Information for Media

Nanyang Business School's China Programmes has launched its quarterly Chinese language e-Newsletter. As a link among the alumni, participants, faculty, staff and the school, the e-Newsletter keeps its audience updated on the latest development. It also serves as a platform for networking and exchange of views.  

Read more in the e-Newsletter here.

Professor Paul J. Hanges is Professor of Industrial/Organisational Psychology and is currently the Associate Chair/Director of Graduate Studies for the University of Maryland's Psychology Department.

He is involved in the Global Leadership and Organisational Behaviour Effectiveness (GLOBE) Research Project that was designed to test the influence of societal and organisational culture on leadership.

The multi-method, multi-country and multi-phase research project was started in 1993.

The first two phases of the project were focused on testing whether societal culture and organisational culture shape the components of leadership attributes shared by individuals in these cultures.

In the third phase, data from over 1000 CEOs and their top management team across 24 countries were collected.

In his recent seminar at Nanyang Business School (NBS), Prof Hanges discussed recent analyses testing the connection between shared leadership schemas in Phase 2 and CEO leader behaviours in Phase 3. It was hypothesised that organisations with leaders whose behaviours match a country's shared leadership schema would be more effective.

For more information on Professor Hanges and his research, please click here.

Professor Gillian Yeo, Interim Dean, Nanyang Business School, will be holding regular meetings with faculty and staff to provide them an update and an opportunity to interact with her and the leadership team.

Addressing her first school meeting on Monday, May 18th, as Interim Dean, Prof Yeo said that she plans to hold a school meeting at least once every semester.

Meanwhile, the popular monthly Friday Winedown session held in the Dean's lobby will continue.

Prof Yeo said that as she had highlighted in an interview with The Business Times, which coincidently had been published that morning, former Dean, Professor Jitendra Singh, had stepped down due to family reasons.

While Prof Singh had joined as Dean in September 2007, his family had joined him in January 2008. But as his daughters were unable to adjust to life in Singapore, the family moved back to the United States in August 2008. Prof Singh had been making monthly trips to visit his family but found that commuting between Singapore and the US was not working out, and decided to step down.

But all is not lost. Prof Singh, who is now Senior Advisor to NTU President, will be spending several weeks every year at the school. His professional contacts and intellect would be available to help take the school forward.

Prof Yeo said in her 20 years or so with NBS – of which she was one of the longest serving faculty member, the school had had four Deans. Each Dean, along with his leadership team, faculty and staff, had taken the school from strength to strength and it was now firmly on an upward trajectory.

The results were there for everyone to see: Our MBA programme had been ranked 24th worldwide by the Financial Times this year.

Prof Yeo said that NBS has a strong team and with everybody pulling together, the school was moving ahead strongly. We had been ranked in the top 100 by the Economist for the past five years and for the past three years by the Financial Times, with the ranking improving every year.

Former Dean, Prof Singh, had helped to articulate the vision for building a world-class business school. Key to this is building world-class faculty. Another 10 to 15 faculty members will be joining the school this year, Prof Yeo disclosed.

Another important step was for the school to work towards creating world-class knowledge with an Asian focus and special interest in China and India.

Prof Yeo highlighted that just last week an MOU was signed with China Construction Bank – the world's second largest bank, to train more than 700 of its senior executives this year.

Besides the MBA, the EMBA programs – both in English and Chinese, are doing well. Among the English EMBAs, the entrepreneurship track with support from Spring Singapore had particularly been received well.  Other new EMBAs in specialized industry tracks were being developed. 

Earlier this year, the school had joined hands with the BI Norwegian School of Management to launch the shipping, offshore and finance Double MBA programme.  Other new programmes in energy management, innovation and design management, and in life sciences are planned.

Similarly, in the Nanyang Fellows Programme the MIT segment has been restructured into a sustainable development segment next year.

Another new segment in the Nanyang Fellows program will be one on leadership and finance, which will be offered in association with the Wharton School. The MIT and Wharton segments will also be open to NBS alumni and EMBA participants.

