaji Sadasivan Fund for Medical Undergraduates (Class of 1979).

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Prof John Wong (Medicine ‘81), Chief Executive, National University Health System, championed the MBBS Class of 1981 Bursary.

WE ARE WHO WE ARE BECAUSE OF NUS. NO GOVERNMENT SUBSIDY WILL EVER COVER THE WHOLE COST OF A MEDICAL EDUCATION. IF WE DON’T HELP, WHO WILL? PROFESSOR JOHN WONG

Both were initiated by alumni who wanted to honour the memory of a classmate who had passed on. For the latter, the class believed Dr Sadasivan would have supported the idea of funds channelled to help financially-needy students rather than spent on an obituary

in the newspapers. Many saw this as an opportunity to help future doctors and gave generously. With the unexpectedly positive response, the donated amount exceeded target and the Balaji Sadasivan Fund was eventually transformed into an endowment. Professor Yeoh Khay Guan, the current Dean of YLLSoM, expresses great confidence in the School’s alumni. He says, “Class bursaries are a very meaningful way of creating a lasting memory of what you and your classmates stand for, and have come together to do. It creates a long-term legacy, which will last forever and each year gives young students a helping hand. Each of us is successful today because an opportunity was given to us. Now that we are in a position to do so, let us give back and help a student in need.”

or Mr Darren Tan Kim Poh (Business ’97), going to school was not just about receiving an academic education. During the years he attended the Delta Circus Primary School (DCPS), Raffles Institution (RI), Saint Andrew’s Junior College (SAJC), and the National University of Singapore (NUS), he was on a heart-warming journey of extraordinary learning, characterbuilding, and soul-nurturing. To reciprocate, he made a bequest – naming all his almamaters (except DCPS, which regrettably, has been defunct since 1992) beneficiaries of his CPF, insurance payouts and cash. Legacy giving is a good way of planning one’s estate so as to make an impact that can be felt for generations. It allows donors such as Mr Tan to support causes close to their hearts. Each bequest, large or small, has its own story, and Mr Tan’s story is a simple one of appreciation and gratitude. “I have fond memories of my

years spent at school. My alma maters have all been instrumental in moulding my heart and soul beyond the academic aspects. Therefore, as a gesture of gratitude, I am pleased to make a legacy gift to NUS,” says Mr Tan, who grew up in a humble family. Mr Tan’s father was an odd-job labourer while his mother was a housewife. The family struggled to make ends meet during his and his sister’s schooling years. Bursaries he received from primary to tertiary levels took him through the difficult times. He now empathises with less well-off students encountering similar challenges and is particularly enthusiastic about giving towards bursaries. “I can relate to the struggles that some bursary recipients may experience. Just like the metamorphosis of a caterpillar – if anyone tries to cut open the cocoon with the intent of freeing the struggling butterfly, it will result in underdeveloped wings that will never fly. The struggle

to emerge makes the butterfly strong. The butterfly then rests for a few hours before soaring with the fully-developed wings. So, my advice to them is to look at the positive side of the struggles they may encounter and appreciate how adversity makes them stronger,” Mr Tan advises. The Business Administration alumnus believes very much in the importance of education and its holistic influence on one’s values and character. To Mr Tan, well-known community leader and businessman Mr Lee Kong Chian is the paragon of philanthropy, and like him, Mr Tan is mindful of one’s duty in giving back to society. He hopes to encourage fellow alumni to give back or even consider making bequests as well. “Yesterday is the past. Tomorrow is the future. Today is a gift. That’s why it is called the present. The future – generations of NUS students – cannot change their past, but your present can make a difference to their future,” he adds.

I CAN RELATE TO THE STRUGGLES THAT SOME BURSARY RECIPIENTS MAY EXPERIENCE. MY ADVICE IS TO LOOK AT THE POSITIVE SIDE OF THE STRUGGLES AND APPRECIATE HOW ADVERSITY MAKES THEM STRONGER. MR DARREN TAN KIM POH

JAN–MAR 2015

ALUMNI HAPPENINGS EVENTS

NUSS FUNDRAISING CONCERT AND GALA DINNER TO CELEBRATE 60TH ANNIVERSARY The National University of Singapore Society (NUSS) welcomed Prime Minister (PM) Mr Lee Hsien Loong on 3 October 2014 at the NUSS 60th Anniversary Lecture. Titled ‘Singapore in Transition – the Next Phase’, PM Lee addressed the issues that framed the future for Singapore and urged Singaporeans not to become too self-centred or disregard events that are taking place in other countries. NUSS organised its 60th Anniversary Fundraising Concert on 24 October 2014 to benefit the NUS Alumni Bursary Fund as well. The ‘Old

