NUS chairman Hsieh Fu Hua to step down, hand reins to former civil service head Leo Yip

NUS chairman Hsieh Fu Hua (left) will be succeeded by former civil service chief Leo Yip.

PHOTOS: ST FILE, NATIONAL UNIVERSITY OF SINGAPORE

Published Sep 23, 2026, 07:25 PM

Updated Sep 23, 2026, 07:25 PM

NUS chairman Hsieh Fu Hua will step down on March 31, 2027, after leading the university for over a decade and driving key educational reforms and research initiatives.

Former civil service head Leo Yip will succeed Hsieh, bringing over 40 years of public service experience and leadership to guide NUS’s future development.

Singapore’s Education Minister praised Hsieh’s visionary work and expressed confidence in Yip’s ability to advance the university’s impact and growth.

SINGAPORE – National University of Singapore (NUS) chairman Hsieh Fu Hua will be stepping down on March 31 , 2027, after over a decade at the helm.

He will be succeeded by former civil service chief Leo Yip , who will take over the role from April 1 that year , NUS said in a statement on Sept 23.

Hsieh, an alumnus of the NUS Business School and the current National Wages Council chairman, joined the university’s council in 2003.

From 2006 to 2012, he served in NUS’ Board of Trustees, and later returned in 2017 as its chairman.

During his tenure, he worked closely with NUS president Tan Eng Chye and his leadership team to guide the university’s growth , the statement said.

NUS said it launched many initiatives during Hsieh’s tenure, such as the creation of new research platforms in areas of strategic importance to Singapore, and major educational reforms to promote interdisciplinary and lifelong learning.

This includes the establishment of the College of Humanities and Sciences , College of Design and Engineering, and NUS College .

Beyond academics, Hsieh also placed strong emphasis on student life to support their holistic growth, NUS said, adding that he also worked with the university’s Board and management to ensure its continued financial and campus climate sustainability.

“It has been most meaningful serving NUS through much of the time it became autonomous since 2006 ,” Hsieh said.

“Having fulfilled my part, it is my privilege now to hand over to Mr Leo Yip who will undoubtedly steward NUS much farther ahead.”

Yip, who has been the deputy chairman of the NUS Board of Trustees since April , will bring to his new role more than four decades of public service and leadership, NUS said.

From 2017 to April 1 , 2026, Yip served as the Head of Civil Service, where he helped transform Singapore’s public service and lead its collective response to the Covid-19 pandemic.

Before this, he served in various police appointment s , and as principal private secretary to then Senior Minister Lee Kuan Yew , as well as permanent secretary at the Ministry of Manpower , Ministry of Home Affairs , and Prime Minister’s Office.

Yip was also the founding chief executive of the Singapore Workforce Development Agency – which later became Workforce Singapore (WSG) – in 2003 . WSG merged with SkillsFuture in July to become the Skills and Workforce Development Agency.

From 2009 to 2014 , he served as chairman of the Economic Development Board.

Yip said he is “deeply honoured” to be appointed as chairman, adding that Hsieh has set an “exceptional standard of leadership, stewardship and dedicated service”.

He said: “I look forward to building on this strong foundation together with the Board, faculty, staff, and students, for NUS to grow in impact and in service of Singapore in its next phase of development.”

Commenting on the leadership succession, Tan thanked Hsieh for his “visionary leadership”.

Welcoming Yip into his new role, Tan added: “His wealth of experience in public service, strategic acumen and deep commitment to developing people and institutions will be instrumental in shaping NUS’ next chapter.”

Minister for Education Desmond Lee also thanked Hsieh for his dedication and service, adding that his “deep commitment to advancing education, learning, and research has been instrumental to NUS’ growth as a world-class university, and in enriching our higher education sector”.

He added: “I look forward to working with Mr Leo Yip as the incoming chairman and am confident that he will continue to steer NUS towards greater heights.”

