Page 7 - Nanyang Technological University
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ON A RAPID RISE

A Distinctive Year
with Turning Points

In several ways, 2015 was a watershed year for             I am grateful to Prof Bertil Andersson and
Singapore and NTU.                                         Prof Freddy Boey for their sterling efforts in leading
                                                           the University through these challenges. I am
In a year where the nation was gearing up to               also deeply appreciative of the support of the
celebrate SG50, our Golden Jubilee, Singapore’s            government, Board of Trustees members, donors
Founding Prime Minister, Mr Lee Kuan Yew, passed           and academic as well as industry partners.
away in March at the grand old age of 91.
                                                           We are indebted to Emeritus Professor Haresh Shah
Mr Lee’s influence is evident in every area of             and Mr Kwek Leng Joo, who stepped down from
Singapore’s progress including the education sector.       the NTU Board of Trustees after many years of
In a moving memorial tribute on campus, thousands          dedicated service. It was with a heavy heart that
at NTU came together as a community to mourn               we learnt of philanthropist Mr Kwek’s passing.
and remember Mr Lee.                                       A business leader with a big heart for the community
                                                           and students, he will be deeply missed.
Steering Singapore towards economic and social
progress, Mr Lee had once shared his vision of             As part of the renewal of the Board, we welcomed
the type of graduate Singapore should produce –            Mr Lim Chow Kiat and Mr Tan Chin Hwee, both
“strong, robust, rugged, with tremendous qualities         young established corporate leaders eager to serve
of stamina, endurance and at the same time, with           NTU, their alma mater.
great intellectual discipline and, most important of all,
humility and love for his community…”                      I have told the University management that NTU’s
                                                           latest ranking at 13th in the world should not lead
Singapore’s dramatic progress as a young nation            to a risk-averse and “let’s-not-rock-the-boat”
underscores the fundamental role of education –            mentality as no progress can be made without
and NTU’s rapid growth and rise today is                   calculated risks.
a reflection of how successful the University
has been in delivering quality education and               As a public institution, NTU must continue to be an
world-class research.                                      engine of transformation for Singapore and the world
                                                           at large – to improve lives and shape the future.
As part of NTU’s continuous drive to push ahead
as a global university, The Hive was officially opened,
creating a buzz internationally. Much anticipated, it is
more than a building of smart classrooms to support
the flipped classroom model of learning –– it will
provide students with opportunities for developing
social entrepreneurship and community projects that
will benefit society.

The next 50 years will be marked by disruptive
change. As a leader in research and innovation,
NTU will drive some of these advances even as
it adapts to respond to new realities. Working with
industry, the University solves real-world problems
and influences national policies, contributing
expertise in areas such as sustainability, healthcare,
active ageing and future learning, to navigate the
complexities of our time.

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