This is the paradox of the age of AI and one reason why lifelong learning is becoming increasingly important, said NUS President Professor Tan Eng Chye.

“AI can give us answers, but learning is actually more than just providing solutions,” he said. “It is about learning to learn. It is about the struggle of learning, asking questions, making detours, failing and then trying again, and the eureka moment when something finally clicks.”

The same applies to the workforce: as AI reshapes jobs, people need to embrace its capabilities while retaining the ability to understand and critique it, and apply good human judgement and sensing.

Prof Tan was speaking at the third NUS Lifelong Learning Festival on 28 September 2026. Themed “Human in the Age of AI”, the Festival brought together educators and industry leaders to explore how AI is reshaping work and learning, and what people need to do in response. It also marked the 10th anniversary of the NUS School of Continuing and Lifelong Education (SCALE).

Across the discussions at the Festival, a broader shift emerged: as AI makes knowledge and certain capabilities more widely accessible, the advantage will increasingly lie not simply in what people know, but in how they think.

Raising the ceiling as AI raises the floor

AI has already raised the “floor” of what people can accomplish, said Professor Tulika Mitra, NUS Vice Provost (Special Projects), Dean of the School of Computing and Provost’s Chair Professor of Computer Science.

Knowledge, analysis, coding and content creation are now far more accessible — even to novices. But rather than lowering human expectations, Prof Mitra said that this should prompt people to raise the ceiling.

“When AI can answer questions, who asks the right question? Who frames the right question?” she asked, highlighting the growing importance of discernment and the ability to imagine new possibilities.

This also means moving beyond using AI simply to perform existing tasks faster. Prof Mitra described this as accelerating “yesterday’s work”: useful for productivity, but not necessarily transformational. The larger opportunity is to redesign workflows and ask what can now be achieved that was previously impractical or impossible.

The shift is already playing out in workplaces. Panellists from Singtel, Raffles Medical Group, ST Engineering and NUS-ISS described approaches ranging from workforce-wide AI training and experimentation to deploying AI agents and developing specialist capabilities. Mr Victor Chua, Deputy Chief Executive Officer of NUS-ISS, described AI as a “force multiplier” — a co-partner or co-pilot rather than an autopilot.

The next wave could take these capabilities from the digital into the physical world. Professor Jochen Wirtz, Vice Dean (MBA Programmes) at NUS Business School, highlighted how the convergence of large language models, large behavioural models and agentic AI could transform service robots, enabling them to converse more naturally, remember previous interactions, reason and plan, and autonomously execute service transactions.

No-code programming could also make it easier for employees to teach robots new ways of performing tasks, with that learning potentially shared across an entire fleet. Such technologies could help alleviate labour shortages while freeing employees for higher-value human interactions.

The question, then, is not simply which tasks AI can perform, but how work can be redesigned around new combinations of human and machine capabilities.

Accountability matters more, not less

Greater AI capability does not mean people can relinquish responsibility.

Professor Simon Chesterman, NUS Vice Provost (Educational Innovation), offered a colourful analogy: generative AI should be treated as a “very smart intern with a drinking problem” — capable of impressive work, but prone to hallucinations and requiring supervision. Humans remain responsible for deciding what to delegate, scrutinising the results and intervening when necessary.

Prof Mitra made a similar point about AI agents. Once tasks are delegated to them, she said, the ownership still belongs to the user: “We can delegate the actions to AI agents, but accountability needs to really stay with the people.”

These questions become even more consequential as AI moves into physical environments. Prof Wirtz highlighted risks involving ethics, fairness, privacy, agency, and health and safety. Managing increasingly autonomous systems would therefore still require human oversight, including for exceptions, auditing, errors and escalations.

This places an increasing premium on expertise and judgement.

While degrees will remain important, Prof Chesterman observed that as AI enables people to perform some cognitive tasks at a higher level, credentials and grades alone may become less effective differentiators. The “human edge” will increasingly encompass soft skills including creativity, empathy, teamwork and leadership.

This does not diminish the importance of disciplinary expertise. Prof Mitra stressed that strong foundations remain essential for evaluating AI’s outputs: “If you have zero foundation, you multiply it by AI, you still end up with zero foundation.”

