Second Permanent Secretary for Education joins NUS Board

The National University of Singapore (NUS) today announced that Mr Lai Chung Han, Second Permanent Secretary (Education) at the Ministry of Education, takes over from Mr Neo Kian Hong on the NUS Board of Trustees with effect from 19 June 2017.

Mr Lai Chung Han, Second Permanent Secretary (Education) at the Ministry of Education, joins the NUS Board of Trustees.
(Photo: Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore)

Mr Neo was formerly the Permanent Secretary (Education Development) and had served on the NUS Board of Trustees from 2013 to 2017. He is now Permanent Secretary (Defence Development) at the Ministry of Defence (MINDEF).

Mr Lai was formerly Chief of the Republic of Singapore Navy from 2014 to 2017. Some of the appointments he held included Commanding Officer of the missile corvette RSS Valiant and Fleet Commander. He also held a number of senior staff appointments at the MINDEF headquarters, such as Office Director, Future Systems Directorate; Director (Policy) and Deputy Secretary (Policy). 

Mr Lai holds a Bachelor of Arts (First Class Honours) in Economics from University of Cambridge, as well as a Master of Public Administration from Harvard University. He was awarded the President’s Scholarship and Singapore Armed Forces Overseas Scholarship in 1992, and received the Singapore Armed Forces Overseas Postgraduate Scholarship (General Development) in 2006.

Mr Hsieh Fu Hua, Chairman of the NUS Board, said, "We warmly welcome Chung Han to the NUS Board of Trustees, and we look forward to his contributions to the University.

"We extend our deep appreciation to Kian Hong, who had generously shared his invaluable insights and experience with the NUS Board. The University has benefitted from his contributions.”

The NUS Board of Trustees comprises 22 members appointed by the Minister for Education (Higher Education and Skills), and is chaired by Mr Hsieh Fu Hua. The Board is made up of eminent business leaders, academics, entrepreneurs, and professionals from the public service and private sectors. Members are appointed on the strength of their caliber, experience, stature, ability to contribute to the oversight and development of the University, as well as strategic networking relationships they bring which are of strategic importance to the University.

The Board works closely with the management and stakeholders of the University to shape the vision, chart the major directions, and development programmes and initiatives to produce a strong and enduring impact for the University, and for Singapore and beyond.

The full list of Trustees can be found in Annex 1. More information on new Trustee Mr Lai Chung Han can be found in Annex 2.