ESM Goh to chair LKY School Board
Emeritus Senior Minister (ESM) Goh Chok Tong has been appointed as the new Governing Board Chairman of the Lee Kuan Yew Schoolof Public Policy (LKY School) at NUS from 1 April 2017. Professor Wang Gungwu, who has helmed the School’s Governing Board for 12 years, will step down on 31 March 2017.
Mr Goh has a vast wealth of experience in public policy. He served as Singapore’s second Prime Minister from 1990 to 2004, following which he was made Senior Minister of Singapore and Chairman of the Monetary Authority of Singapore (MAS) from 2004 to 2011. He has also held various other ministerial positions in finance; trade and industry; health; and defence. He was appointed as ESM, and Senior Adviser to MAS, in May 2011.
“I am honoured to be the new Chairman of the Governing Board of the LKY School at NUS. The LKY School, under the stewardship of Prof Wang Gungwu as the founding chairman, is widely regarded as the leading public policy school in Asia. I look forward to working with the Governing Board, Dean Kishore Mahbubani and his team, to continue the upward trajectory of this distinguished school,” said Mr Goh, who is also an NUS Economics alumnus and Honorary Graduate of the University.
Mr Goh sharing insights with participants of the Social Service Research Centre 2016 Conference at NUS
Prof Wang, a prominent historian of Asia, has provided strong strategic leadership and guidance to the Board and LKY School, his significant contributions propelling the School’s rapid growth to become “a school without peer in Asia”, as rated by a recent International Advisory Panel report.
Since its founding, the LKY School has attracted more than 2,350 students from over 80 countries — making it the most globalised public policy classroom in the world. Many prominent personalities have given keynote speeches or taught at the School, including former British Prime Minister Tony Blair as well as former United Nations Secretary-General Kofi Annan. The School has also launched its fifth Masters Programme in International Affairs, and will receive its first intake in 2017.
Prof Wang played an instrumental role when the School decided in 2012 to establish a Chinese Studies Programme to consolidate and strengthen strategic engagements with China. His expertise and experience raised the standing of the School’s Chinese-language Master of Public Administration and Management programme, and short-term training programmes in China.
“It has been an immense privilege to work with the Governing Board members, Dean Kishore Mahbubani, and members of the LKY School community to build a public policy school of top calibre here in Singapore, in the heart of Asia. I am confident that the stewardship of the Governing Board’s new Chairman, ESM Goh Chok Tong, will bring the LKY School to even greater heights,” said Prof Wang.
Prof Wang (in red dotted tie) with President of the People’s Republic of China Xi Jinping (centre) at the 36th Singapore Lecture held at NUS
Said NUS President Professor Tan Chorh Chuan, “We are deeply grateful to Prof Wang Gungwu for his vision and leadership in guiding the LKY School at NUS over the last 12 years. He has helped shaped strategic goals and thrusts which, together with the dedicated efforts of the LKY School community, has enabled the School to build a very strong faculty, nurture promising young academics, and develop excellent research and educational programmes which are relevant to Singapore, Asia and the world.
NUS is truly privileged to have ESM Goh Chok Tong as Chairman of the LKY School Governing Board from April 2017. The School’s strategic direction and long-term development will benefit greatly from ESM Goh’s deep experience in leadership and public policy.”
Said Professor Kishore Mahbubani, Dean of the LKY School, “Prof Wang Gungwu’s extraordinary global standing as a world-renowned scholar has helped to boost the standing and prestige of the LKY School enormously. He has been very dedicated in supporting our School. Prof Wang would make it a point to attend as many School functions as possible, including the School’s Valedictory Dinners for our graduating students, faculty research seminars and talks, as well as the School’s year-end Dinner and Dance for faculty and staff. He would also sing the School’s praises whenever he travelled round the world. Prof Wang’s approachable, humble and gracious demeanour has endeared him greatly to our School’s faculty, staff and students.
On behalf of the School, I would also like to extend a warm welcome to ESM Goh Chok Tong. It is truly a great honour for the School’s Governing Board to be chaired by a former Prime Minister of Singapore. We are confident that he will lead the School to achieve even greater success, both domestically and globally.”
See press release and media coverage.
