Thank you for your interest in this blog. This is Prof Tan Eng Chye writing, and I am currently serving as Provost and Deputy President (Academic Affairs) of the National University of Singapore (NUS). I have spent much of my life here. I graduated from the NUS in 1985 with a Bachelor of Science (Honours) in Mathematics, and returned in 1989 to begin my academic career as a faculty member after my PhD studies at Yale University. I’ve been here ever since, and have had many wonderful opportunities to serve in various capacities and in a variety of roles, within and beyond my home Faculty. I was serving as Dean of the Faculty of Science for 4 years, prior to being appointed as Provost in 2007.
On the personal front, I am happily married to my wife whom I met at the NUS during my undergraduate days, and we have 4 children.
Prof Tan,
Are nus professors still committed to teaching? 9 out of 10 lecturers came into contact with had NO choice but to teach. its like a burden isnt it? Why is it like that?
I did not expect a comment here. Education and research are the twin missions of a university. All faculty on the tenure track (or teacher-scholar track) are expected to teach and to do research well. Teaching should not be seen as a chore or a burden.