Prof Chesterman described NUS’ approach as “X plus AI” rather than “AI plus X” — starting with a person’s expertise and asking how AI can enhance it, rather than treating AI as the starting point.

How workers can open up new career possibilities

If the capabilities required at work are changing more quickly, careers themselves may also become less linear.

Ms Aileen Tan, Group Chief People and Sustainability Officer at Singtel, suggested that workers with longer careers may need to pivot into different areas several times rather than expect to progress continuously up a single career ladder.

Instead of thinking only about promotion, employees should consider “career optionality” — building skills that allow them to move between different roles and domains. Curiosity, a growth mindset and the ability to keep learning will be crucial to navigating those transitions.

More fundamentally, Prof Mitra suggested that lifelong learning in the AI era should not be seen simply as reskilling or upskilling to catch up with technological change, but as continually “discovering new possibilities” as AI opens up new ways of working.

This changes the role of universities too.

“The idea that... a few years at university will give you everything you need for a career, that ship has sailed,” said Prof Chesterman. In an AI-mediated world, universities will increasingly need a “lifelong conversation” with their graduates, with stackable credentials and other opportunities enabling them to acquire new capabilities and reinvent themselves.

Senior Parliamentary Secretary for Education and National Development Dr Syed Harun Alhabsyi said Institutes of Higher Learning need to do more than simply offer more courses. They must help learners acquire deep and relevant skills that employers recognise and value, design flexible pathways for diverse adult learners, and partner with companies on workforce and enterprise transformation.

“New skills deliver their greatest value when companies are also ready to redesign jobs, adopt technology, and deploy workers differently,” he said. “The next frontier is to help individuals and businesses adapt and grow together.”

This closer partnership between learners, employers and universities has underpinned NUS’ approach to lifelong learning. Over the past decade, the number of NUS schools and institutes working with the Skills and Workforce Development Agency to offer courses has grown from two to 14, with some 550 courses and more than 130,000 training places offered today. Collaborations with employers have also strengthened. At this year’s Festival, NUS recognised four organisations through the inaugural NUS Lifelong Learning Industry Partner Award for their strong commitment to the learning and growth of their workforce, and for driving innovative approaches to workforce transformation.

Yet amid changing technologies, skills and careers, one constant remains.

“As AI grows more capable, our job is to keep growing ourselves alongside it. Education starts with something intrinsically human, which is curiosity. Technology will change. New skills will emerge. The way we learn must also evolve,” Prof Tan said.

“But our desire to learn — this has to stay with us always.”

• CNA Online, 14 October 2026

• The Straits Times, 14 October 2026, Opinion, pB3

• The Business Times, 14 October 2026, Opinion, p20

These are common questions that NUS University Librarian Associate Professor Natalie Pang, from the Department of Communications and New Media at the NUS Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences, is used to fielding. To her, however, shelving books and collecting resources are merely functions of a library — not its fundamental purpose.

“Functions are not the same as purpose. The purpose of a library, like many other cultural institutions, is to connect communities and ensure equitable access to knowledge. By using research and library resources to catalyse community action, we play a part in heritage and cultural preservation,” she said at the Temasek Foundation-NUS Heritage Champions Showcase on 5 September 2026.

Held by NUS Libraries at the Temasek Shophouse, the event was the culmination of the year-long Temasek Foundation-National University of Singapore Heritage Champions Programme (TF–NUS Heritage Champions Programme), which drew over 100 students from various institutes of higher learning in Singapore.

The programme enabled youths to document and preserve Singapore’s diverse heritage through training workshops, a heritage ideathon to develop solutions to conservation challenges, and a project incubation phase where groups implemented their proposals with guidance from mentors. Ten of these student-led community heritage projects offering fresh perspectives on Singapore’s heritage and history were spotlighted at the showcase event.

The featured projects showcased Singapore’s diverse, lesser-known heritage, from hidden communities such as Southern Islanders and the Bras Basah Hainanese enclave, to food culture, biodiversity heritage and maritime histories. Through innovative approaches such as stamp rallies, walking trails, mobile games and hands-on workshops, the projects collectively engaged over a thousand members of the public.

