On 18 April 2005, the Singapore government announced its plan to develop two casinos in Singapore, one on Sentosa island and the other in the district of Marina Bay. This controversial decision was made despite strong and persistent opposition from the public. In defense of its plan, the government hailed the move as one necessary […]

While digital platforms can facilitate timely information exchange as well as civic engagement, they can also be used to manipulate opinions and behaviour, spread panic and to amplify divides. Indeed, instant messaging platforms are double-edged swords, manifested clearly amidst the COVID-19 outbreak. Dr Natalie Pang (NUS Centre for Trusted Internet and Community and NUS Department […]

World Water Day is observed annually on March 22 to celebrate the importance of water. More importantly, it serves as a day to raise awareness on water issues, advocate for sustainable water use and distribution, and inspire people to make better use of water. These objectives are targeted through initiatives such as advertising, discussions, and […]

In 1961, the International Theatre Institute (ITI) initiated World Theatre Day on 27th March, now celebrated by theatre practitioners, fans, and schools across the world. Each year, an outstanding figure in theatre or a person who is outstanding in heart and spirit from another field is invited to share their reflections on theatre and international […]

  Since the 1950s, Singapore’s mangrove extent has declined by more than 90 percent. However, because of the growing concern of climate change and the instrumental role that mangrove forests can play in protecting human infrastructure on land, the government has announced plans to restore them. In ‘Restoring mangroves to protect coasts, reduce warming’ by […]

While global mangrove destruction rates in the 21st century have declined significantly from those reported for previous decades, Eco-Business reveals that mangrove destruction rates in Southeast Asia (SEA), in particular, are twice as much as the global average and faster than anywhere else. These findings are cited from an international study on the state of […]

  In this months’ Straits Times’ “Ask NUS” column, Dr Kelvin Seah Kah Cheng’s (NUS Economics) article on “How can we tell if women are discriminated against in the labour market?” examines the methods in which the gender pay gap can be credibly measured. He points out that while Singapore’s median monthly salary of full-time […]

World Social Work Day is celebrated annually on the third Tuesday of March. As such, this month we turn the spotlight on social work practices in Singapore, and on those who work diligently behind the scenes to offer assistance in our communities. Dr Rosaleen Ow, Senior Lecturer from NUS Department of Social Work, and Ms […]

On 12 March 1990, the Creative Arts Programme (CAP) was established by the Ministry of Education’s Gifted Education Unit in collaboration with the National University of Singapore’s Department of English Language and Literature. CAP is an annual creative writing programme open to secondary and junior college students. Comprising of a seminar and a nine-month mentorship […]

As part of a monthly feature, ‘Singapore Shelf’, Ms Olivia Ho from The Straits Times spotlights eight hot-off-the-press books authored by local writers. Among them are Imperial Creatures: Humans and Other Animals in Colonial Singapore (NUS Press, 2019) by Associate Professor Timothy Barnard (NUS Department of History) and Thomas Stamford Raffles: Schemer or Reformer (NUS […]