Celebrating five decades of digital transformation and pioneering a future driven by artificial intelligence
NUS School of Computing (SoC) celebrated a major milestone, its 50th anniversary, and brought together generations of computing pioneers, alumni, faculty, students, and industry leaders to reflect on the School’s journey and look ahead to its future ambitions.
The celebration marked five decades of transformative contributions to Singapore’s digital landscape, while signalling a forward-looking vision shaped by artificial intelligence, interdisciplinary research, and deeper collaboration between academia and industry.
A Journey of Growth and Global Recognition
Opening the evening, Dean of NUS Computing, Professor Tulika Mitra, reflected on the School’s remarkable evolution. Ranked first in Asia and fourth globally in the latest QS World University Rankings for Computer Science and Information Systems, NUS Computing’s rise underscores its longstanding commitment to excellence.
The gala also celebrated distinguished alumni, including Professor Ho Teck Hua, President of Nanyang Technological University, and Professor Wei Kwok Kee, President and CEO of the Singapore Institute of Management — both exemplars of the School’s wide-ranging influence in higher education.
Professor Mitra also honoured the visionary leadership of former Deans — Professors Tan Kian Lee, Mohan Kankanhalli, David Rosenblum, Ooi Beng Chin, Joxan Jaffar, Ivan Png, and Chua Tat Seng — whose stewardship shaped the School’s academic and research trajectory. Over the years, faculty and alumni have played a pivotal role in nurturing talent, advancing innovation, and building strong bridges between university and industry.
From its beginnings as a small department at Nanyang University, through the 1980 merger with the University of Singapore, to its establishment as a full School in 1998, NUS Computing has grown in scale and impact. Today, its thriving student body and research community are supported by cutting-edge facilities like the Sea Building (COM3) and Sea Connect (COM4), enabled through partnerships with industry leaders such as Sea Group.
Forging the Future: NUS-Google AI Partnership Launches New Chapter
A key highlight of the evening was the launch of a deepened strategic partnership between NUS and Google. The collaboration — witnessed by SMS Tan Kiat How — will see the creation of a joint AI research centre focused on applications in education, healthcare, and law, along with Singapore’s first Google-supported AI Professorship.
Serene Sia, Country Director of Google Cloud for Singapore and Malaysia, highlighted the long-standing partnership:
“Google and NUS share a longstanding partnership, anchored on talent development and applying frontier technologies for public good. These include an on-campus Google Developer Group to equip students with advanced software skills; Google Cloud as a pioneering industry partner of the NUS AI Institute; cultivating talent to tackle biomedical challenges with AI; producing the world’s first AI-powered legal journal podcast with NotebookLM, and a Google PhD Fellowship programme to recognise exceptional work in computer science. Our new collaboration truly builds on those successes; it’s a significant step forward in Google’s commitment to bringing new capabilities for scientific discovery to Singapore.”
SMS Tan noted the importance of such collaborations:
“SoC plays an important role in our tech ecosystem by bridging the gap with industry and translating research into real world solutions, and this includes partnerships with leading firms like Microsoft, IBM, Sea, Grab, and tonight we celebrate a new collaboration with Google to establish a joint research and innovation centre at NUS focusing on applied AI in computing.”
Students and alumni were equally enthusiastic. Jolyn Leow, President of the NUS Students’ Computing Club, called it “a unique opportunity to engage in pioneering projects that prepare students to lead the tech world of tomorrow.”
Alumna Cynthia Mark Mohan, Assistant Vice President and Head of Digitalisation at Jurong Port, added:
“NUS Computing equipped me with both technical skills and a problem-solving mindset essential throughout my journey. I’m grateful for the mentorship I received and proud to see the School leading AI and digital transformation efforts today.”
Celebrating Our Alumni: A Legacy of Impact
Beyond institutional milestones, the evening also spotlighted the remarkable achievements of alumni who continue to make waves globally. These include:
- Ms Chong Chuan Neo, the first woman to lead Accenture Greater China, who now sits on the boards of OCBC, Raffles Medical Group, and SIA Engineering.
- Mr Tok Wee Hyong, Partner Director of Products & AI at Microsoft.
- Ms Jess Ng, Country Manager for Fortinet in Singapore and Brunei.
- Mr Laurence Putra Franslay, Engineering Leader for Enterprise Site Reliability Engineering at TikTok, US.
Their journeys reflect the School’s enduring role in shaping tech leaders who drive innovation across diverse sectors.
Charting the Road Ahead with Purpose and Community
Professor Mitra also articulated a bold vision for the years to come — one centred on values, community, and global impact. She described her aspiration for a “kampung spirit” — a close-knit, values-driven community committed to shaping a better digital future.
Mr Tan affirmed the School’s national significance, noting its contributions not only to talent and research, but also to the application of academic work for real-world solutions.
