CDE GIVING

Dr Liu Thai Ker, Honorary Advisor (centre),  Mr Yan Dexiong, Vice President of Eng Choon Hway Kuan (right), with Associate Professor Thomas Kong, Assistant Dean, CDE Office of Development.
Dr Liu Thai Ker, Honorary Advisor (centre), Mr Yan Dexiong, Vice President of Eng Choon Hway Kuan (right), with Associate Professor Thomas Kong, Assistant Dean, CDE Office of Development.

A Gift Towards Establishing the Liu Thai Ker Professorship

Named after Dr Liu Thai Ker, known as the "Architect of Modern Singapore," the Liu Thai Ker Professorship honours his role in shaping Singapore's housing and urban landscape.

Through his roles as Chair of the Advisory Committee for the then-NUS School of Architecture and as an adjunct professor at the former NUS School of Design and Environment, Lee Kuan Yew School of Public Policy, and the NTU College of Humanities, Arts & Social Sciences, Dr Liu's influence extends to supporting the development our next generation of architects, innovators, and designers.

During his storied career, he has been a pioneer champion for sustainable cities, addressing the pressing global challenges of climate change and resource depletion. His calls urging compact land use, reduced automobile dependency, resource efficiency, and community engagement are even more relevant and vital today.

Dr Liu Thai Ker, Honorary Advisor, and Mr Yan Dexiong, Vice President of Eng Choon Hway Kuan, presented a cheque of $50,000 to Associate Professor Thomas Kong, Assistant Dean, CDE Office of Development during the Eng Choon Hway Kuan's 155th and Taoyuan Club Committee's 100th-anniversary celebrations.

This substantial gift has laid the foundation for the endowed Professorship, which will drive innovation and excellence in architectural education.

Dr Liu Thai Ker, Honorary Advisor (centre),  Mr Yan Dexiong, Vice President of Eng Choon Hway Kuan (right), with Associate Professor Thomas Kong, Assistant Dean, CDE Office of Development.
Dr Liu Thai Ker, Honorary Advisor (centre), Mr Yan Dexiong, Vice President of Eng Choon Hway Kuan (right), with Associate Professor Thomas Kong, Assistant Dean, CDE Office of Development.
Plant-it-Forward Day - Prof Teo 2_2

NUS Plant-it Forward Day

Jaunty baseball cap in place as protection against the sun, Professor Teo Kie Leong, Acting Dean CDE, joined NUS alumni and donors to plant a tree for NUS Plant-It-Forward Day held on 4 November 2023.

The day marked the official launch of the Plant-it-Forward Challenge, a University fundraising initiative to support the Enhanced Financial Aid Scheme (EFAS), ensuring that all students, regardless of their financial circumstances, have access to a transformative education experience.

Every donation of S$1,000 to the challenge is recognised with a tree planted on campus as part of the University's sustainability efforts.

The challenge follows from the mission to plant 10,000 trees in three years, which began in 2018. In 2020, in support of the National Parks Board’s “One Million Trees” initiative, NUS further pledged to plant an additional 90,000 trees by 2030 – one that CDE is actively and proudly supporting!

SingLand - Ms Teo and Prof Teo Cheque presentation
CDE Alumni Gala Dinner 2023 - Cedric

Singapore Land's Gift for the Development of Future Women Leaders

Professor Teo Kie Leong, Acting Dean CDE, received a cheque from Ms Teo Hwee Ping, Singland's Head of Legal & Company, at the CDE Alumni Gala Dinner on 3 November 2023.

This contribution is dedicated to supporting female students and cultivating the development of future women leaders, particularly female students/young alumni, to encourage them to excel in their design and engineering professions. The gift will be channelled to support learning opportunities, outreach and awards to recognise female leadership and contributions.

Thanking all donors

During the event, Cedric Phang, a Year 1 Mechanical Engineering student who had received support through an NUS bursary, expressed his gratitude to all donors for their contributions.

“My aspiration is not just to excel academically but also to develop the skills, knowledge, and mindset necessary to tackle the challenges of our ever-evolving world. I envision a future where I can contribute innovative solutions to the issues that matter most to our society. Donor support has relieved me of financial burdens and empowered me to pursue my dreams and ambitions actively. Not only that, your kindness and goodwill have also inspired me to follow in your footsteps, to give back and help less fortunate students, just like you have done.”