Let the Good Times Roll

NTU celebrates achievements with unexpected after-party.

By Colin Tung, Laura Lewis

Belting out The Beatles’s I Want to Hold Your Hand on the Nanyang Auditorium stage, NTU President Professor Bertil Andersson was in a mood to party after delivering his State of the University Address at the Celebrate NTU! event.

And he had good reason to do so. In the past year, according to his speech, NTU welcomed more top A-level students, climbed international university rankings, saw an increase in student experience, and secured an increase in research funding.

Prof Andersson’s speech also kicked off the inaugural Celebrate NTU! last Tuesday.

This annual event that celebrates the university’s recent achievements and recognises students, staff and faculty by giving out the Nanyang Awards.

I Want to Hold Your Hand was a fitting theme indeed, as much of NTU’s achievements was a result of combined effort between the university and students.

“We need your help and feedback to move things in the right direction — constructive criticism is something we are thankful for,” said Prof Andersson.

Students first

Greater communication between students and the university can be expected, said the NTU President.

It is now school policy that any significant changes to campus facilities will be accompanied by consultations with student leaders.

“This is a new model of student governance, or student democracy, where student leaders learn to take ownership and responsibility,” said Prof Andersson.

This new policy gives students more say in school affairs that are relevant to them, such as the design of new Halls of Residence, new student spaces and bus services.

In response to student feedback on NTU’s transport situation, Prof Andersson said the university will continually push the Land Transport Authority to complete the new Jurong Regional line as soon as possible. The Light Rail Transit line, which will connect to NTU, is slated for completion by 2025.

Funds have also been set aside to replace the Sports and Recreation Centre’s field with an artificial turf. Heavy rains led to the field’s closure last month.

In addition, eight new halls estimated to be built by 2015 will add 5,000 new hostel places.

This ensures that every undergraduate who wants to stay on campus will be able to do so, he said.

Celebrate at the Quad

“(Celebrate NTU!) is not just about my speech, lest it might be too boring a celebration,” Professor Andersson said.

He pointed out other activities like the Party at the Quad.

Headlined by Butter Factory DJs and hall jam bands, it was a night of music, food, and dance for students and professors alike.

“This event makes campus life more vibrant. There are many students from different faculties, and I met friends I haven’t seen in a while,” said Teoh Lai Xing, a second-year student from the School of Civil and Environmental Engineering.

The 23-year-old was at the event to perform as part of her hall’s jam band.

But some thought the atypical celebration event was a bizarre sight.

“It felt strange that there was a party going on in school, so much so that it was rather contrived,” said Ken Chin, 21, a first-year student from the School of Electronic and Electrical Engineering.

Explaining the reason behind hiring the DJs, the Associate Provost (Student Life), Associate Professor Kwok Kian Woon, said: “It’s because this sort of thing… appeals to everyone. There’s much to celebrate and it’s nice to see students celebrate together.”

“The students are naturally shy and all they needed was a little nudge to have fun,” he said.

“It’s just experimental — we’ll do it better next year,” he said.

Party at the Quad is a good example of the ongoing changes within the university — there is always room for improvement.

As Prof Andersson said: “Future success will require that faculty, staff and students work together, we need to communicate and interact.”