Wine, New Spirits’ themed-concert raised S$404,618 through generous donations from sponsors and donors. Well-known personalities such as Dawn Yip, Rahimah Rahim, Felinda Wong and Noor Quek also performed at the concert to benefit needy individuals. The year-long 60th Anniversary celebrations culminated in an elegant Gala Dinner at the Suntec Singapore Convention & Exhibition Centre on 11 November 2014. This milestone anniversary year saw NUSS raising more than S$800,000 for the NUS Alumni Bursary Fund.

Honouring the Past and the Future:

ANN WEE NUS SOCIAL WORK ALUMNI AWARD

NUS BUSINESS SCHOOL EMINENT BUSINESS ALUMNI AWARDS 2014

Since its inception in October 2012, the University Scholars Programme (USP) Alum-Student Career Mentorship Programme has provided a platform for USP alumni to share their industry knowledge and network with students, and maintain a connection with the USP community. The mentorship also offers NUS students real-world exposure and prepares them for their transition from university to the workforce. On 25 October this year, over 45 USP alumni and students participated in the Academic Year 2014/2015 run of the programme, held at Cinnamon College of NUS University Town. Recipients of the NUS Business School Eminent Business Alumni Awards 2014 with Guest-of-Honour Mr Lim Hng Kiang, Minister for Trade and Industry (seated, fifth from left) and the Awards Committee.

Prime Minister Mr Lee Hsien Loong delivering the NUSS 60th Anniversary Lecture.

FACULTY OF ARTS AND SOCIAL SCIENCES CELEBRATES 85 YEARS

ALUMNUS

This year’s 85th Anniversary celebrations by the NUS Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences (FASS) culminated in a dinner event for 300 guests at the NUS Society Guild Hall on 22 November. Graced by Guest-of-Honour, Mr Wong Ngit Liong (Engineering ’65), Chairman of the NUS Board of Trustees, the event featured the theme of ‘An Evening of Asian Nostalgia’, with guests dressed in their best ‘ethnic chic’. FASS Dean Professor Brenda Yeoh spoke on the academic milestones in FASS’ journey. A ‘silent auction’ of artworks contributed by faculty, alumni, students and friends during the evening raised over S$42,000 for the FASS Student Leadership Award (FSLA) – one of the two awards launched during the event. The event also coincided with both alumni Emeritus Professor Edwin Thumboo (Arts ’56) and Mrs Tan Suan Imm (Arts ’62) celebrating their birthdays on the day itself.

For USP alumni who are interested in joining this programme, please contact Jo at caijosephine@nus.edu.sg.

SPORTS CLUB ALUMNI COMMEMORATES THE 10TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE NUS SPORTS AWARDS CEREMONY

For a list of award recipients, visit: https://bizalum.nus.edu/ proud-to-be-bizalum/174-eminent-alumni-awards#pastrecipients

INTRODUCING THE USP ALUMNI SOCIETY

The birthday celebrants, together with Mrs Ann Wee (centre), Dean Prof Brenda Yeoh, former deans and NUS senior management, cutting a birthday cake to commemorate the happy occasion.

A total of 10 outstanding Business School alumni were honoured at the biennial NUS Business School Eminent Business Alumni Awards 2014 on 4 November at the Mandarin Orchard Singapore. The awards were presented by Guest-of-Honour, Mr Lim Hng Kiang, Minister for Trade and Industry, together with Mr Peter Seah (Business ’68), Awards Committee Chairman and Professor Bernard Yeung, Dean of NUS Business School.

Scholars Programme Alumni Network Get Together:

The Ann Wee NUS Social Work Alumni Award was launched at the Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences 85th Anniversary Dinner by Professor Tan Eng Chye (Science ’85), NUS Provost and Deputy President (Academic Affairs). Prof Tan said, “This award is a reminder that while we strive for world-class standards in research and innovation, ultimately the work we do impacts community and society. I hope that our alumni, not just those from Social Work, will be inspired by the selfless contributions from Mrs Wee and the social workers as symbolised in this award.” The idea of setting up the award and naming it after Mrs Ann Wee was proposed by several social work alumni and friends.

