Inaugural batch of NYU@NUS students graduate

6 March 2008

CONVOCATION: Graduates from the pioneer batch of NYU@NUS Programme receiving the ceremonial hood from Prof Tan Cheng Han, Dean, NUS Faculty of Law.

NUS Faculty of Law sets a new milestone with the graduation of its pioneer batch of students from the New York University School of Law and NUS Dual Degree Programme (NYU@NUS) - a truly global legal education, bringing together the most international and engaged faculty in the US and Asia's global law school.

A total of 39 graduates have each picked up two Master of Laws degrees from NYU and NUS over the course of 10 months. The unique programme caters to students who want the rigour of a NYU legal education but see the focus of their career in Asia. The NYU degree in Singapore is taught predominantly by NYU Faculty in residence at NUS. There is also collaborative teaching between NYU and NUS Faculties.

Speaking at the convocation ceremony (5 Mar), NUS President Prof Shih Choon Fong said: "NYU@NUS offers students a unique opportunity to benefit from distinct methodology and style of American legal education while becoming proficient in Asian law and perspectives. Some might even call this a marriage that combines the best of the West and the East."

Guest-of-honour Education and Finance Minister Tharman Shanmugaratnam applauded the programme for its "unique content and multinational composition". Over 20 countries from six continents are represented in the graduating class, including Argentina, Chile, Rwanda and Uganda.

GLOBAL PROGRAMME: Over 20 countries from six continents are represented in the graduating class.

Demand for the NYU@NUS Programme has been strong with about 200 applying each year. It reflects the need for lawyers, and the legal education system, to go global and not just focus on one jurisdiction, said Prof Tan Cheng Han, Dean, NUS Faculty of Law.

"Hardly any law school dean whom I speak to, is not in some way or other, preoccupied with how to cope with the increasing globalisation of legal practice and education.

"Law schools will increasingly have to find ways to ensure that their students develop a working knowledge of other legal systems while continuing to remain grounded in domestic law," he said.

For Ms Wangui Kaniaru, Class Speaker at the ceremony, the NYU@NUS programme is a world-embracing programme that has given them the challenge and opportunity to be world-embracing lawyers.

"It would be difficult to name a group of graduates on the face of the globe with higher prospects or more present satisfaction," she said.