NUS’ Tropical Technologies Laboratory (T2 Lab) hosts cutting edge technology used in their MEM programme.
The battle against climate change has picked up substantially over the past decade with nations across the globe coming together to adopt carbon-neutral policies. Asia has become a particular region of interest as it is home to some of the densest cities in the world and over half the total world population.
Academic director of the National University of Singapore (NUS)’s MSc (Environment Management) (MEM) Dr Eddie Lau Siu-Kit notes that there is still a lot of uncertainty regarding the projected effects of climate change in Asia.
“Because of our compact urban cities, Asia produces a different combination of harmful emissions that may require specialised solutions when compared to other regions. We must work hard if we want to hit our goals within the coming decades, and I believe our MEM programme will push the regional sustainability movement in the right direction.”
The NUS has 23 years of experience as pioneers of sustainability education in South-East Asia, with many MEM students having published work during and after their time at NUS. Recently, the university has set its sights on achieving carbon neutrality by 2030 with the MEM programme as a cornerstone towards that goal.
A multidisciplinary education
The MEM programme utilises the expertise of six prestigious NUS academic units, all in areas relevant to sustainability management: NUS Business School, NUS College of Design and Engineering, NUS Faculty of Science, NUS Faculty of Law, NUS Lee Kuan Yew School of Public Policy and NUS School of Continuing and Lifelong Education.
National University of Singapore Academic director Dr Eddie Lau Siu-Kit believes that it is important that all three pillars of sustainability make progress simultaneously to effectively combat the climate crisis.
Dr Lau highlights that this recent overhaul was done to better prepare students to tackle the increasing complexity of environmental issues through a broader approach to sustainability.
“We once had a guest speaker talk about coastal protection in Singapore focused on preventing floods. One student raised an interesting question: could implementing these coastal protections lead to harmful consequences for the animals living in the sea? In this field, we sometimes try to solve one problem and end up creating another.”
The MEM programme covers sustainability from an environmental, economic and social perspective through data-driven analysis. Its curriculum includes a capstone project and 12 elective units that offer students the opportunity for further specialisation into select areas of interest.
Dr Lau believes that it is important that all three pillars of sustainability make progress simultaneously to effectively combat the climate crisis in South-East Asia.
With the government set on accelerating environmental, social and governance (ESG) principles, understanding sustainable practices has become an essential skill for working professionals. Due to its multidisciplinary approach to sustainability and flexible career path, the MEM programme attracts a diverse range of talented and experienced professionals across sectors such as finance, education, energy and more.
Dr Lau believes MEM’s multifaceted approach to learning is its greatest strength. Many MEM graduates return to their former professions with a broader perspective on environmental sustainability, allowing them to tackle issues holistically and collaborate with like-minded peers in the ongoing battle against climate change.
Graduates also have the opportunity to fully transition into a sustainability profession and work as an environmental consultant, a green finance assessor, an ESG officer and even a chief sustainability officer.
Prestigious partnerships
Ranking in the top 10 universities worldwide in the QS World University Rankings 2024, the university’s MEM programme has longstanding partnerships with other top universities across the globe.
In particular, the USA’s Yale University School of Forestry and Environmental Studies and the Nicholas School for the Environmental and Earth Sciences at Duke University are amongst the world’s most well-established and renowned institutions in the field of sustainability. Dr Lau highlights that these partnerships have offered a host of opportunities for enrolled students to exchange ideas about sustainability with the Western world.
“We sometimes invite professors from these universities as guest lecturers, where they will discuss their own sustainability programmes and how they tackle climate change. Our programmes naturally differ in approach as they are catered towards our own region’s needs, so there are always new insights to learn when exchanging knowledge and ideas with our international peers.”
Despite its already impressive history, Dr Lau shares his goals to elevate the MEM programme into becoming a world-class curriculum in alignment with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (UNSDG) for both quality education and climate action.
He believes that under MEM tutelage, graduates will be empowered to drive regional climate protection into a new era through influencing policy, educating the workforce and navigating the complicated landscape of modern environmental issues.
For more information about the programme, visit https://scale.nus.edu.sg/programmes/graduate/msc-(environmental-management) today.