Mrs Ann Wee with Mr Gerard Ee.

UNIVERSITY SCHOLARS PROGRAMME ALUMSTUDENT CAREER MENTORSHIP PROGRAMME

The annual Scholars Programme Alumni Network (SPAN) GetTogether organised by the University Scholars Programme (USP) was held at Marriott Singapore on 14 November this year, with about 100 USP alumni, students, faculty and staff turning up. Introducing the newly-established USP Alumni Society, the Acting President of the society’s interim executive committee, Mr Jamie Thong Yu Jin (Arts and Social Sciences ’08), shared with all the purpose of the Alumni Society as a platform for USP alumni to connect with peers, undergraduates, faculty and staff, and to enable greater collaboration in furthering meaningful causes and initiatives. The get-together concluded with great anticipation for the fledgling Alumni Society as USP enters its 15th year in 2015.

On 7 November this year, the Sports Club Alumni celebrated the 10th anniversary of the NUS Sports Awards Ceremony. Presented annually to deserving students who have attained outstanding sporting achievements and contributed significantly towards NUS sports, the event was graced by past NUS staff, awards recipients, Sports Club alumni and prominent alumni athletes. Mr Ahmad Tashrif (Engineering ’12), Chairperson, NUS Sports Club Alumni

RAFFLES HALL ALUMNI AND EXTERNAL AFFAIRS COMMITTEE On 20 September 2014, Raffles Hall Alumni and External Affairs Committee organised the annual ‘Past Vs Present’ event and more than 60 alumni and current residents participated in tennis, volleyball and soccer. Mr Tommy Toh (Science ’12) won the winner’s plaque and the Most Valuable Player (Past Team) award while Mr Tang Jian Hong, Nico (Year 3 Engineering student) won the Most Valuable Player award for the Present team.

JAN–MAR 2015

ALUMNI HAPPENINGS OVERSEAS CHAPTERS

ALUMNI HAPPENINGS EVENTS

Honouring the best at the Engineering Alumni Gala Dinner Every year the Faculty of Engineering honours outstanding alumni at the Distinguished Engineering Alumni Award (DEAA). This year on 10 October, the DEAA 2014 was conferred upon Mr Tang Kin Fei (Engineering ’74) and Mr Quek Gim Pew (Engineering ’81) at the annual Engineering Alumni Gala Dinner. Mr Tang, from Mechanical Engineering, is cited for spearheading Sembcorp’s growth, turning the onshore plant engineering business into a profitable one within five years. As Chief Executive Officer of DSO National Laboratories, Mr Quek Gim Pew, from Electrical Engineering, has led the organisation into a premier R&D institution with more than 1,300 research scientists and engineers – developing Singapore’s defence capability in the realms of air, land, sea and cyberspace. NUS Dean of Engineering Professor Chua Kee Chaing (Engineering ’87), commended Mr Tang and Mr Quek as inspirational examples to all. “We hope the Engineering community imbued with similar passion, will continue to grow from strength to strength,” he said. 300 participants attended the event at the NUS Society Kent Ridge Guild House.

The NUS Toronto Overseas Chapter hosted its second event on 27 September this year. Alumni gathered to enjoy a sumptuous dinner and strengthened friendships over karaoke. Ms Kyra Li (Science and Business ’11)

CHENNAI REUNION DINNER DEAA winners, Mr Tang Kin Fei (Engineering ’74) (2nd from left); and Mr Quek Gim Pew (Engineering ’81); (2nd from right) with NUS President Prof Tan Chorh Chuan (Medicine ’83) (centre), NUS Engineering Dean Prof Chua Kee Chaing (Engineering ’87) (far left); and Vice Dean (External Relations) Prof Victor Shim (Engineering ’82) (far right).

91 MEDICAL ALUMNI ASSOCIATION REUNION IN IPOH

The Medical Alumni Association’s 91st anniversary reunion took place in Ipoh. ALUMNUS

Auckland Overseas Chapter’s inaugural seminar

From left: Alumni Mr Bobby Yang (Engineering’ 79), Mr Tony Chiam (Engineering ’82), Mr Ee Chiong Boon (Arts & Social Sciences ’82) and Mr Gan Eng Khoon (Engineering ’91), Deputy Director, Office of Admissions.