At the undergraduate level, Prof Yeo highlighted that last year when the double degree programme leading to a Bachelor in Accountancy and a Bachelor in Business was introduced, over 1,000 applications (with the majority having straight As) had been received for the 100 places available.

NBS will continue to focus on developing leadership competencies and other soft skills in our programs.

Prof Yeo stressed that the emphasis will be on both rigour and relevance in all the work at NBS.

The EQUIS accreditation team completed its review in April and has been very impressed with the accomplishments at the school.

Looking ahead, Prof Yeo said that the school is working to see how it can leverage on technology to build the next generation business school.

Her vision is to build up the substance and enhance the form through strategic positioning and build the brand image.

Prof Yeo said even as the university is drawing up a new master plan for the campus and will provide for a new building for NBS, funds are meanwhile being made available to spruce up the school and do renovations.

Moving forward Prof Yeo said that to be successful we need to have high quality faculty, high quality students, good infrastructure and a strong leadership team. It is not just the effort of one person in the team; we need a whole team to work together cohesively. Over the past 20 years, NBS has grown from strength to strength with the contributions of the Dean, leadership team, faculty and staff. We will carry on as a team to move forward and upward in our trajectory.

--By Narendra Aggarwal, Director, Public Affairs, NBS

NTU has signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with China Construction Bank (CCB), the world's 2nd largest bank in terms of market capitalization, to train more than 700 senior executives of the bank this year.

The MOU was signed by Nanyang Business School Interim Dean, Professor Gillian Yeo and Mr Li Weiping, General Manager of Human Resources Department of CCB headquarter.

NTU President, Dr Su Guaning, Chairman of the Board of Supervisors of CCB, Mr Xie Duyang, senior representatives of the Bank, and officials from the China Embassy in Singapore witnessed the signing ceremony.

High level senior staff of CCB, such as general managers of the provincial main branches, will be among those to be trained under the MOU. In the following months till December 2009, CCB will send more than 500 trainees in batches from various branches in China to NBS for the week-long training in Singapore.

The MOU provides a broad framework for NTU's Nanyang Business School and China Construction Bank to develop financial training programmes for the senior executives of CCB branches across China. It will also facilitate joint research and customization of curriculum to meet the training needs of the Bank with specialisations ranging from Private Banking, Marketing, Asset Management to Risk Management.

Besides Hong Kong and the United States, Singapore has become CCB's strategic overseas training destination. The MOU with NTU will expand and deepen the scope of training collaboration and research.

Over the years, Chinese executive training courses offered by Nanyang Business School have benefited more than 5,000 senior executives, mostly from China, in the areas of Management, Finance, Banking, Economics and Human Resources.

- @NTU, Issue 77, May/June 2009
- ClassACT, Issue 75, June 2009
- Press Release
- Speech by Chairman of the Board of Supervisors of CCB, Mr Xie Duyang 

In view of the growing concerns over the weak job market, the Nanyang Business School (NBS) Alumni Affairs Office invited a leading global recruitment firm, Kerry Consulting, to this year's first quarter chill out session held at Harry's Boat Quay.

With the economy slowing down and unemployment rates rising, the event proved to be a hit with the participants.

- Full Story

Standing at a spectacular height of 165m, the Singapore Flyer is the world's largest giant observation wheel.

Conceived and designed by Dr Kisho Kurokawa and DP Architects, Singapore, it was launched last year.

Committed to providing visitors an experience to remember, Singapore Flyer Pte Ltd has joined hands with the Nanyang Business School for the Singapore Flyer Integrated Marketing Communications (IMC) Competition. 

The competition is part of a group project assignment where undergraduate business students use their knowledge from course BM214 to propose an IMC programme for Singapore Flyer.

Driven by Dr Lam Shun Yin, Associate Professor, Division of Marketing and International Business (MIB), the course is concerned with the development, implementation, and evaluation of marketing communication activities.

Students are required to critically consider and evaluate factors influencing both the design and implementation of comprehensive IMC programmes.

Six project teams have been shortlisted for entry into the competition finals.

The finals were held on May 6.

