Courtesy of Yale NUS

As the Yale-NUS community grapples with the closure of the college at the end of this academic year, administrators and alumni paint a picture of loss, reflection and its enduring legacy.

Yale-NUS opened in 2013 as a partnership between Yale and the National University of Singapore. In July 2021, NUS President Tan Eng Chye GRD ’89 announced that Yale-NUS College would merge with the NUS University Scholars Programme, an existing interdisciplinary initiative, and be renamed “New College.” Yale’s name will be removed from the institution. 

President of Yale-NUS Joanne Roberts acknowledged the significance of this decision, reflecting on the impact Yale-NUS has had on the academic landscape. Alumni like April Hu ’84 and Kyle Kegang Wang ’85, who have been actively involved in discussions surrounding the closure, are navigating the emotions tied to the end of an institution that has played a pivotal role in their educational journeys. 

“Why did the closure of Yale-NUS college happen?” Hu said. “It could be a breakdown of communication of shared vision or something else, but instead of looking backwards, I think we should move forward and sincerely support more global collaborations between the world’s finest academic institutions.”

The original affiliation between Yale and NUS allowed either party to withdraw from the collaboration in 2025. The school also frequently came under scrutiny for issues of free expression since its creation. 

Roberts, the Yale-NUS president, reflected on the impact and legacy of Yale-NUS, highlighting the college’s achievements since welcoming its first class in 2013.

She emphasized the college’s significant contributions to the academic landscape, noting that Yale-NUS graduates have excelled in diverse fields such as astronomy, international policy, technology and public health, among others.

Roberts also underscored the efforts to share Yale-NUS’ educational model globally, including organizing a symposium in January 2024 and participating in international conferences. She pointed out that the new NUS College, or NUSC, formed in part through the contributions of Yale-NUS leadership and community members, draws heavily on the curriculum and experiences developed at Yale-NUS.

“There is great interest in strengthening and deepening liberal arts and sciences education in Singapore, and this interest will undoubtedly continue in the years to come,” she said.

Wang said that the initial agreement between Yale and the Singaporean government involved significant financial commitments from the Singaporean government, who primarily funded the institution, without clear long-term benefits to the local economy. He pointed out that Yale-NUS’ model of admitting a large number of international students who often left after graduation did not align with the goal of contributing to Singapore’s workforce.

“Every cost had to be paid by Singaporeans, locals and the Singaporean government,” Wang said. “Then they had the quota to educate students from outside, then after those students are educated, they leave. This didn’t help benefit or contribute to the Singaporean economy in terms of workforce.”

Wang added that although the college faced challenges, it remained a valuable educational experiment that showcased Yale’s commitment to high standards and cultural exchange.

Yale College Dean Pericles Lewis, who is also Yale-NUS’ founding president, voiced his disappointment over Yale-NUS’ closure and emphasized Yale’s commitment to the school.

“Yale was fully committed to the partnership and was happy to keep doing it for five, 10 more years,” Lewis said. “I worked very hard to try and negotiate a continuation. It was a unilateral decision on the part of NUS … We were disappointed because we were hoping to continue the partnership.”

Lewis did not support the dissolution of the school when it was announced in 2021. Regarding why Yale-NUS closed, Lewis told the News that NUS and “maybe Singapore in general” wanted more direct control of the program.

On adapting to the end of the partnership, Lewis explained that Yale is actively working to increase its options.

“We are trying to expand our study abroad programs for our undergraduates,” Lewis said. “It’s become much harder to create a bricks-and-mortar campus, so we now rely a lot more on partnerships where our students will travel to another university, but we won’t be involved in the governance in the same way.”

Reflecting on the college’s legacy, Roberts mentioned several community-led projects, such as the Yale-NUS Legacy website and upcoming commemorative events, which aim to celebrate and document the college’s history.

She expressed pride in the enduring network of Yale-NUS alumni, who continue to build lasting bonds and keep the spirit of the college alive through the newly formed Yale-NUS Club, an official society registered in Singapore.

A reception, one of the last events held on the campus, will be hosted in partnership with the Yale International Alliance and the Yale Alumni Association, providing an opportunity to commemorate the legacy of the institution alongside Yale alumni and Yale-NUS leadership

The reception will be on Nov. 8 in Singapore.

Karla Cortes contributed reporting. 

Corrections 9/23: This article has been corrected to accurately describe the reception hosted at Yale-NUS later this semester.