TORONTO OVERSEAS CHAPTER ALUMNI DINNER

The Medical Alumni Association’s (MAA) 91st anniversary reunion was held from 21 to 23 November 2014 at Hotel Casuarina @ Meru, Ipoh. More than 50 Alumni Association members from Singapore attended the reunion hosted by their counterparts from the Ipoh Alumni Association Northern Branch, led by Dato Dr Y C Lee (Medicine ’67) and his organising committee. The reunion began with an informal gathering on the first evening, in which local cuisines and hawkers’ delights were served. There were also ‘live’ performances by alumni. On 22 November, alumni gathered at the Meru Golf Resort in the early morning for a Golf Tournament. A city tour was organised for those not playing golf. In the afternoon, Dr Lee Mun Wai, a retinal surgeon trained at the Singapore National Eye Centre and the Lions Eye Institute in Western Australia, spoke on ‘The Changing Landscape of Retina Care’. Highlights of the ‘formal dinner’ included a posthumous Honorary Membership Award to the late Professor Arthur Lim (Medicine ’56) and the appointment of the Association’s 91st President Dato Dr Y C Lee. The Sultan of Perak, the Royal Highnesses Duli Yang Maha Mulia, Paduka Seri Sultan Perak Darul Ridzuan, Sultan Nazrin Muizzudin Shah and his consort Duli Yang Maha Mulia, Raja Permaisuri Perak Darul Ridzuan, Tuanku Zara Salim graced the occasion, attended by 400 Alumni Association members and guests. Dr J Y Lim (Medicine ’09)

The NUS Office of Alumni Relations organised an alumni reunion for NUS alumni in Chennai at The Westin Evolve Ballroom in Chennai Tamil Nadu, India, on 6 September this year. Alumni from Bangalore, Pune and Hyderabad together with some Chennai-based alumni working in Singapore attended the event. Mrs L V Jayashree (Arts and Social Sciences ’06)

The NUS Auckland Overseas Chapter held a seminar on 30 August this year to reach out to fellow alumni in New Zealand. Mr Ee Chiong Boon (Arts and Social Sciences ’82)

IN MEMORIAM

ALUMNI HAPPENINGS OVERSEAS CHAPTERS

LONDON OVERSEAS CHAPTER’S 15TH ANNIVERSARY DINNER

PROFESSOR ARTHUR LIM SIEW MING

The NUS London Overseas Chapter celebrated its 15th year of establishment on 10 October 2014. Director of the NUS Office of Alumni Relations, Associate Professor Victor R Savage (Arts and Social Sciences ’72), and the new High Commissioner to the United Kingdom, Her Excellency Ms Foo Chi Hsia (Law ’94) graced the event. Alumni travelled to London to attend the annual dinner held at the Royal China Restaurant. Dr Ling Zhi Heng (Medicine ’08), General Secretary, NUS London Overseas Chapter

(MEDICINE ’56)

1934 - 2014 PRESIDENT, ALUMNI ASSOCIATION 1995 - 96, 1998 - 99, 2001 - 02, 2004 - 05, 2007 - 08, 2010 - 11, 2013 - 14

XIAMEN OVERSEAS CHAPTER’S FIRST ANNIVERSARY Heritage Walking Tour of Potong Pasir The NUS Xiamen Overseas Chapter celebrated its first anniversary on 14 September this year. Director of the NUS Office of Alumni Relations, Associate Professor Victor R Savage (Arts and Social Sciences ’72), graced the event, together with Ms Phua Chen Yen, Vice-Consul (Consular & Administration) to Xiamen and 55 NUS Xiamen alumni and their family members. A birthday cake was cut to commemorate the first anniversary and Mr Zhang Ke (Yong Siew Toh Conservatory of Music ’13), performed a violin solo piece. Dr Wang Liangliang (Design and Environment ’14)

NUS Senior Alumni took part in a heritage walking tour of Potong Pasir on 23 October this year conducted by alumnus Ms Josephine Chia (Arts and Social Sciences ’78). Alumni were taken back to the days when Potong Pasir was still a kampong, as Ms Chia recounted her childhood experiences through vivid stories of kampong life. Ms Josephine Chia (Arts and Social Sciences ’78)

Let's

showing

Admission is FREE Venue: Shaw Foundation Alumni House Time: 7.30pm Register at: www.nus.edu.sg/alumnet

For enquiries, please contact Ms Josephine Chow at josephine@nus.edu.sg or 6516 6950.