For participant Totaan Aljean Choong, who recently graduated from Ngee Ann Polytechnic with a Diploma in Mass Communication, his project aimed to preserve the voices and memories of a disappearing trade. His group, “Scoops of Memory”, focused on the stories of ice cream uncles — the iconic pushcart hawkers who have been a fixture of Singapore's streets for decades.

“Interviewing ice-cream hawkers and working with my teammates taught me valuable lessons in research, collaboration and perseverance,” he recalled. “I learned to triangulate sources when documenting this vanishing trade, by combining interviews with vendors and suppliers, governmental records and quantitative data to paint a more holistic picture.”

Several groups are maintaining the momentum beyond the showcase. Rachel Lie, a Year 4 Global Studies student from the group “Shore to Shore”, which documented Singapore’s Southern Islands’ communities, shared, “The response to our tours and workshops encouraged us to continue building on the project. We are in the process of applying for a grant to continue our work with the community so that more people can experience the islands for themselves.”

One year in, the heart of the programme — to document and preserve Singapore’s history — remains unchanged, though discussions between NUS Libraries and potential partners on its future direction are underway.

As Assoc Prof Pang emphasised, "Singapore's heritage is not only found in monuments and historic buildings. It also lives in everyday experiences, memories, food, places and the stories of communities. When young people take ownership of these stories and find new ways to share them, they ensure that our heritage remains relevant and meaningful to future generations.”

NUS Psychology’s response to this growing demand is an accelerated training pathway that allows eligible undergraduates to qualify as clinical psychologists in five years – instead of the usual seven.

Launched in August 2026, NUS Psychology’s Concurrent Degree Programme in Clinical Psychology (CDP-CP) follows a “three-plus-two” structure: three years of undergraduate study tightly focused on clinical foundations, followed by the same two-year Master of Psychology (Clinical) that all NUS-trained clinical psychologists complete.

This new five-year track does not replace the standalone Master’s programme, which continues to train clinical psychologists who choose to pursue post-graduate studies after gaining relevant work experience. The latter is suitable for those who prefer to explore their interests before committing or who come to clinical psychology later in their careers.

Dr Lohsnah Jeevanandam, Director of the Clinical Psychology programme at the NUS Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences, who led the CDP-CP’s design, together with Dr Matthew Lim and the rest of the clinical psychology faculty, said the two cater to different groups of aspiring clinical psychologists.

“We’re not replacing one pathway with the other,” she said. “Rather, we’re giving more people more options to meet the same growing need.”

From freshman to clinical psychologist

The CDP-CP programme aims to train more clinical psychologists without compromising on the quality of preparation and training.

“There’s a significant national demand for clinical psychologists and we needed to think about how to make the whole pipeline more efficient, so that we can produce more qualified clinical psychologists, faster, without compromising on training,” said Dr Jeevanandam.

Apart from the shorter time needed to complete both degrees, the programme also brings clinical psychology learning and clinical internship into the undergraduate years.

Students who register interest in the CDP-CP get priority access to a focused set of clinical psychology courses, including Introduction to Clinical Psychology, Counselling Psychology and Psychological Assessment, giving them a stronger theoretical grounding earlier than most of their peers. The aim is to better prepare them for the Master’s coursework ahead.

Another key feature is a six-month supervised clinical internship that is also embedded into the undergraduate years — designed to fulfil the relevant work experience typically required for entry into the traditional Master’s programme. During this period, students gain exposure to real client work, conducting basic mental wellness screenings and helping to run group wellness programmes under close supervision.

Together, these enable students to connect psychological theories to the realities of practice early on and develop an early appreciation of the responsibilities involved in supporting people dealing with mental health challenges.

“The internship is a shorter, more concentrated experience than the year of work experience it replaces, but one deliberately designed to give students a meaningful first encounter with clinical practice,” said Dr Jeevanandam, adding that students must still complete the same advanced coursework and further clinical training for their Master’s.

