Chongqing – Nanyang Technological University (NTU) Singapore held its 17th China graduation ceremony in Chongqing on September 20, where more than 300 graduates gathered to celebrate their academic achievements.

Degrees were awarded across seven Chinese-taught master's programs, including the Nanyang EMBA, Finance, Entrepreneurship and Innovation, Educational Administration, Executive Public Administration, Executive Managerial Economics, and Managerial Economics.

Nine graduates were also recognized for completing research projects under the prestigious Lien Ying Chow Legacy Fellowship (LYCLF), a flagship talent exchange program between Singapore and China that develops leaders to drive bilateral cooperation and innovation.

Nanyang Technological University (NTU), Singapore, held its 17th China graduation ceremony in Chongqing. (Photo/NTU)

In his keynote address, NTU President Ho Teck Hua shared his own career experience at Singapore's Economic Development Board and highlighted the story of Kevin Lim, recipient of the 2023 Nanyang Alumni Achievement Award. He urged graduates to look beyond titles and salaries in defining success, and instead to focus on the deeper meaning and value of their work.

Among this year's graduates was Rao Ya, principal of Chongqing Chaoyang Middle School and recipient of a Master's in Educational Administration. She said it was a proud moment to graduate in her hometown, adding that NTU's forward-looking educational philosophy has strengthened both her academic foundation and her hands-on management practice.

NTU emphasizes practical, hands-on learning. Inspired by this approach, Chongqing Chaoyang Middle School has adopted differentiated education, offering a range of school-based programs that provide students with diverse opportunities and support their development in various ways.

Rao noted that the partnership between NTU and Chongqing Municipal Education Commission has trained more than 200 principals since 2016, including 35 from Chongqing this year. The Chongqing Chaoyang Middle School has longstanding ties with Singapore, carrying out teacher training and cultural exchanges both online and offline, with plans to deepen cooperation in the years ahead.

The ceremony also highlighted broader China-Singapore collaboration. 2025 marks the 10th anniversary of the China-Singapore (Chongqing) Demonstration Initiative on Strategic Connectivity. Building on a memorandum of understanding signed last year, NTU and the Chongqing Municipal Government are working to integrate industry, academia, and research, with cooperation in fields such as AI, urban governance, talent development, and the low-altitude economy.

Since the one-year Chinese-taught programs end in early autumn, graduates do not participate in NTU's main July commencement in Singapore. To celebrate their achievements, NTU has held special ceremonies in China since 2006, with Chongqing chosen as the host for the first time this year.

One of Singapore's two largest public universities, NTU is home to more than 35,000 students and consistently ranks among the world's top universities. The school has long emphasized engagement with China, from offering Chinese-taught master's programs since 1992 to partnering with leading institutions including Tsinghua, Peking, and Fudan universities, as well as tech companies like Alibaba.