August 8, 2026

The Art History Minor Programme and the Department of History at the National University of Singapore will launch 700 Years of Visual Arts: Singapore in the World, a new blended teaching and learning initiative for NUS, local, and global learners.

Developed by the NUS Art History Minor Programme, Department of History, the course offers a longer, more connected, and inclusive approach to the teaching and learning of art histories through Singapore’s engagement with Southeast Asia and the world from the 9th to 19th centuries. It will be offered from August 2026 as an undergraduate blended learning course for NUS students, and from January 2027 as a Continuing Education and Training offering for a Singaporean and global learner base.

The course responds to a long-standing gap in art history education by asking what it might mean to teach “The Arts of Singapore” beyond familiar narratives of colonial Singapore and European art. Drawing on Singapore’s museums, archives, and national collections, 700 Years examines objects ranging from mass-produced ceramics and textiles to bespoke paintings, manuscripts, and natural history drawings. In doing so, it foregrounds Singapore’s deep history, regional connections, and place within wider global networks.

Designed in an online and blended format, the course adopts foundational art historical methods while incorporating technology-integrated and learner-centric pedagogies. It includes video lectures, lesson scripts, glossaries, readings, quizzes, and assessments, allowing learners to engage with Singapore and Southeast Asian art histories at their own pace. The course features over 700 images and objects, over 900 teaching slides, and more than 200 maps, infographics, and conceptual visualisations.

The launch event will feature a short course video and a Q&A session with the educators.

FASS community members can register here.

• Date and Time: Friday, 14 August 2026, 6:00–9:00 pm (Registration starts at 5:45pm)
• Venue: Ngee Ann Kongsi Auditorium, Education Resource Centre, Level 2, University Town (8 College Avenue East, Singapore 138677)
• Guest of Honour: Chang Hwee Nee, CEO, National Heritage Board, Singapore
• Welcome Remarks: Associate Professor Wang Jinping, Head, Department of History, National University of Singapore
• Speakers:
  • Professor Melvin Yap, Associate Provost, Education & Technology, National University of Singapore
  • Dr Priya Jaradi, Principal Educator, 700 Years
  • Dylan Chng, Co-Educator, 700 Years
  • Dr Donna Brunero, Senior Lecturer, Department of History, National University of Singapore
  • Professor T. K. Sabapathy, Department of Architecture, National University of Singapore

For more information, view the event flyer here(opens in new tab) and the programme prospectus here(opens in new tab).