It has been a year of growth, as well as a renewed sense of commitment and purpose for NUS-ISS.
As we reflect on 2025, we celebrate impact in action. Learners achieving milestones, partnerships flourishing, and opportunities being created across borders.
In November, we gathered valued industry partners, alumni, and colleagues at our Annual Luncheon 2025, which was graced by Mr David Neo, Acting Minister for Culture, Community and Youth and Senior Minister of State for Education. At the event, we toasted to our achievements and reaffirmed the mission of NUS-ISS: to nurture digital talent for Singapore and beyond, and empower organisations to unlock greater possibilities.
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Top row (behind) left to right: Dr Juzar Motiwalla, Co-Founder, Anquan Capital and Zilliqa Research; Mr Ng Kuo Pin, Chief Executive Officer, NCS Pte Ltd; Mr Khoong Chan Meng, CEO, NUS-ISS; Prof Hang Chang Chieh, Emeritus Professor, Industrial Systems Engineering and Management, NUS and Mr Michael Yap, CEO, Aseus Systems
Bottom row (front) left to right: Mr Bahren Shaari, Board of Trustees, NUS; Prof Bernard Tan, Senior Vice Provost (Undergraduate Education), NUS; Mr David Neo, Acting Minister for Culture, Community and Youth and Senior Minister of State, Ministry of Education; Ms Janet Ang, Chairman, NUS-ISS and HE Medardo G. Macaraig, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary, Embassy of the Republic of the Philippines in Singapore.
For the first time, the Annual Luncheon also served as the grand finale of our flagship Learning Festival 2025, now in its tenth edition. The festival unfolded over three months of engaging activities that inspired and energised the NUS-ISS community. Themed “Always Learning and Always Leading in the Age of AI”, it drew a record 1,500 participants across on-site and online sessions. From October to December, we continued the momentum with a series of virtual learning seminars on healthcare innovation, digital sustainability and digital resilience, which further engaged our audiences both locally and internationally.
A full house of learners and industry professionals exchanging insights at the Learning Festival.
One of the key activities of the Learning Festival was TalentXperience, now in its third year. About 200 students from our graduate programmes had the chance to connect with 19 leading companies across diverse industries – including DBS, National Dental Care Singapore, Infineon Technologies and more.
These flagship events reflect just a part of our day-to-day mission of developing talent and advancing organisations.
Since our founding in 1981, NUS-ISS has nurtured over 200,000 digital leaders and professionals, partnered with more than 9,600 corporate organisations, and built a thriving community of over 8,200 alumni. The journeys of our students exemplify lifelong learning in action.
Through the NCS Nucleus Programme, which began in 2019, over 800 NCS professionals have completed their first graduate certificates. This year, we celebrated a proud milestone as the first cohort of 17 learners successfully graduated with the Master of Technology in Software Engineering through the stackable pathway. Building on this strong momentum, our collaboration with ST Engineering is also progressing well. Four of their learners graduated with the Master of Technology in Software Engineering this year, with eight more on track to complete their programme in February 2026.
We also partnered with UOB and the Infocomm Media Development Authority to provide training to 18 full-time UOB hires through the Graduate Certificate in Business Analytics Practice. Since collaboration with the Singapore Computer Society through joint certification programmes in 2023, we have enabled 2,058 learners to earn certifications in digital product management and DevSecOps. This year, we also expanded the portfolio to introduce new programmes in digital resilience and digital sustainability.
Separately, we launched the five-week Digital Lean for Health Services programme to further support talent development in the healthcare domain.
Meanwhile, our Digital Academy partnership with GovTech continued to deepen with more than 13,000 public sector officers trained under our programmes. We are now working closely with the Ministry of Home Affairs to strengthen the digital leadership capabilities of 350 senior leaders across the ministry’s agencies for the next two to three years. Through the Digital Services Management Programme (DSMP), our partnership with the Ministry of Social and Family Development (MSF), championed by the Public Service Division (PSD), empowers officers to tackle real organisational challenges.
