Reaching Out to the Community We extend the university resources to develop advanced courses for students in Junior Colleges (JCs). In January 2007, the Higher 3 (H32) programme commenced with its first intake of 222 students from various JCs. Further expansion of the programme is expected as the University awaits MOE’s approval of new proposals, such as the H3 Music and H3 NTU Nanyang Research Programme. The Nanyang Research Programme admitted 200 top students from 21 JCs and Integrated Schools to enable them to work with professors on research projects. An Immersion Programme (IP) has also been initiated by NTU to provide students from Raffles Institution (RI) a chance to pursue modules designed and taught by NTU professors. The School of Civil and Environmental Engineering will be the first school at NTU to offer Science and Technology courses to RI boys as part of their programme. As undergraduates go through their educational experience at NTU, an integral part of this experience is giving back to society, locally and internationally. For example, to reduce the number of deaths due to natural disasters like earthquakes, researchers of The Lien Institute for the Environment (LIFE), together with undergraduate students, came up with a simple and effective, yet inexpensive method of strengthening brick walls so that they can hold up longer in the event of an earthquake, allowing victims more time to escape. In March 2007, NTU students helped to raise awareness of the struggles of communities in Timor Leste through a photography exhibition, held at the Asian Civilisation Museum, of their humanitarian mission to the country. The students were in Timor Leste in September 2006 to build a roof for an orphanage and to conduct English lessons. In Singapore, the Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering Club and the Society for the Physically Disabled jointly organised the Amazing Wheelchair Race in September 2006 to raise public awareness of challenges faced by the disabled. Students from Hall of Residence 4 also organised a fund-raising programme for Club Rainbow Singapore in August 2006 at Toa Payoh HDB Hub. The programme comprised fund-raising activities, games, performances, sales of donation tickets and trade fairs. In conjunction with the Singapore Tourism Board’s efforts to raise the profile of Singapore as an education hub, NTU contributed in no small way by hosting journalists from the Russian TV station ‘Gubernia’ and the magazine ‘Best of Khabarov’ to raise awareness of NTU among Russians and to showcase Singapore as an attractive study location. NTU has launched an award to recognize and honour inspirational teachers of students who excel in an all-round manner. The University Scholars Award recognizes the achievements of graduating students, while honouring teachers and faculty members who have been an inspiration to them. A cash grant is set up in the name of each teacher honoured, who in turn nominates a prospective student to receive the grant on admission into NTU. The University hopes to perpetuate the virtuous cycle of honouring the hard work of teachers in producing well-rounded student achievers. At NTU@one-north, the Confucius Institute (CI) was officially opened by Minster Mentor Lee Kuan Yew in July 2007. Leveraging the strengths of NTU and China, it offers a comprehensive range of Chinese educational programmes from pre-school to postgraduate levels. NTU’s Centre for Continuing Education has also moved there to better position itself to cater to the needs of professionals and companies.