NGS Faculty cum Student Retreat

How do you make one graduate program unique among all others? This was one of the topics at the recent NUS Graduate School for Integrative Sciences & Engineering (NGS) Supervisor/Student Retreat. On February 13, over 70 NGS students and 40 Supervisors gathered to plan, brainstorm, discuss and support the future of NGS doctoral programmes.

NUS President, Professor Tan Chorh Chuan, opened the Retreat with an enthusiastic speech to both congratulate and challenge students and faculty. Professor Tan stressed the importance of a global education in this increasingly connected world. NGS will propagate its unique design amongst graduate schools world-wide and set a leading example for graduate schools within NUS.  Professor Barry Halliwell re-iterated Professor Tan’s words and spoke of the importance of integrative studies. Those with knowledge that crosses disciplines will go on to become the best scientists, engineers and perhaps even Prime Ministers!

Supervisors took this opportunity to share with each other their own positive interactions with NGS students, as well as suggest new directions for NGS curriculum. Through strategic recruitment plans and higher standards for applicants, NGS is able to attract some of the most elite undergraduates and offer a generous 4-year full scholarship.

Students discussed the challenges of module registration, curriculum requirements and the benefits of a smaller, more personalized graduate school.

The retreat provided a platform for both faculty and students to share their ideas and suggestions and all these gave an insight into ways of perfecting the NGS graduate programs and keeping it on the cutting edge of education and research.

You can view the photos in NUS Media Gallery under the folder "Faculties, Schools and Administration -> NUS Graduate School for Integrative Sciences and Engineering -> Supervisors cum Students Retreat 2009 ".