A selective pathway

Entry into the programme is competitive. Of the more than 60 students majoring in Psychology who have registered their interest, only around 10 will ultimately be admitted.

Alongside academic performance, the selection process considers whether students have the aptitude for the demands of clinical psychology, which involves working ethically and responsibly with people facing difficult times.

“We’re talking about developing clinical psychologists who are going to be talking about life and death matters, so we need to make sure we pick the people who have the aptitude for it,” said Dr Jeevanandam.

She added that the Department plans to grow the cohort size as the programme matures, while keeping the same careful selection process.

For prospective students like Wu Tong, a first-year Psychology major who has registered her interest in the CDP-CP, the appeal lies in getting to real clinical work sooner.

“The traditional path works well for many, especially those who want time to gain experience before committing to a Master’s. But for me, I felt ready to commit early… It meant I could move through my training with a clear, structured timeline, and start practising sooner rather than waiting longer to get there,” she said.

Building capabilities across the mental healthcare system

CDP-CP builds on NUS’ longstanding efforts to strengthen Singapore’s mental healthcare workforce.

Since 2010, the NUS Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine has offered the Graduate Diploma in Mental Health (GDMH) in collaboration with the Institute of Mental Health to equip medical professionals with additional knowledge and skills to support people with mental health conditions.

The new NUS Psychology programme extends this work by developing a pipeline of future clinical psychologists to complement the capabilities of professionals already providing mental healthcare.

It also joins a small but growing group of CDP programmes at NUS built around national workforce priorities in areas such as healthcare, public policy, management, environmental management and digital transformation.

By shortening the runway into the profession without shortening the training itself, the CDP-CP is designed to get more qualified clinical psychologists into the workforce sooner — a step towards closing the gap between how many psychologists Singapore needs and how many it has.

More information on the CDP-CP programme can be found here.
 

• The Straits Time, 12 October 2026, Opinion, pB4

• The Straits Times, 10 October 2026, Opinion, pB2

• Lianhe Zaobao,  9 October 2026, Opinion, p10

• Lianhe Zaobao, 8 October 2026, Opinion, p16

Name: Long Wen Xi 
Faculty: Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences and NUS College 
Host Country/University: The Netherlands, University College Utrecht 

What was your first week like in the Netherlands?

It was both scary and exciting. I remember the journey from the airport to school feeling incredibly long. My friend and I were struggling with all our luggage on the trains and buses, and we even took the wrong bus. After such a long flight, we were completely exhausted by the time we reached our dorm.

The next few days were mostly settling in, meeting my unit and orientation mates, exploring the campus and city and buying everyday essentials I couldn’t bring from home. I also wandered around Utrecht’s quaint streets, shops, library and canals.

Everything felt quite surreal. I couldn’t believe I was so far from home and would be there for five months. I was definitely nervous, but I kept reminding myself to live in the present. As the week went by, the uncertainty slowly faded, and Utrecht started to feel a little more like home.

Why did you choose University College Utrecht for your exchange?

I was drawn to University College Utrecht (UCU) because it reminded me of NUS College. It has an interdisciplinary curriculum, small seminar-style classes and a close-knit student community living together on campus.

I also liked the variety of modules offered. One of the classes I took was on activism, which was something I had never explored before. The small class sizes were also great because I could interact more closely with my classmates and professors. As an exchange student, taking classes alone can feel intimidating, so having that intimate setting made things much more comfortable.

But one of the biggest reasons I chose UCU was the residential experience. I really wanted the chance to live with people from completely different cultures and backgrounds. It was scary, but I knew I might never get an opportunity like this again, so I decided to take the leap.

What are some of your key learning experiences during exchange?

I learnt to be more independent and adaptable. Living in a foreign country makes you realise how many things you take for granted at home.

Food was one example. In Singapore, getting a meal is so convenient, but eating out in the Netherlands was much more expensive. I ended up cooking almost every day and learnt to make the most of my groceries.

I also learnt how to cycle. I actually didn’t know how to before the exchange and cycling alongside so many people and vehicles was terrifying at first. I almost gave up, but I really wanted to embrace Dutch culture. Eventually, I got the hang of it, and cycling became such a big part of my daily life.