- By Ignatius Pang, Public Affairs Office

Nanyang Business School (NBS) and BI Norwegian School of Management in Oslo have entered into their second agreement of co-operation this year.

The new agreement allows students from the Nanyang Executive MBA (English) Programme specialising in Energy to be conferred a MBA degree from NTU and an Executive MBA degree from BI Norwegian School of Management.

The signing ceremony was held at NBS on 16 April 2009.

Prof Jitendra Singh, Dean, NBS, Assoc Prof Nilanjan Sen, Assoc Dean (Nanyang Executive Education, NBS), Assoc Prof Fock Siew Tong, Assoc Dean (External Relations, NBS) and Mr Sonny Lim, Director (International Relations Office, NTU) were on hand to welcome representatives from the partnering institution.

Dean Jitendra Singh presented special mementos to Mr Tom Colbjørnsen, President, BI Norwegian School of Management, and Mr Jens Petter Tøndel, Executive Vice President.

Earlier this year the two schools had entered into an agreement that made arrangements for a Double MBA Programme, leading to a MBA degree conferred by NTU and an Executive MBA in Shipping, Offshore and Finance degree conferred by BI Norwegian School of Management.

- By Ignatius Pang, Public Affairs Office

A full day of activities awaited participants of the first ever Human Resource Youth Forum held at Nanyang Business School.

The event showcased talks by industry speakers in the morning, to team-building games in the afternoon where seven teams prepared and battled out for the ‘Choose the CEO' case challenge.

The inaugural event, held on March 21, was organised by Nanyang Business School's Human Resource Consulting Club and attracted students from Ngee Ann Polytechnic (NP), Nanyang Polytechnic (NYP), Temasek Polytechnic (TP), Singapore Polytechnic (SP) and SIM University (UniSIM).

- Full Story

Nanyang Business School's team of four undergraduates aced through gruelling rounds of case presentations in the Undergraduate National Case Competition (UNCC) in Canada and eventually beat Singapore Management University to clinch the third prize.

The NBS team was made up of team leader Daryl Neo (Bus, Yr 3), Roy Liang Ming Kai (Bus, Yr 2), Yang Yawen (Bus, Yr 2) and Cheng Shaofei (Acc, Yr 3).

UNCC is an annual competition organised by John Molson School of Business (JMSB), Concordia University, one of Canada's leading business schools.

- Full Story

---

"I am thankful to receive the award. I would like to dedicate it to all my colleagues who, in their various ways, are good teachers themselves." ~ Assoc Prof Tan How Teck, Nanyang Award for Excellence in Teaching recipient

 

---

"I am deeply honored to receive the Nanyang award. I've been with NTU since I obtained my PhD, and I am grateful to all my colleagues at NTU for their support all these years.  I work with co-authors both within and outside NTU, so this award is very much a tribute to their contributions as well." ~ Prof Tan Hun Tong, Nanyang Award for Excellence in Research & Innovation recipient

---

"I am very honored to receive the Nanyang Award for Excellence in Teaching. This award has a lot of personal significance because students in my Cultural Intelligence class come from many different countries and are required to work closely with one another for 14 weeks. Hence, the award not only indicates students' appreciation of my pedagogical approach and style, but more importantly, reflects students' appreciation of the rich cultural diversity in class." ~ Assoc Prof Ng Kok Yee, Nanyang Award for Excellence in Teaching recipient

---

"I am deeply honoured by this award. Teaching is a calling, and I am blessed to have an opportunity to play a part in moulding the next generation of accounting professionals. At the same time, I also learn a lot from my students, and they play a part in making me the teacher that I am. For that, I dedicate this award to my students." ~ Asst Prof Low Mei Fong Bernardine, Teacher of the Year (Accountancy)

---

"Teaching is my dream, teaching is my work, teaching is my life. I am very grateful to be given this award which means a lot to me. I would like to thank NTU/NBS for letting me realise my dream, and all students out there - you guys are the best that any teacher could hope for. I dedicate this award to all students: work hard, find yourselves, believe in yourselves and never let anyone put you down. Thank you everyone." ~ Asst Prof Lee Hon Sing, Teacher of the Year (Business)

---

In recognition of outstanding NBS teachers and researchers, an award ceremony was held on Wednesday, 25 March, to honour faculty who have exhibited excellent teaching and research practice.

