SINGAPORE – Simon Chesterman, Dean of Law at the National University of Singapore (NUS), will be the first dean of the new NUS College, which is the result of a merger between Yale-NUS College and the University Scholars Program.
Professor Chesterman has been named the college’s dean-designate effective Jan. 1 of this year and will assume that role on July 1, NUS said in a statement on Tuesday (Jan. 4).
It comes after a shocking announcement last August that Yale-NUS College will be merged to bring together the best elements of the liberal arts institution and the University Scholars Program into a “new college” – now known as NUS College. .
NUS said Professor Chesterman will continue to serve as the dean of the law school while the university convenes a global search for his successor.
At the same time, he will also be appointed Vice-Chancellor for Educational Innovation at NUS, where he will focus on extending best practices in education – particularly those piloted at NUS College – throughout the NUS.
A Rhodes scholar, Professor Chesterman obtained his doctorate in international law from the University of Oxford in 2000 and has taught at the universities of Melbourne, Oxford, Southampton and Columbia, as well as at Sciences Po in France.
He has been a member of the NUS Law School since 2007, and its dean since 2012.
Professor Chesterman has “been instrumental in transforming legal education in Singapore, including increasing the content of Asian and civil law, as well as enhancing experiential learning opportunities through the Center for Pro Bono & Clinical Legal Education, ”NUS said.
Last year, he was appointed senior director of artificial intelligence (AI) governance at AI Singapore and also served as co-chair of the Law Schools Global League, NUS noted.
NUS President Tan Eng Chye said, “A strong advocate for interdisciplinary education, Simon is an inspiring and collaborative leader who has made significant contributions to the higher education landscape in Singapore and abroad.
Professor Chesterman said: “I am humble and deeply honored to serve as the inaugural dean of NUS College.
“Going to college isn’t just about studying and preparing for a career. It should, of course, but it’s also a time of self-exploration and growth, pursuing your passion while working alongside people from different backgrounds. “
Responding to questions from The Straits Times, Professor Chesterman said his new role allows him to focus on critical and analytical skills that are transferable across different life paths, as well as a commitment to service, to a larger and more diverse group of students.
“NUS College is backed by two outstanding programs – the University Scholars Program and the Yale-NUS College. Faculty, staff and students from both have been very supportive throughout this process.
“NUS College makes the most of their experiences by offering a rich and rigorous residential program that draws on the liberal arts tradition, while paving the way to nearly every degree program that NUS offers, as well as leveraging of our many global partnerships, ”he said. noted.
In the same statement, NUS said the name of NUS College was chosen after consultation with several stakeholders, including industry executives and employers, board members, advisers, parents, professors, staff, students and alumni.
“The college designation consultation was conducted in nearly 20 focus group sessions and in-depth interviews, led by a global independent research agency, throughout October 2021,” a- he declared.
NUS College will be a new specialized undergraduate college offering “broad-based interdisciplinary education through deeper integration with the rest of NUS”.
The first batch will include up to 400 students in the 2022/2023 academic year, which begins in August.
All students applying for admission to NUS can apply to NUS College except those who wish to be admitted to courses in Architecture, Dentistry, Industrial Design, Landscape Architecture, Medicine, Music. , nurses and pharmacy.