Exchange also taught me that conflicting emotions can exist at the same time. I could be excited but anxious, happy but homesick, and ready to go home yet not want to leave. I learnt that life can be full of contradictions, and that we can grow through them.

What are some of your fondest memories?

I have many and some of my favourite memories were the simplest ones.

One was a night bike ride with my unit mates early in the semester. I was still quite nervous about cycling, but it turned into such a beautiful night. The sky was clear, we could see the stars, and we cycled past fields and buildings with the wind in our faces, chatting and laughing along the way. My unit mates even made sure someone always cycled behind me to keep me safe.

Another was our final dinner together. We cooked a huge meal and had a Secret Santa exchange. One of my friends gave me an album by a singer we had bonded over and wrote me a letter in Chinese — even though he’s Italian-Thai! He had spent ages translating what he wanted to say and copying out the characters, which really touched me. It was bittersweet knowing it was our last night together, but I tried to stay present and appreciate how many memories we had created in just a few months.

What did you learn from interacting with students from different cultures?

I learnt that cultural differences aren’t something to be intimidated by. Even if we grew up in completely different environments, there are still so many ways to connect.

My unit mates were really open and curious about one another’s cultures. We loved exchanging stories about life back home. They were shocked when I told them Singapore is hot all year round, while I was equally shocked that some of them used to travel up to two hours by car just to get to school.

Those little conversations helped me understand what their lives were like back home and get to know them beyond just being my unit mates. My biggest takeaway was to approach people with openness, kindness and genuine curiosity. Our differences can give us more to talk about.

Any tips for NUS students interested in going on exchange?

My biggest tip is to live in the present and experience exchange on your own terms. There’s no single “ideal” exchange. Some people want to travel every weekend, while others care more about their classes, friendships, or simply experiencing everyday life in their host country. You don’t have to follow what everyone else is doing.

Think about what would make exchange meaningful to you. It’s such a unique experience, so make it your own and try to be fully present while you’re there.

NUS Health follows the year-long NUS1000 and NUS 1000 Staff Edition studies conducted by the Centre for Sleep and Cognition at the NUS Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine (NUS Medicine). The studies found that undergraduate freshmen and staff are more sedentary and less physically active than participants in the SG70 Towards Healthy Longevity study, who are above 70 years old. This is a concern due to the national uptick in chronic conditions such as hypertension and type 2 diabetes, which are linked to modifiable lifestyle factors such as insufficient sleep and prolonged inactivity.

Turning data into healthy habits

Led by Professor Michael Chee, Assistant Professor June Lo and Assistant Professor Jocelyn Chew from NUS Medicine, NUS Health comprises a multidisciplinary team that includes members from NUS Saw Swee Hock School of Public Health, NUS Health and Wellbeing, and NUS Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences. Drawing on different areas of expertise, the team will harness insights from the study to devise the right solutions. Among participants, substituting 30 minutes of physical inactivity with sleep or moderately vigorous physical activity was associated with significantly lower body mass index (BMI) and arterial stiffness, which are measures of vascular ageing.

“Many health programmes like to highlight panels of biomarkers and AI-driven advice,” noted Prof Chee. “While these tools are valuable, their effectiveness ultimately depends on tracking markers that are functionally meaningful and actionable, and providing guidance that is scientifically sound, practical and sustainable.”

NUS Health builds on years of research into sleep patterns, behavioural change and physical activity. It also draws from real-world experience with wearable health devices.

“Our goal is not simply to generate research, but to translate the best available science into meaningful improvements in everyday health for our staff,” he said.

How NUS Health works

From August to October 2026, NUS Health will recruit 2,000 staff members for a study that will run for 15 to 16 months across three phases.

In the first phase, participants will be fitted with an Oura Ring to track sleep patterns and daily physical activity, with daily stress and mental wellbeing ratings collected via smartphone. They will also undergo functional tests and provide information about their existing health values and habits.

In the second phase, participants will receive personalised prompts and goals set against the baseline data that has been collected. Those who hit their health goals will receive tickets for a monthly ballot to win cash prizes.

