Every year, this time, the air around campus is charged with purpose as we take stock of the past year and prepare for the year ahead.
The High Points of 2025
2025 was a truly remarkable year for all of us at the Alice Lee Centre for Nursing Studies (NUS Nursing), National University of Singapore Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine. In March, we achieved a landmark milestone—we were ranked 8th in the QS World University Rankings for 2024. This was no small feat. The achievement placed us alongside institutions far more established than ours and ahead of many others with larger faculties and student bodies.
Then in August, we celebrated another milestone—this time, a historic one: our 20th anniversary. To commemorate this special occasion, we opened the new Nursing Education Gallery, which had been months in the making. The gallery showcased the evolution, milestones, and impact of Nursing education and practice in Singapore over the past 20 years. We were honoured to have Mr Ong Ye Kung, Minister for Health and Coordinating Minister for Social Policies, join us in the celebrations, making the day even more memorable for us.
In the same month, we celebrated another heartwarming milestone at our commencement. Graced by Professor Tan Eng Chye, President of NUS, we graduated 455 students—a remarkable journey from the pioneer cohort of 49 in 2005, showcasing just how far our community has grown.
New Programme Launches
On brand with our bold and forward-looking vision, we also rolled out Singapore’s first Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) programme, along with three new Master’s programmes—Master of Community Health, Master of Science in Critical Care Nursing, and Master of Science in Infection Prevention and Control—at the event.
The launch of these programmes comes at an opportune time, as the healthcare landscape evolves and nurses as architects of care and patient advocates increasingly take on roles not only in management but also in specialised clinical areas that address the needs of Singapore’s healthcare system. These programmes provide a platform for current nurses to upskill, lead care teams and drive better patient outcomes. They also serve as a means to attract and retain nurses, and further professionalise and elevate the Nursing profession in Singapore.
Since the launch of these programmes, we have welcomed the first cohort of students, and I am encouraged by what graduate students such as Melissa, Patrick, and Ryan have shared about their experiences so far. Similarly, the strong interest and positive feedback we received on the programme curricula when we host our outreach sessions affirmed their importance in advancing our Nursing workforce. I urge you to check them out if you haven’t done so.
Keeping the Momentum in 2026
We may have just crossed into 2026, but the year is already shaping up to be an exciting one, as we turn our focus to preparing for the 29th East Asian Forum of Nursing Scholars (EAFONS) conference, taking place from 26 to 28 February.
We are honoured to be hosting this annual conference for the third time. This year’s theme “Innovate, Integrate, Inspire: Advancing Nursing Excellence in the Digital Era” is especially timely as digital transformation continues to have a deep and far-reaching impact across both healthcare and education. We look forward to welcoming doctoral-prepared nurse academics and students to share ideas, forge partnerships, and reimagine the future of Nursing.
Our research and education efforts also continue apace as we explore how technology and artificial intelligence (AI) can be harnessed in Nursing education. For example, recent published research has shown that AI-enabled virtual reality simulation is not only effective in helping students practise skills for handling clinical deterioration situations, but also well-received by students. Looking ahead, we remain committed to strengthening learning through technology-enabled teaching, simulation-based training, and research-informed practice.
Building on our achievements while embracing the opportunities and challenges ahead, we are excited to hit the ground running in 2026.
Prof Liaw Sok Ying
Head (NUS Alice Lee Centre for Nursing Studies)