The awards that were given out include special commendations to three faculty members who received their university level awards at NTU's Nanyang Awards ceremony on Friday, 27 March.

The Nanyang Awards are given in recognition and celebration of the outstanding achievements and contributions of faculty, staff and students. The prestigious Awards were launched in 2005. 
 
In particular, the Nanyang Award for Excellence in Teaching is to give the highest recognition to individual faculty who have exhibited excellent teaching practice and enriched the learning experiences of their students through their enthusiasm, care and close rapport.

The Nanyang Award for Excellence in Research & Innvoation is to give the highest recognition to individuals and teams who have made outstanding contributions in scientific knowledge through research breakthroughs, and significant technological innovations on the world stage.

- Photo gallery

Award Recipients - Nanyang Award for Excellence in Teaching Assoc Prof Ng Kok Yee ~ Strategy, Management & Organization Assoc Prof Tan How Teck ~ Business Law - Nanyang Award for Excellence in Research & Innovation Professor Tan Hun Tong ~ Accounting - 2009 Teachers of the Year Asst Prof Low Mei Fong, Bernardine ~ Teacher of the Year (Accountancy) Asst Prof Lee Hon Sing ~ Teacher of the Year (Business) - 2009 Teachers of the Division Assoc Prof Seow Jean Lin ~ Accounting Ms Aw Ee Ling, Grace ~ Banking & Finance Assoc Prof Samtani Anil ~ Business Law Ms Neerja Sethi ~ Information Technology & Operations Mgt Assoc Prof Ian McGovern ~ Marketing & International Business Assoc Prof Ng Kok Yee ~ Strategy, Management & Organization - 2009 Researchers of the Division Asst Prof Tong Yen Hee ~ Accounting Asst Prof Xin Chang, Simba ~ Banking & Finance Assoc Prof Tan How Teck ~ Business Law Asst Prof Boh Wai Fong ~ Information Technology & Operations Mgt Asst Prof Chung Tuck Siong ~ Marketing & International Business Asst Prof Wong Sze Sze ~ Strategy, Management & Organization - Accountancy & Business Club Awards Assoc Prof Hooi Den Huan ~ Best Dressed Teacher (Male) Assoc Prof Valerie Du Toit-Low ~ Best Dressed Teacher (Female) Assoc Prof Tan Kai Guan, Clement ~ Most Approachable Teacher Asst Prof Lee Hon Sing ~ Most Motivational Teacher

Nanyang Business School's Graduate Board member Ms Chong Siak Ching, President and Chief Executive Officer of Ascendas Pte Ltd, has been named OUTSTANDING  CHIEF  EXECUTIVE in the prestigious Singapore Business Awards 2009.

She was honoured “For her steadfast leadership and dynamism in establishing Ascendas Pte Ltd as Asia's leading provider of business space with a presence in 10 countries across Asia''.

Ms Chong received the award from Singapore Press Holdings Chairman, Dr Tony Tan, at a gala awards dinner at Shangri-La Hotel on March 24th.

Finance Minister Tharman Shanmugaratnam was the guest of honour at Singapore's oldest and most prestigious business awards event.

The Singapore Business Awards started in 1984, honour the best in Singapore's business world. The Awards are jointly organised by The Business Times and DHL.

Second-year NBS business undergraduate Lee Hup Kee is certain that she will embrace old age with grace and still be pursuing her dreams.

She believes that old age is a special life stage that could offer profound experiences where one could grow and develop into a better and stronger person.

As such, the sprightly youth feels a compelling need for her to reach out to elderly who are lost and need a helping hand. She is actively involved in various social causes as the Chairperson of Patchwork, a NTU social welfare club.

Despite her heavy commitments, she was selected for an overseas exchange programme at the prestigious Yonsei University in Seoul, Korea, where she took additional academic units and was awarded the Academic Honours Award for outstanding academic achievement.