“The cumulative effect of modest sustainable choices may seem unremarkable in the moment, yet over years and decades they become profoundly meaningful,” explained Prof Chee.

In the final phase, participants will continue wearing their health trackers and attend regular screenings to assess habit retention. These assessments will evaluate the impact on their health markers, wellbeing and physical performance, demonstrating the intrinsic rewards of investing in health.

Focus on wellbeing at NUS

NUS Health is just one of many initiatives that support the mental, social and physical wellbeing of the NUS community. The NUS Health and Wellbeing (HWB) unit regularly shares educational posts on social media, spanning topics on mental wellness, emotional literacy and managing grief. NUS HWB also set up the Peer Staff Supporters (PSS) network, now in its fifth year, which trains peer volunteers to help fellow colleagues who may be going through a rough patch. According to the annual HWB Wellbeing Survey, staff who had been trained as PSS reported significantly higher levels of resilience, compassion and wellbeing at work than their non-PSS colleagues.

In addition to emotional support, NUS HWB is encouraging personal growth among staff. In partnership with the NUS School of Continuing and Lifelong Education, they are launching The Happiness Ripple in October 2026, a five-week masterclass aimed at helping participants grow and live well through understanding themselves better, strengthening relationships and building optimism. The programme, which takes place for three hours every week, is also open to members of the public, offering an opportunity for staff to learn alongside friends and loved ones.

Together, these initiatives show NUS’ commitment to empowering staff to build healthier, more fulfilling lives.

The integrated venture-building and research commercialisation platform aims to connect research, talent, industry, capital and global markets to turn discoveries into scalable ventures.

Its rebrand was unveiled on 24 September 2026 at the inaugural A5X, Asia's first global innovation and venture summit, which brought together investors, founders, researchers and policymakers. Also hosting the inaugural Singapore Defense Tech Hackathon (SDTH), the event was held at the NUS i³ building from 24 to 27 September.

The next decade, all in one room

In his welcome remarks, NUS President Professor Tan Eng Chye reflected on 25 years of NUS Enterprise — from nurturing entrepreneurial talent through NUS Overseas Colleges (NOC), to building start-up communities such as B71 (formerly BLOCK71) and, more recently, a network of global outposts.

Looking ahead, he said, “We want NUS to be a place where students, faculty and researchers dare to dream and are willing to try. Where the path from discovery to impact is clear. Where founders can find the people, capital and markets they need.”

Referencing the event’s theme, Guest-of-Honour Mr Tan Kiat How, Senior Minister of State, Ministry of Digital Development and Information, said that “the next decade is in this room”, highlighting A5X’s value in facilitating connections, which eventually translate to capability and impact. As AI makes intelligence more capable, accessible and abundant, Singapore's opportunity lies in being the bridge between intelligence and impact.

“We cannot compete with the largest economies on scale. Our opportunity is to become exceptionally good at connecting these strengths and turning new ideas into real-world impact,” he said.

Universities have an important role in making these connections and shortening the journey from discovery to application, enterprise and global scale. “A great university should not only produce knowledge. It should help knowledge travel, from the lab into products, from products into enterprises, and from enterprises into society,” he added.

A new name for a bigger ambition

NUS Enterprise’s rebrand as NUSX is part of its evolution into a global, integrated venture-building platform. Its work spans four innovation tracks: “Logic” (AI and software), “Pulse” (healthcare and biotech), “Matter” (physical sciences, materials and semiconductors) and “Resilience” (dual-use technologies).

Through 2035, NUSX aims to create at least one NUS venture; generate more than US$100 million (S$127.9 million) in annual revenue or create 1,000 jobs; US$1 billion in financial returns from NUS ventures; and build ventures that collectively improve the lives of one billion people.

“As the global race to commercialise deep tech accelerates, breakthrough research is only the starting point. The real challenge is translation,” said Dr Tan Sian Wee, NUS Senior Vice President (Innovation and Enterprise).

One initiative addressing that challenge is Nova, an AI-powered engine for research commercialisation jointly developed by NUSX and development partner Zima Labs.