Education and schools

新加坡国立大学主席谢福华（左）将由前公务员制度总监叶荣民接任。

图片来源：新加坡国立大学《海峡时报》档案

发布于 2026 年 9 月 23 日晚上 7:25

更新于2026年9月23日晚上7:25

新加坡国立大学主席谢福华将于2027年3月31日卸任，他领导该大学十余年，推动了多项重要的教育改革和研究计划。

前公务员首长叶耀文将接替谢志强，他将凭借40多年的公共服务经验和领导才能，指导新加坡国立大学的未来发展。

新加坡教育部长赞扬了谢先生富有远见的工作，并对叶先生提升大学的影响力和发展能力表示信心。

新加坡——新加坡国立大学（NUS）主席谢福华将于2027年3月31日卸任，结束其十余年的任期。

新加坡国立大学在9月23日发表的声明中表示，他将由前公务员制度总监叶荣民接任，叶荣民将于当年4月1日上任。

谢先生是新加坡国立大学商学院的校友，也是现任全国工资委员会主席，他于 2003 年加入该大学的理事会。

从 2006 年到 2012 年，他担任新加坡国立大学理事会成员，后来于 2017 年再次担任理事会主席。

声明称，在他任职期间，他与新加坡国立大学校长陈永财及其领导团队密切合作，指导大学的发展。

新加坡国立大学表示，在谢志强校长任期内，学校推出了许多举措，例如在对新加坡具有战略意义的领域创建新的研究平台，以及进行重大教育改革以促进跨学科和终身学习。

这其中包括人文与科学学院、设计与工程学院以及新加坡国立大学学院的成立。

新加坡国立大学表示，除了学术方面，谢家华也十分重视学生生活，以支持他们的全面发展。他还与大学董事会和管理层合作，以确保大学财务和校园氛围的持续可持续性。

谢教授说：“自2006年新加坡国立大学获得自治权以来，在大部分时间里为国立大学服务是最有意义的。”

“我已经完成了我的使命，现在很荣幸能将重任交给叶先生，他无疑会带领新加坡国立大学走向更美好的未来。”

新加坡国立大学表示，自今年4月起担任新加坡国立大学理事会副主席的叶先生，将为他的新职位带来超过40年的公共服务和领导经验。

从 2017 年到 2026 年 4 月 1 日，叶先生担任公务员首长，帮助新加坡改革公共服务，并领导新加坡集体应对新冠疫情。

在此之前，他曾担任过各种警务职务，并担任过时任高级部长李光耀的首席私人秘书，以及人力部、内政部和总理公署的常任秘书。

叶先生也是新加坡劳动力发展局（后更名为新加坡劳动力发展局，简称WSG）的创始首席执行官，该机构成立于2003年。WSG于7月与技能创前程（SkillsFuture）合并，成为技能与劳动力发展局。

2009年至2014年，他担任经济发展委员会主席。

叶先生表示，他“深感荣幸”能够被任命为主席，并补充说，谢先生树立了“卓越的领导力、管理能力和奉献精神”。

他说：“我期待与董事会、教职员工和学生们一起，在这个坚实的基础上继续努力，使新加坡国立大学在下一发展阶段的影响力和对新加坡的服务能力不断提升。”

在谈到领导层交接时，谭先生感谢谢先生的“富有远见的领导”。

陈先生对叶先生履新表示欢迎，并补充道：“他在公共服务领域拥有丰富的经验、卓越的战略眼光以及对人才和机构发展的坚定承诺，这将对塑造新加坡国立大学的下一个篇章起到至关重要的作用。”

教育部长李智陞也感谢谢先生的奉献和服务，并补充说，他对推进教育、学习和研究的“坚定承诺，对新加坡国立大学发展成为世界一流大学以及丰富我们的高等教育领域起到了至关重要的作用”。

他补充道：“我期待与即将上任的主席叶先生共事，并相信他将继续带领新加坡国立大学走向更高的高度。”

教育和学校