With AI now a transformative force across industries, NUS-ISS has made AI capability development a priority. In 2025, we worked closely with industry partners to create and launch a suite of AI programmes designed to meet the surging demand for talent in this fast-evolving field.
In partnership with ST Engineering, we are now training their engineers to become “AI-bilingual”, combining domain expertise with AI proficiency to drive innovation, enhance productivity, and lead the next wave of intelligent transformation.
Our international impact continues to grow.
NUS-ISS signed a Memorandum of Agreement with the Philippines Civil Service Commission and the Private Sector Jobs and Skills Corporation to strengthen digital leadership for the country’s mid-to-senior civil servants and build a pipeline of digital-ready leaders.
From L to R: Mr Ramon L. Jocson, Chairman, BankWare Asia; Mr Sabin Aboitiz, Strategic Convenor, PSAC; Mr James Chan, Senior Director of Programmes, Temasek Foundation; Mr Joey Concepcion, Jobs Lead, PSAC; Mr Alfredo Ayala, Chairperson, PCORP; President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.; Atty. Marilyn Barua-Yap, Chairperson, PCSC; Ms Tessie Sy Coson, Education & Jobs Principal, PSAC; Mr Fernando Zobel de Ayala, Chair, Ayala Foundation; Ms Myla Villaneuva, Digital Lead, PSAC; Professor Tan Eng Chye, President, National University of Singapore
We are also working closely with Ayala Corporation in the Philippines and the Confederation of Indian Industry to reskill and upskill professionals through our AI programmes. These initiatives empower leaders and practitioners to leverage the power of AI to enhance productivity, improve decision-making, and gain a competitive edge in their industries.
NUS-ISS has been bridging communities and expanding our global footprint to advance digital talent development further beyond the shores of Singapore.
We built new global partnerships with organisations such as Saudi Aramco and the Digital Government Authority of Saudi Arabia. Through these collaborations, we are equipping Saudi professionals with the knowledge and expertise to harness the power of AI. They get the chance to pursue the Master of Technology in Artificial Intelligence Systems and pick up critical skills to foster digital innovation through programmes such as Government Process Reengineering and Artificial Intelligence.
Leading into the future
After more than 30 years of dedicated service, Mrs Yum Hui Yuen, is stepping down from her role as Director of Executive Education Programmes and Corporate Services. Throughout her time at NUS-ISS, she has played a pivotal role in shaping our culture, nurturing teams, and strengthening our programmes. From 2026, she will continue to share her expertise and guidance with us in a part-time advisory role.
We have introduced several key leadership changes within the senior management – to ensure continuity, strengthen our capabilities as we continue to drive our ISS2030 mission forward. Ms Amy Huang stepping in as Director-Designate, Executive Education Programmes; Mr Victor Chua expanding his portfolio as Deputy CEO to oversee the Strategic Growth & Enablement Group; and Ms Ku Yuen Wah assuming the role of Director, Customer Experience & Organisational Excellence. These appointments significantly enhance our leadership depth across three core organisational pillars.
Last but not least, to our staff, alumni, partners, and learners, thank you. Your trust, collaboration, and commitment are the driving forces toward our shared mission.
NUS-ISS remains committed to building the next generation of digital leaders, equipping them with the knowledge, skills, and mindset to navigate an evolving AI landscape. We will do this through continued digital transformation, curriculum innovation, and global partnerships that extend the institute’s impact worldwide.
With each bold step forward, we are growing closer to realising the NUS-ISS 2030 vision. Our progress is driven by visionary strategies spanning executive education and graduate programmes, deeper industry connections, a stronger international presence, and the fostering of organisational growth.
Let us stay committed to the path ahead. I am confident that with this renewed purpose, we can create deeper impact – far and wide. The best is yet to unfold.
Khoong Chan Meng
CEO, NUS-ISS
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