Within minutes, Nova can analyse a granted patent, assess its licensing potential against live market evidence, rank potential licensees and draft tailored proposals, while flagging the patent's limitations. The platform draws on more than 20,000 NUS patents and invention disclosures, 9,000 research projects and 11,000 inventors.

By connecting these with external intelligence on companies, investors and industry needs, Nova can also surface licensing, co-development and partnership opportunities, as well as potential investors and team members.

Building bridges between Singapore and the world

Plans are in the works to expand NUSX’s global outpost network beyond Silicon Valley — it has since established a second outpost in Munich, with a third planned for Shanghai in the fourth quarter of 2026.

At A5X, NUSX also announced a new partnership with start-up incubator UnternehmerTUM spanning reciprocal outposts, investment and talent development, focusing initially on biotech, AI and semiconductors.

NUS is also in advanced discussions with a Munich-based venture capital firm closely affiliated with UnternehmerTUM to join the S$150 million NUS Venture Capital (VC) Programme as its fifth partner. Under the programme, NUS students will gain new opportunities to intern with the firm's portfolio companies and join UnternehmerTUM's venture creation programmes — building on NOC Munich, which has connected nearly 120 NUS students and more than 90 TUM students since 2017.

“Deep tech ventures need more than one home market to grow — they need access to research, capital and industry partners across continents,” said Professor Dr Helmut Schönenberger, Co-Founder and CEO of UnternehmerTUM and Vice President, Entrepreneurship, TUM.

From research to real-world impact

Beyond the new initiatives, a common thread running through the A5X Conference was how technological breakthroughs can be translated into enduring impact.

At the opening keynote dialogue, moderated by Dr Tan, three panellists with experience across academia, industry and venture building discussed how research, talent and capital can come together to drive national innovation.

The flagship event also honoured the researchers and ventures translating ideas into impact. The NUS Innovation and Venture Creation Awards recognised eight NUS faculty members and researchers, while Professor David Silver from Duke-NUS Medical School received the President's Venture Creation Chair Professor Award for research that could lead to new treatments for Type 2 diabetes.

At the Innovation Showcase, more than 40 NUS-affiliated ventures and teams presented emerging technologies across NUSX's four innovation tracks. They included Lightsage, which is helping developer-tool companies improve how their products are discovered and used by AI coding agents, and Ecovolt, whose AI-native system helps organisations monitor and optimise energy use across buildings. Lightsage and Ecovolt have been both supported through NOC and B71.

Strengthening defence innovation

The “Resilience” track took centre stage at the inaugural SDTH from 25 to 27 September, which brought together about 300 engineers, operators and founders to develop working solutions for real-world defence and security needs.

Co-organised by NUSX, the European Defense Tech Hub and TUM Venture Labs, the hackathon comprised two challenge tracks: a two-day main challenge on site and a three-month extended challenge prior to the event. These culminated in a Pitch & Demo Showcase on 27 September.

Team NeuroMech topped the two-day main challenge, finishing first among 39 teams with a brain-computer interface designed to give operators a new way to control unmanned systems. Meanwhile, Team MAELSTROM finished first among 22 teams in the three-month extended challenge with a micro-missile system designed to intercept enemy drone swarms, coordinated through a networked command system.

Both challenges also featured the "Lord of the Rings" Prize, which recognised teams that combined their technologies into a larger, integrated capability. The two-day prize went to Acoustics, DomeCommand and AEGIS, while the three-month prize went to SwarmBreakers and Sentinel.

For some teams, the hackathon could mark the beginning of a longer venture journey. Up to three promising teams will be selected for NUS Defence Venture Lab’s (DVL) six-month incubation programme, receiving cash and in-kind support worth S$100,000, technical and venture mentorship, and access to testbeds in Singapore and Europe.

“The prizes are only the start. Through the NUS Defence Venture Lab, we will help the most promising teams become companies,” said Professor Gary Ang, Professor of Practice for Defence Innovation and Applications, NUS, and founder of DVL.

By NUSX

• Lianhe Zaobao, 6 October 2026, Opinion, p12