I am very pleased to be here this evening to officiate at the opening of the NTU Alumni Town Club.

NTU is a young University.

Established in 1981, NTU has been in operation for less than twenty years.

Notwithstanding its short history, NTU has established itself as one of the best Universities in the region.

Asiaweek magazine, for example, ranked NTU 4^th amongst Asia’s science and technology universities.

NTU has carved out an important niche as a technological leader preparing students for leadership positions in industry and business in the 21^st century.

Although formally established as a university in 1991, NTU’s history stretches back from the Nanyang Technological Institute to Nanyang University which was established in 1955.

Including the graduates of NTI and Nanyang University, NTU today has an alumni numbering over 30,000 graduates.

The graduates span a wide spectrum of industry and business.

Many of the older graduates from Nanyang University are well established in their professions and businesses.

The younger graduates from NTI or NTU are in the process of establishing themselves in their careers.

To grow as a university, NTU needs the support of alumni to contribute to the development of the university through participation in NTU’s numerous committees and through financial contributions.

Strong support from alumni is a hallmark of all great universities, particularly in the United States.

To provide a focus for alumni activities and to serve as a link between the alumni and the university, the NTU Alumni, which was then called the NTI Alumni Association, was established with 20 graduates in 1986.

Today, NTU Alumni number over 4,000 members.

In 1994, the NTU Alumni opened its first clubhouse at the Bukit Timah Campus.

As the Bukit Timah Clubhouse had only very basic facilities, the NTU Alumni identified these premises next to the vibrant Clarke Quay area to establish its Town Club.

Renovated at a cost of more than $1 million, the NTU Alumni Town Club is designed to cater to the needs of both the younger and older graduates.

I congratulate the NTU Alumni for establishing this Town Club which will become a significant hub for networking amongst NTU graduates.

Beyond regular interaction, the NTU members can organise activities, discuss business prospects and secure winning ideas for business ventures.

In time, the NTU Alumni Town Club can become a hearth where rich traditions are passed from one cohort of graduates to another.

The fact that both the Nantah graduates and the younger NTU graduates have decided to work together to develop this Club rather than go their separate ways augurs well for the alumni and the university.

I congratulate the Management Committee and the members of the NTU Alumni for this bold achievement and I wish the Association continuing success in the years ahead.

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