29 january 2015

(PG)

Chill Out!

AFTER OBTAINING HIS MBBS from the then University of Malaya in 1956, Professor Arthur Lim specialised in ophthalmology and was the first Singaporean to be conferred Fellowship of the Royal College of Surgeons of London in 1962. He was elected President of the Singapore Medical Association from 1968 to 1970. In 1965, he started a private group ophthalmology practice named Eye Clinic Singapura. Its success became a platform from which, two decades later, he helped establish the Singapore National Eye Centre (SNEC); Singapore Eye Research Institute (SERI); and the Department of Ophthalmology at the National University Hospital (NUH) and the National University of Singapore (NUS). He was appointed Professor and was acknowledged by his peers as the ‘father’ of this specialty in the region, and a mentor and icon to many eye surgeons worldwide. He was conferred a rare honorary MD by the National University of Singapore in 1999. Prof Lim had published more than 350 scientific papers and written 24 books in the past 40 years. He had also delivered 19 named lectures and had been on the editorial board of 13 international journals. He also led volunteer missions in South Asia and China to help patients with vision problems to regain their sight and to provide training to their local professionals. In recognition of his contribution in setting up training centres in China, he was given the Friendship Award

THE MEMBERS OF THE ALUMNI ASSOCIATION HAVE LOST A COMMITTED PRESIDENT, A GREAT LEADER, A TOP SPOKESMAN, A GENEROUS SUPPORTER AND A DEAR FRIEND. DR DOMINIC W H LEUNG

in 1996 by the China government, after the Public Service Star and Public Service Star Bar awarded by the Singapore government in 1995. Despite his busy work schedule, Prof Lim was also involved in charity and service organisations. He was especially passionate with alumni linked activities of his alma mater – under his Chairmanship in 2002, the NUS Universities’ Endowment Fund has built up more than a hundred million dollars in reserve. He was recognised with the Ernest T Stewart Award for Alumni Volunteer Involvement in 1999, an Outstanding Service Award at the NUS University Awards in 2002, and a Distinguished Alumni Service Award in 2005. He had always been an active member of the Alumni Association and donated towards the renovation costs when the Alumni Medical Centre moved across the College Road premises in 1989. In appreciation, the auditorium on the second level was named after him. As the longest-serving President of the Alumni Association from 1995 till 2014 for seven terms, Prof Lim was responsible for more effective communications between the Association and the Singapore Government, especially the health authorities. Prof Lim excelled as a doctor, an author, a teacher, an artist, a sportsman and a philanthropist. The members of the Alumni Association have lost a committed president, a great leader, a top spokesman, a generous supporter and a dear friend.

BY DR DOMINIC W H LEUNG (MEDICINE ’75) CHAIRMAN (2000) ALUMNI ASSOCIATION SOUTHERN BRANCH

JAN–MAR 2015

PRIVILEGES ON CAMPUS Your complimentary AlumNUS Card entitles you to a host of benefits and privileges! Get your complimentary AlumNUS Card at alumnet.nus.edu.sg/alumnuscard

Shaw Foundation Alumni House Facilities

15% discount off venue rates for event bookings. Venue booking: 6516 7700. E: sfahvenues@nus.edu.sg

PRIVILEGES & OFFERS BEAUTY & WELLNESS Office of Alumni Relations Office of Campus Amenities

Picasso Hair Studio

Crème Simon

- 20% discount off à la carte services. - Receive a complimentary Redken Cocktail Hair Treatment when you spend S$200 and above in a single receipt. W: www.picassohairstudio.com.sg

15% discount for all online purchases. W: www.creme-simon.com

The NUS Alumni Loyalty Grant for the NUS MBA

S$5,000 is awarded to all NUS Alumni. W: http://mba.nus.edu/apply

Yuxiangyan NUS Arts Festival

10% discount for all categories of NUS Arts Festival 2015 SISTIC-ticketed shows. W: www.nusartfestival.com

NUS Multi-Purpose Co-operative 5% discount on books, stationeries, PC accessories and NUS logo items. W: www.coop.nus.edu.sg

Liang Seng Sports

10% discount on regular-priced items. W: www.LiangSeng.com

Late Plate

15% discount off on à la carte food items and drinks. W: www.lateplate.sg

Food Junction

10% discount off total bill. Valid for outlet at Yusof Ishak House only.

