Alice Lee Centre for Nursing Studies (NUS Nursing), National University of Singapore Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine has given me plenty of opportunities to grow professionally from lecturer to Associate Professor (Tenure) since I joined in 2006. It is with great honour and privilege that I am able to give back by serving as the Head of NUS Nursing starting on 1 July, taking over the reins from our longest serving first Singaporean Head—Professor Emily Ang.
Under Prof Ang’s leadership, NUS Nursing has grown in size and stature to become Asia’s leading school for Nursing education. Then there is also the love and respect students and colleagues—myself included—have for her. These are big shoes to fill and I am glad to count on Prof Ang’s wise counsel as she serves as consultant and advisor to NUS Nursing. I am committed to continue her legacy of developing tomorrow’s healthcare leaders and inspiring health for all.
At a time of uncertainty with fast-changing and unpredictable complex healthcare landscape, NUS Nursing’s values of fortitude, advocacy, integrity, teamwork and humility are needed more than ever now and into the future. As the Head, I will support NUS Nursing’s mission to advocate health for all through pursuing excellence in nursing education, developing innovative researchers and serving with compassion and humility.
Besides bidding farewell to Prof Ang, we saw our Class of 2023 graduate and turn a new page as Nursing professionals. I am proud that they will practice with the skills and healthcare knowledge we imparted, and the spirit of care and compassion we nurtured. We will cheer them on as they forge ahead towards new horizons. In honour of Nurses’ Day, we applaud two alumni—Michelle Tan and Tan Guang Rong—who in their own ways, are inspirational. We hope their unique experiences and journeys will encourage our graduates.
We are reminded of the importance of going beyond imparting knowledge to put students’ growth and well-being first in the heartwarming story of alumnus Julian Ragha reconnecting with Associate Professor Lydia Lau to express his appreciation for her unwavering support, during a challenging period in his NUS Nursing years. At a time when we are welcoming our incoming Nursing Class of 2026, this reminder is timely.
The healthcare and Nursing landscape have been changing rapidly in recent years, thanks to the ageing population and new technologies. As we update our curriculum to keep it relevant, we also actively explore novel methods of innovation. The recent team-based learning pilot by Associate Professor Jeanette Ignacio was one such effort. The effectiveness of the Learning Activity Management System (LAMS) as a teaching tool showed potential for scaling up its use to other modules.
Additionally, with the resumption of international travel, we are looking forward to enrich out-of-classroom learning experiences for our students through the Student Exchange Programme. In March, our student buddies hosted the first batch of exchange students from Hong Kong and Japan after a three-year hiatus. In return, these partner universities played host to our students in July.
All said, none of these however can replace the role of a good teacher who instils curiosity and pushes students to inquire critically and think deeply. Fortunately, there is no shortage of such role models among our educators. Senior Lecturer, Dr Lim Fui Ping, is one of them. Dr Lim, with the completion of her PhD research on using cord lining mesenchymal stem cells in wound healing, becomes the first NUS Nursing faculty to attain a Medicine PhD this July. We congratulate Dr Lim on her accomplishments.
Prof Liaw Sok Ying
Head (NUS Alice Lee Centre for Nursing Studies)
