NUS Nursing at 20: Growing from Strength to Strength

Issue 54
Jul 2025

NURSING

By Professor Liaw Sok Ying, Head, Alice Lee Centre For Nursing Studies

A generous gift from the Lee Foundation helped to establish the Alice Lee Centre for Nursing Studies (NUS Nursing) within the Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National University of Singapore (NUS Medicine) in 2005. Professor John Wong Euli, then Dean, hailed the inauguration of NUS Nursing—placed 8^th globally by Quaquerelli Symonds World University Rankings by Subject 2025—as one that was critical to the further development of Singapore’s healthcare.

In August 2006, NUS Nursing officially opened its doors with 49 students enrolled in the Bachelor of Science (Nursing) and five faculty staff. I was one of the five faculty staff, serving as a lecturer. It is an honour and privilege to be the Nursing Professor and Head of Alice Lee Centre for Nursing Studies, as we mark the 20^th anniversary of NUS Nursing while also commemorating the 120^th year of the medical school’s legacy of service to Singapore.

To date, over
2,000
nurses,
450
Advanced Practice Nurses and
33
PhD students have graduated from NUS Nursing

Over
15
NUS Nursing alumni have received the prestigious President’s Nursing Award

Over the past 20 years, NUS Nursing has expanded into more baccalaureate, Masters and PhD programme. Today, we have trained over 2,000 nurses and 450 Advanced Practice Nurses. As part of our 20^th anniversary celebration, we are excited to launch the Doctorate in Nursing Practice (DNP) programme to further develop and shape Nursing leadership.

We are proud to have committed Nursing academics who constantly engage in professional development. They have continued to nurture nurses to inspire health for all through pursuing excellence in Nursing education, developing innovative researchers, and serving with compassion and humility.

Excellence in interprofessional education

Our curriculum has been enriched to meet the expanding role of nurses as collaborative practitioners, and our Year 1 and 2 Nursing students are now trained with dental, medical, and pharmacy students through an interdisciplinary Common Curriculum. This interdisciplinary curriculum aims to foster an understanding of social issues, teamwork, communication, ethics, professionalism, digital literacy, and interprofessional education within the healthcare context. Additionally, the Common Curriculum equips our Nursing students with collaborative skills necessary for engaging in the planning, delivery, and evaluation of population healthcare.

Our final-year Nursing students also have the chance to train alongside medical students in state-of-the-art simulation labs and virtual environments. The Medicine and Nursing faculties continue to collaborate, innovate, and evaluate evidence-based simulation training, aiming to enhance teamwork and communication skills between Nursing and medical students.

World’s top researchers

Being part of an established medical school with a focus on research gave NUS Nursing a clear research direction and opportunity to engage in interdisciplinary research collaboration. We are proud that all of our seven tenured Professors were ranked among the world’s top 2% most impactful researchers in a Stanford University study. Our research achievements have elevated NUS Nursing to rank 8^th in the 2025 QS World University Rankings for Nursing, highlighting our strong global reputation in Nursing research.

Our tenured professors have played a vital role in mentoring and shaping our graduates through research education, including PhD programme, guiding them towards careers as nurse researchers and academics in universities and institutions. To date, we have graduated 33 PhD students who have taken on faculty positions at NUS and the Singapore Institute of Technology, as well as researcher roles in healthcare institutions. Thanks to our strong mentorship, several have returned as faculty members to nurture future generations of nurses. Today, we are proud to have three Assistant Professors—graduates of our baccalaureate and PhD programmes—forming the next generation of academic leaders.

We take pride in how our graduates have excelled as compassionate and competent nurses, advancing in various Nursing fields such as education, clinical practice, management, research, and informatics. Many have now taken on senior roles, leading patient care alongside doctors and the rest of the healthcare team. They play a crucial role as advocates for their patients.”

Leading with impact

We take pride in how our graduates have excelled as compassionate and competent nurses, advancing in various Nursing fields such as education, clinical practice, management, research, and informatics. Many have now taken on senior roles, leading patient care alongside doctors and the rest of the healthcare team. They play a crucial role as advocates for their patients.

To date, over 15 NUS Nursing alumni have received the prestigious President’s Nursing Award—Singapore’s highest national honour recognising nurses for their exceptional contributions to patient care, education, research, and administration.

We have made remarkable progress, and in this 20^th anniversary year of NUS Nursing, we have planned an anniversary event under the theme “Shaping Nurse Leaders” to celebrate our achievements, reflect on our growth, and set the course for future advancements. This milestone in our Nursing journey is also one that sees us affirming our commitment to build generations of nurse leaders who will partner other healthcare professionals to inspire and advance the health and well-being of Singaporeans.