The S Rajaratnam School of International Studies (RSIS) meets its endowment fund target within a year, bolstering its development as Asia's leading graduate school of international affairs.

RSIS' concerted fundraising efforts came to fruition when it successfully raised $40 million, including dollar-for-dollar matching from the Singapore government, after a year-long fundraising campaign.

The campaign benefited from the largesse of corporations, foundations and individuals, raising $40 million to enhance RSIS' global reputation as Asia-Pacific's leading institution for teaching and research on strategic issues, and as a key node in the global and regional network of scholars, universities and think tanks. 

The fundraising drive was headed by NTU Pro-Chancellor Chandra Das, with Mr Wong Kan Seng, Singapore's Deputy Prime Minister, and two former ministers, Mr S Dhanabalan and Mr Othman Wok, as advisers.

Said Ambassador Barry Desker, Dean of RSIS: "In the years ahead, we will use earnings from the RSIS Endowment Fund to engage world-class scholars to teach and undertake research at RSIS, send promising young staff to complete their PhD programmes in other universities as well as award scholarships to talented students pursuing their studies with us."

To date, RSIS, an autonomous graduate school of NTU, has set up two professorships with the endowment fund – the Ngee Ann Kongsi Professorship in International Relations and NTUC Professorship in International Economic Relations. RSIS has also established the annual S T Lee Lecture series, which invites distinguished scholars and policymakers to address a Singapore-wide audience.

Appreciating donors
In recognition of the donors' contributions to the RSIS Endowment Fund campaign, an appreciation dinner was held on 31 March at the Istana, presided over by Guest-of-Honour Singapore President S R Nathan, Patron of the RSIS Endowment Fund and NTU Chancellor. The event was attended by prominent guests including Minister for Defence Mr Teo Chee Hean; Minister of State for Education Mr Gan Kim Yong; Mr Koh Boon Hwee, Chairman of the NTU Board of Trustees; and Dr Andrew Chew, Chairman of the RSIS Board of Governors. The evening also saw President Nathan presenting tokens of appreciation to the Singapore Totalisator Board, Lee Foundation, Mr Lee Seng Tee, Ngee Ann Kongsi, PAP Community, Temasek Foundation and the NTUC Group, for their substantial donations to the RSIS Endowment Fund.

In his welcome address, Mr Chandra Das, NTU Pro-Chancellor and Chairman of the RSIS Fundraising Committee, expressed his gratitude to the many donors who had contributed to the endowment fund, including those who supported the fundraising activities of junior colleges and schools.

"The endowment raised by RSIS will give stability in supporting the School in its mission, to grow and to flourish," added Dr Su Guaning, President of NTU. "The generous support we received reflects the confidence that the world has in the School. I am certain RSIS will grow from strength to strength and make major contributions to NTU's standing as a top-tier research university with a multi-cultural reach."

Inaugurated in January 2007 at NTU, RSIS incorporates the Institute of Defence & Strategic Studies (IDSS), Centre of Excellence for National Security, International Centre for Political Violence and Terrorism Research, Centre for the Advanced Study of Regionalism and Multilateralism, and the Consortium of Non-Traditional Security Studies in Asia.


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