Lee Kong Chian Centennial Professorship (overseas)

In March 2005, NUS received its single largest gift of S$30 million from the Lee Foundation. Of the gift, S$5 million went towards supporting two Lee Kong Chian Centennial Professorships at S$2.5 million each. Named in memory of Dr Lee Kong Chian, they were established specially to commemorate the University's centenary and are among the most prestigious professorships to be established with private funding.

NUS Centennial Professorships were established to recognise top scholars who have distinguished themselves internationally and are able to contribute significantly to the University's intellectual vigour and research endeavours. The Centennial professorships are not restricted to any particular faculty but allow for university-wide application. This gives the University the flexibility to recruit and retain the best talents to create centres of excellence in strategic areas and to nurture graduate and undergraduate students.

The income generated from the professorship fund is used to engage eminent professors who have demonstrated an exceptional level of achievement in their field of study, as well as have made significant contributions to the academic policies and programmes of their university. It is open to local and foreign academics who choose to work in NUS.

 

Current appointment: Prof Artur Konrad Ekert

Professor of Quantum Physics, Mathematical Institute, University of Oxford

Period of appointment: 1 June 2007 to 31 May 2012