NUS Museum

- 20% discount for all NUS Museum’s publications and catalogues. - S$20 for NUS Museum guided tour of 20 persons maximum per group (usual price: S$50). W: www.nus.edu.sg/museum

Bookhaven

5% discount on books, stationeries, PC accessories and NUS logo items. Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/ bookhavenUtown

The University Club

25% discount off à la carte items for dine-in only. T: 6779 8919 W: www.theuniversityclub.sg

30% discount for Fresh Cooked Bird’s Nest with free airtight ceramic bowl, spoon, warmer case with delivery and Korean Collagen Drink. W: www.yuxiangyan.com

FOOD & BEVERAGE NUSS Bukit Timah Guild House

One free main course for every three paid main courses from the à la carte menu. W: www.nuss.org.sg

Southbridge

15% discount off total food bill. W: www.southbridge.sg

TRAVEL & LEISURE Get Set Go

10% discount off on order value. W: www.getsetgo.sg

LIFESTYLE & RETAIL Top 10 Shades

15% discount off on order value (excluding shipping). W: www.top10shades.sg

Epoch Lighting

10% discount off lighting products. W: www.unirange.com

Subway Singapore

20% discount off total bill. Valid at Subway Cart at E4 Engineering, Subway Cart at LT25 Science, Subway at Yusof Ishak House and Subway at University Town only. Enjoy NUS rates at salon, canteens, food courts and major Food & Beverage outlets on University Town, Kent Ridge and Bukit Timah campus. Participating partners include Alcove, Foodclique, Good News Café, Hair Infinity, Just Acia, Koufu, McDonald’s, Platypus Food Bar, Starbucks, Spinelli, Sapore Italiano, Sarpino’s Express, Wendy’s and others.

TIARA

10% discount off regular priced items only. W: www.tiara.com.sg

Terms & Conditions apply. The NUS Office of Alumni Relations and the AlumNUS Card merchants reserve the right to amend the terms and conditions governing the offers at anytime. All information is correct at press time. Visit www.nus.edu.sg/alumnet for the latest privileges and promotions.

LAST WORD

I REMEMBER WHEN FIVE GRADUATES of the Faculty of Medicine and their memories.

“HAVING TO PURCHASE A SET OF REAL HUMAN SKELETON FOR S$250 FROM A SENIOR, AND KEEPING IT IN MY ROOM AT KING EDWARD VII HALL.” Dr Pradit Yeoh (Medicine ’78), Consultant, Drs Trythall, Hoy, Davies

“THE FIRST TIME I TOLD SOMEONE THAT THEIR LOVED ONE WAS ON THE VERGE OF DEATH.”

15 JAN THU Thirsty Thursdays

6.30pm, D’Bell Register at alumnet.nus.edu.sg/event/TTjan15 Enquiries: Mr Kyaw Win Shwe at kyawwinshwe@nus.edu.sg

28 JAN WED U@live featuring Tan Sri Dr M Jegathesan

“Hosting the APDSA (Asia Pacific Dental Students’ Association) Congress at the Orchard Mandarin Hotel in 1984... I worked through each night producing a daily newsletter. Those were precomputer days and all I was equipped with was a typewriter, pens and markers, a pair of scissors, a photocopying machine and a huge stack of paper. Besides being a reporter, layout designer and photocopy girl, I also delivered the newsletters, sliding them under the doors of delegates’ hotel rooms in the wee hours of the morning.”

7.30pm, Shaw Foundation Alumni House Register at www.nus.edu.sg/alumnet Enquiries: Ms Josephine Chow at josephine@nus.edu.sg

29 JAN THU Movies On The House The Book Thief (PG)

Dr Yeo Siang Khin (Dentistry ’89)

Dr Wei Ker-Chiah (Medicine ’98), Consultant/Chief of Department of Community Psychiatry, Institute of Mental Health ALUMNUS

JANUARY

Dr Sean Ong (Medicine ’14), House Officer, Tan Tock Seng Hospital,

“The nights spent rehearsing for our plays in the annual Medical Society concert… a time of great fun and bonding through the tiring rehearsals, prop-making sessions, and late suppers we had together.”

JANUARY TO MARCH 2015

All information is correct at time of print and is subject to change without prior notice.

