November 25, 2021

Book Launch: The Strange Start of Psychology at the National University of Singapore (NUS Press, 2021), Friday, December 10, 11am 

The Psychology programme at the National University of Singapore (NUS) began 35 years ago and is today highly popular with students, while the general public in Singapore has begun to appreciate what psychology has to offer as a hub discipline that straddles many fields. Things, however, were not always as such, nor was the development of the programme smooth sailing. This book traces the journey of NUS Psychology — how it started in 1986 as a programme in the Department of Social Work before becoming an independent Department of Psychology in 2005. Set within a historical context of prevailing sentiments and challenges of the times, this account of the journey illustrates how the start of NUS Psychology was in many ways a strange one. Golden nuggets of information and insights, as well as useful lessons that can be learned from this strange start, are provided by the author — John Elliott, who walked this entire journey.

During the webinar, the guests of honour — Professor Tan Tai Yong, Emeritus Professor S Vasoo and Associate Professor Chua Fook Kee will reminisce about the development of the Psychology programme at the National University of Singapore and share their experiences during that period. The webinar will be moderated by Associate Professor Melvin Yap.

Learn more about the event here and register for the webinar here.