PEDAGOGY
Exploring the future of cities
NUS Cities has recently established a Minor in Cities for undergraduates at NUS who wish to go in-depth into understanding cities and the approaches needed to improve them through an interdisciplinary and systems thinking lens. With the increasing complexity of the issues that cities around the world face today, it is more important than ever that we cultivate the next generation of urban systems professionals who are able to meet these challenges with intelligence and creativity. Chloe Ng, having taken several NUS Cities courses with the aim of obtaining a Minor in Cities, explains how her experiences have shaped her passion for wanting to pursue a sustainable future for cities.
Chloe Ng has completed these NUS Cities courses: Liveable Cities, Cities for All, and Cities in Nature, and is working towards a Minor in Cities She was a speaker at the inaugural NUS Cities Symposium 2023, on a panel discussing the next generation’s views.
You have taken the NUS Cities courses Liveable Cities, Cities for All and Cities in Nature. How did these courses play a part in building your interest?
I have been highly interested in getting to know the built environment sector better and in potentially addressing its gaps in the future. These courses provided me with insights into the various industries and stakeholders involved in the field, and in its nuances towards how we could navigate the complexities that lie within the planning of cities. The curriculum pushes us into understanding Singapore’s past and current landscape, whilst looking into the future it can hold. The team-based approaches also allowed me a platform to bounce off ideas with various people, and gain inspiration.
Beyond having attended these courses, what are you doing now to pursue this interest further?
I was equipped with the exposure to various concepts and in an open-source software, InVEST (specifically in CDE2503). That opened the door of opportunities for me in developing projects with the tools learnt, such as the attempt to analyse Singapore’s coastal vulnerabilities.
Are you optimistic about the future of cities? Why or why not?
I wouldn’t say that I am, but instead that I hope to be. Frankly, the concept of cities and their future is one that feels too heavy for my ability. I doubt I know enough about it to make a conclusive statement, but it is the seeking, and process of figuring, that excites. Nonetheless, knowing that there are so many people involved in making the future of cities does leave me in awe, and in feeling more confident of its future.