- Full Story

Nanyang Business School second-year Accountancy undergraduate Eddie Sng Chong Guo gives his best to everything he does. Such is the positive attitude of one of Singapore's most promising fencers who has won numerous competitions in the fencing world.

Eddie has taken part in many competitions including the Southeast Asian Games and the World University Games. In the 2007 Southeast Asian games held in Korat, Thailand, he won a team bronze. In Singapore, his most recent wins include two national individual championship titles in 2007 and 2008.

- Full Story

The NBS Annual Dinner 2009 was graced by Mr Philip Yeo, Chairman of NBS Advisory Board, Ms Lien Siaou-Sze, Member of NTU's Board of Trustees, President Su Guaning and Provost Bertil Andersson.

Held at the Shangri-La Hotel on Feb 23, the event saw an encouraging attendance of about 200 staff and guests, including distinguished business leaders and NBS alumni.

To view VIP speeches click on the following:
- Mr Philip Yeo, Chairman, NBS Advisory Board
- Dr Su Guaning, President, NTU
- Prof Bertil Andersson, Provost, NTU
- Prof Jitendra V. Singh, Dean, NBS

Six final-year Nanyang Business School (NBS) Business undergraduates majoring in Human Resource Consulting have done the school proud.

In the recently held HR Challenge 2009, they thrilled the audience by emerging first runner-up and bagging both the coveted Best Presenter awards at the grand final.

Michelle Ho Hui Min and Han Jiamin, both second year NBS Business undergraduates majoring in Marketing, have clinched a  three-month internship with FutureBrand Singapore and a regional office.

The dynamic duo came in first in FutureTalent Awards, which is an annual competition to highlight outstanding young talents in the field of branding and design.

- Full Story

Giving back to society comes as second nature to Professor Chiu Chi-Yue and Professor Hong Ying-Yi. The NBS faculty members are actively involved in giving advice and guidance to young academics who are new in the field of psychological science.

Every year, Professor Chiu and Professor Hong conduct pro bono Advanced Summer Workshops on Social Psychology for junior faculty members across China.

- Full Story

At 29, Mr Ang Kim Soon has become the youngest Nanyang Business School alumnus to have pledged to fund an endowed bursary of $50,000 over five years to his alma mater. Interestingly, NBS' youngest alumnus donor was once himself a beneficiary of financial assistance.

- Full Story

NBS team clinched the second position and came in ahead of several other top tertiary educational institutions in the Chartered Institute of Marketing (CIMS) International Marketing Competition, which is a highly regarded annual competition where participants are expected to come up with innovative marketing solutions.

- Full Story

Nanyang Business School entered into a new agreement of co-operation with Oslo-based BI Norwegian School of Management effective from 7 January 2009.

The new collaboration makes arrangements for a Double MBA Programme, leading to a Master of Business Administration degree conferred by NTU and an Executive Master of Business Administration in Shipping, Offshore and Finance degree conferred by BI, Norway.

- Full Story
- NBS and BI Norwegian School of Management join hands for second programme

Three NBS double degree students have won the second  prize in the Microsoft Mash-It-Up Competition.

A total of 35 teams competed in the 24-hour competition organized by Microsoft by creating a Popfly block, game or website.

Meanwhile, NTU Computer Engineering students won the 3rd prize in the competition.

- Full Story

The NBS team has beaten SMU, NUS and SP Jain Institute of Management, and won the 1st position in the CFA Singapore University Industry Research Competition (UIRC) 2008.

The CFA Institute Global Investment Research Challenge gives tertiary students a realistic experience of making investment recommendations. Participants are required to conduct investment research and analyses into the companies that are listed on the Singapore Exchange.

The Singapore champion team will go on to the Asia-Pacific regional finals in March 2009 and potentially to the global finals in London in April 2009, to compete against champion teams sponsored by the CFA societies in other major financial centres. This competition started in September 2008.

The final eight teams of up to four students each were selected through grueling preliminary selection and competitive rounds that were held within their respective campuses.

- Full Story