Dr Jazlan Joosoph (Medicine ’97), Specialist in Obstetrics and Gynaecology & Consultant, Raffles Medical

Dates to REMEMBER

IMAGES: SHUTTERSTOCK

“From the first day, we were ‘thrown’ into the anatomy lab and [had to start] cutting and dissecting cadavers. That was an eye-opening experience although we could hardly open our eyes due to the stinging effects of the strong formalin.”

ALUMNI EVENTS

7.30pm, Shaw Foundation Alumni House Register at www.nus.edu.sg/alumnet Enquiries: Ms Josephine Chow at alumnet.nus.edu.sg/ event/MMjan15

NUS PERSONAL DATA PROTECTION ACT (PDPA) 2 JANUARY 2014 In line with Singapore’s Personal Data Protection Act (PDPA) Do Not Call (DNC) Registry, you may indicate your preference for receiving marketing messages from NUS on your Singapore telephone number via the various methods. If you wish to make changes to your preference, you can update at https://myaces.nus.edu.sg/DNC/index.do.

2 JULY 2014 In view of Singapore’s Personal Data Protection Act (PDPA), the NUS Ofﬁce of Alumni Relations would like to inform you that NUS will continue to engage you as an alumnus through the following ways: • Providing you information about the University and alumni-related initiatives and activities. • Sending you invitations to NUS- and alumni-related events. • Requesting you to update alumni information. • Sending you invitations to participate in alumni surveys. • Sending you alumni-related communication collaterals. If you wish to withdraw your consent to be contacted, please visit https://myaces.nus.edu.sg/PSR/index.do.

FEBRUARY 7, 9 & 10 FEB SAT, MON & TUE Indian Film Festival

8pm, Shaw Foundation Alumni House Register at alumnet.nus.edu.sg/event/iff2015 Enquiries: Ms Josephine Chow at josephine@nus.edu.sg

25 FEB WED U@live featuring Mr Jack Sim 7.30pm, Shaw Foundation Alumni House Register at www.nus.edu.sg/alumnet Enquiries: Ms Josephine Chow at josephine@nus.edu.sg

MARCH

16 - 18 MAR MON - WED Canadian Film Festival 8pm, Shaw Foundation Alumni House Register at alumnet.nus.edu.sg/event/cff2015 Enquiries: Mr Kyaw Win Shwe at kyawwinshwe@nus.edu.sg

25 MAR WED U@live featuring Ms Rani Singam 7.30pm, Shaw Foundation Alumni House Register at www.nus.edu.sg/alumnet Enquiries: Ms Josephine Chow at josephine@nus.edu.sg

26 MAR THU Thirsty Thursdays 6.30pm, Molly Roffey’s Irish Pub – Dorsett Register at alumnet.nus.edu.sg/event/TTmar15 Enquiries: Mr Kyaw Win Shwe at kyawwinshwe@nus.edu.sg

JAN–MAR 2015

7 Ways to be an active

As an NUS alumnus, there are many ways to stay connected to your alma mater. Here are 7 ways to get you started!

ttend an Office of Alumni Relations (OAR) event. Come network with fellow alumni at any of these popular and often complimentary OAR events.

NUS has over 55 Alumni Groups and over 15 Overseas Chapters. Join a group today to stay in touch and build closer ties with fellow alumni and the University.

ead or join an alumni group. se your AlumNUS Card. Check out exclusive offers and benefits for alumni at alumnet.nus.edu.sg/alumnuscard

ake your way down to the Shaw Foundation Alumni House! Your Home on Campus and an ideal meeting place for alumni events, seminars, reunions and gatherings.

urture the giving spirit in you. Step up to the role of class ambassador or come home to volunteer as an alumni mentor for the undergraduates. Find out how at www.nus.edu.sg/alumnet

pdate your contact details with us! Stay connected to NUS. Update your contact information with us at alumnet.nus.edu.sg/updatemyparticulars

tay connected through our numerous communication platforms! • Read the quarterly magazine — The AlumNUS — that gives you the latest on NUS and our alumni community at alumnet.nus.edu.sg/alumnusmagazine • Check out AlumNET at www.nus.edu.sg/alumnet, your one-stop alumni web resource! Download AlumNET from Google Play or Apple Store to view upcoming alumni events! • Like us on Facebook at www.facebook.com/nusoar • Enjoy AlumMAIL, your NUS Lifelong Email Account.