Professor Tan Eng Chye is a passionate and award-winning educator. He was a pioneer architect of the current academic system in NUS, and has seeded many initiatives such as the Special Programme in Science, University Scholars Programme, University Town Residential College Programme, Grade-free Year, and Technology-enhanced Education.

Professor Tan holds a First Class Honours Degree in Mathematics from the National University of Singapore and PhD from Yale University.

Professor Tan is a member of the Singapore’s Future Economy Council.  He is on the boards of the Agency for Science, Technology and Research (A*STAR); National Research Foundation; and NUS High School of Mathematics and Sciences. He is the Chair of Universitas 21, a leading global network of 27 research-intensive universities.

Professor Tan received the Public Administration Medal (Gold) in 2014 for his outstanding contributions to education. He was awarded the Wilbur Lucius Cross Medal, which honours exceptional alumni in the areas of scholarship, teaching, academic administration and public service, by Yale University in 2018.  Professor Tan was conferred an Honorary Doctor of Science from the University of Southampton in 2018 in recognition of his achievements as “an innovative and exceptional teacher, and then as a distinguished and respected leader in academia”.