A feast of ideas and experiences for NUS donors at Benefactor Campus Experience 2026
NUS benefactors gathered at Kent Ridge for guided campus tours, thought-provoking insight sessions and a hearty lunch.
NUS donors gathered at the Yale-NUS Hall for this year’s Benefactor Campus Experience 2026.
An NUSC student ambassador introduced donors to the Chatterbox, a 24-hour study lounge.
Donors also explored the CJ Koh Law Library as part of the campus tour.The tours concluded with showcases of NUSC students’ Impact Experience Projects and activities by NUS Law student clubs, highlighting the many ways students put their learning into practice both inside and beyond the classroom.
NUSC Dean Prof Simon Chesterman welcomed donors to BCE 2026.
“What we would really like to thank you for is not just your generosity towards our programmes and students, but for encouraging us to push the boundaries of education. You are very much co-creators in our development,” shared Prof Chesterman, who also holds the David Marshall Professorship in Law at the University.
NUS Law Dean Prof Andrew Simester reflected on the lasting impact of donor support.
“Singapore’s legal system is at the heart of the future and the foundation of the country’s success. Many of those who shaped that system were trained right here at NUS Law,” added Prof Simester, who is also the Amaladass Professor of Criminal Justice. “We are deeply grateful for the generous support for NUS Law and the University as a whole.”
The University Disrupted – Rethinking Higher Education in the Age of Artificial Intelligence (AI)
Led by Prof Chesterman, the session explored the value and legitimacy of universities in a world reshaped by AI.
Donors immersed in Prof Simon Chesterman’s thought-provoking sharing on higher education and AI.
He argued that while AI is bringing pressures to a head that have been building in universities for decades, NUS’ response should not be to go “AI first” but “X plus AI”. This refers to an approach that leverages technology to enhance every discipline while doubling down on cultivating the human qualities that AI cannot replicate: judgement, curiosity, empathy and the ability to focus deeply. A lively discussion followed, with donors actively contributing their own experiences and perspectives.
How Old Are You, Really?
At the CJ Koh Law Library, Distinguished Professor Brian Kennedy led a session on what biological age reveals about our health. Prof Kennedy is the Programme Chair of the Healthy Longevity Translational Research Programme at the NUS Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine and Director of the Centre for Healthy Longevity at the National University Health System.
Prof Brian Kennedy shared his ground-breaking research on healthy longevity.
He introduced donors to LinAge2, developed by NUS researchers to measure an individual’s biological age, identify what is accelerating it and recommend changes. Designed to catch decline early while it is still highly modifiable, the research informs rejuvenation strategies including lifestyle interventions, supplements and repurposing drugs to delay frailty.
The session also featured a fireside chat with Dr Sue-Anne Toh, co-founder, CEO and Medical Director of NOVI Health, and a patient who had benefitted from LinAge2 in his own journey towards healthy longevity.
NUS Law Students’ Moot Simulation
Over at the Wee Chong Jin Moot Court, donors enjoyed front-row seats to a world championship-level courtroom experience as NUS Law students recreated the intensity of an arbitration over a cross-border commercial dispute.
The case in question: whether Sellers Inc could declare non-performance under a Force Majeure clause, complicated by internal correspondence suggesting ulterior motives and the question of whether illegally obtained evidence should be admitted.
NUS Law students cross-examined a key witness during the moot simulation.
When the Tribunal, led by Professor Steven Elliott KC, deliberated on the verdict, donors voted in a live poll and were split evenly on the outcome of the arbitration. Ultimately, Prof Elliott KC ruled against Sellers Inc, finding the opposing counsel’s arguments more compelling.
He then commended the four mooters for the calibre of their arguments and noted their bright futures as leading advocates, concluding with a reference to the new Centre for International Arbitration and Dispute Resolution at NUS Law, which will reinforce Singapore’s established reputation as a leading dispute resolution hub.
AI and the Law: What Lies Ahead?
Finally, at the Yale-NUS Hall, Professor David Tan and Professor Ernest Lim, Co-Directors of the Centre for Technology, Robotics, Artificial Intelligence and the Law under NUS Law; joined Mr Jeth Lee, Vice President of Legal, APAC at Nscale, for a wide-ranging panel discussion on the implications of AI for copyright, online harms and personal data protection.
-prof-david-tan-mr-jeth-lee-and-prof-ernest-lim-explored-how-ai-is-reshaping-the-legal-landscape.jpg?sfvrsn=343a3d69_1)
(From left) Prof David Tan, Mr Jeth Lee and Prof Ernest Lim explored how AI is reshaping the legal landscape.
Mr Lee flagged three commonly overlooked risks when lawyers outsource their minds to AI: the erosion of critical thinking, the issue of confidentiality, and AI interaction histories as evidence in legal proceedings. Prof Lim offered a framework for AI liability that is anchored in accountability and determining who is legally responsible for any actions or harm caused by an AI system.
Rounding off the panel, Prof Tan explored AI-generated content and what level of human involvement is required for the output to be attributed to human authorship. He noted that the answer remains unsettled across jurisdictions worldwide but offered practical advice: demonstrate meaningful control over the AI, and document the entire creation process.
Forging lasting connections
Following a full morning of exploration and discussion, donors gathered at the Saga Dining Hall for a sumptuous buffet lunch. Conversations continued over the meal as donors deepened their connections with faculty, students and fellow benefactors.
Donors turned their shared experience at BCE 2026 into a lasting memory.
NUS President Professor Tan Eng Chye (Science ’85) and NUS Deputy President (Academic Affairs) and Provost Professor Aaron Thean also joined donors for lunch, taking the opportunity to connect personally with the University’s benefactors and thank them for their continued support.
NUS President Prof Tan Eng Chye connected with donors over a hearty lunch.-and-provost-prof-aaron-thean-engaged-with-donors-in-the-saga-dining-hall.jpg?sfvrsn=a6a427ca_1)
NUS Deputy President (Academic Affairs) and Provost Prof Aaron Thean engaged with donors in the Saga Dining Hall.
All in all, the experience was a reminder that giving through NUS does not simply support the University’s various causes. More importantly, it creates lasting impact for society, shaping a better world for future generations.
This story was first published on 07 September 2026 on NUS News. Click here for more NUS News stories.
