The National University of Singapore (NUS) today announced the launch of NUS Sustainable Futures (NUS SF), a whole-of-university initiative bringing together expertise from across its research ecosystem to advance interdisciplinary and cross-sector collaborations in addressing climate change challenges. Permanent Secretary for Sustainability and the Environment Mr Stanley Loh launched this new initiative as Guest-of-Honour.
As climate change challenges become more complex and global, solutions to address these challenges will need to cut across disciplines, sectors and geographies. As such, NUS SF will adopt a mission-driven, problem-solving approach by converging NUS researchers to collaborate across sustainability domains, as well as with stakeholders including industry and government partners both locally and across Asia.
Additionally, NUS SF will round out efforts by the University and its key partners in developing and delivering continuing education training programmes rooted in climate, conservation and sustainability science and actionable research. The aim is to help professionals in the sustainability sector chart meaningful career transitions and equip them with the domain knowledge to address critical policy issues and meet regulatory requirements.
NUS will invest S$10 million to support three research focus areas as well as the NUS Sustainability Academy under NUS SF. To date, NUS SF has helped NUS researchers secure external funding of around S$5 million for low carbon energy system and other sustainability-related research. It aims to raise additional funding from the Government and industry partners over the next 12 months.
NUS SF is led by Professor Koh Lian Pin, NUS Vice President (Sustainability and Resilience) and Chief Sustainability Scientist. Helming the University's sustainability agenda, Prof Koh oversees and champions sustainability-related research at NUS, tackling the twin planetary crises of climate change and biodiversity loss, through a whole-of-university strategy that bridges academia with policymakers, industry and civil society. He is also the Director of the NUS Centre for Nature-based Climate Solutions, as well as the Kwan Im Thong Hood Cho Temple Professor of Conservation.
Prof Koh said, "Today's launch of NUS Sustainable Futures is just the beginning - with seed funding from the University to support cross‑pillar research projects, and capacity building through our Sustainability Academy. Driven by Public‑Private‑People partnership, NUS Sustainable Futures is our blueprint to build a greener, more resilient, and low‑carbon future."
Key pillars of NUS Sustainable Futures
Research in NUS SF will centre around strategic Sustainability Missions which will investigate wide-ranging Sustainability Challenges that will be tackled by Sustainability Communities through partnerships.
(i) Sustainability Missions
Currently, nearly one in three NUS faculty conducts sustainability-related research ranging from green hydrogen innovations for climate change mitigation, to nature-based and engineered solutions for coastal protection and adaptation, and sustainable redevelopment strategies for urban resilience. The University hopes to leverage this momentum to deepen its environmental impact while fostering greater collaboration across different disciplines, sectors and geographies.
NUS SF has identified three focal areas that had risen in salience over the last decade. In response, it will converge researchers in STEM, the social sciences and policy domains across NUS, as well as industry, government, philanthropic and civil society partners, to anticipate and identify emerging sustainability challenges, and develop cross-cutting programmes or solutions to address these challenges.
One of the focal areas pertains to energy sustainability and resilience, particularly in tropical and urban settings, as the world transits to a low-carbon economy. This will be led by Professor Lee Poh Seng, Co-Director of the NUS Energy Solutions Hub under NUS SF and Head of the Department of Mechanical Engineering at the College of Design and Engineering (CDE).
Another focal area is on advancing technological innovations and nature-based solutions to address climate change, biodiversity loss and environmental degradation. This will be led by Associate Professor L. Roman Carrasco, Co-Director of Initiatives for Climate, Oceans & Nature under NUS SF, and Deputy Head of the Department of Biological Sciences at the Faculty of Science.
The third focal area is to enhance urban resilience and sustainability in Singapore and the ASEAN region. This will be led by Associate Professor Yuan Chao, Co-Director of Integrative Urban Solutions under NUS SF, and Deputy Head (Research) of the Department of Architecture at CDE.
(ii) Sustainability Academy
Today, NUS offers a diverse spectrum of more than 800 sustainability-centric undergraduate, postgraduate and continuing education and training (CET) courses. Building upon this, the new Sustainability Academy― a collaborative effort between NUS SF and the NUS School of Continuing and Lifelong Education―will curate and develop a holistic suite of CET courses, from across NUS faculties and schools, to prepare the workforce in Singapore and the region for a low-carbon economy. These courses cover sustainability topics such as climate, nature, energy and green finance.
The Sustainability Academy will offer a new Professional Certificate in Carbon Services and Trading comprising a series of three courses which will be held in June, August and September 2025. The Professional Certificate seeks to support the national agenda of developing Singapore into a carbon services and trading hub by equipping professionals to take on new and emerging roles in carbon markets. It is developed after validation and in collaboration with industry professionals and government agencies such as the Singapore Economic Development Board and Enterprise Singapore.
Under a new partnership with the Ministry of Sustainability and the Environment, the Academy has also refreshed the curriculum for its signature Climate Change and Sustainability 101 Course for Public Officers. To support the public sector's current and future sustainability efforts while upskilling its workforce, the course has been expanded to include additional topics on green supply chain and procurement, water sustainability as well as waste recycling.
(iii) Sustainability Plaza
The Sustainability Plaza will showcase NUS' sustainability research and thought leadership, and help facilitate engagements between the University with industry, government and other stakeholders in exploring partnership and entrepreneurial opportunities. It will also coordinate the hosting of distinguished visitors to NUS; facilitate participation of NUS researchers in major international and national sustainability events; and organise outreach events and social engagements with stakeholders.
NUS Sustainable Futures Forum
Themed "Accelerating science translation through Public-Private-People partnership", the NUS Sustainable Futures Forum was held on 6 May 2025 in conjunction with the launch of NUS SF. A partner event of Ecosperity Week 2025, the forum featured four insightful panel discussions which mirror the key pillars of NUS SF:
- Advancing Grid Modernisation and Renewable Energy Integration for a Sustainable Future
- Transformational Changes for Climate-resilient Agriculture in Southeast Asia
- Capacity Building Track by NUS Sustainability Academy
- Inclusive Cities for a Sustainable Future: Community, Health and Social Capital
