NUS Business School’s global network of students and alumni continues to expand with the Eastern China Alumni Network with the launch of the Zhejiang Chapter on 25 April in Hangzhou, China.

At the helm is Chapter President Mr Wang Yubo (’01), supported by Secretary General Ms Jin Wenli (’13). The Chapter aims to expand outreach through more networking events and educational programmes to current Business School students and alumni who are based in Zhejiang. The Chapter will collaborate closely with other overseas chapters, including the Northern and Southern China Alumni Networks.

Ms Sim Ann, Senior Minister of State, Ministry of Communications and Information & Ministry of Culture, Community and Youth (then-Senior Minister of State, Ministry of Trade and Industry); Mr Low Tuck Wai, Consul–General, Singapore Consulate-General in Shanghai; and Mr Png Cheong Boon, Chief Executive Officer of Enterprise Singapore, unveiled the Chapter; with Associate Professor Chong Juin Kuan, Vice Dean of PhD Studies, NUS Business School, and Associate Professor Fu Qiang (’01), Director of the China Business Centre of NUS Business School.

Attendees of the event also participated in the West Lake Dialogue, discussing business opportunities and potential project ideas between Singapore and Zhejiang.

On Earth Day (22 April), five Master of Science (Environmental Management) (MEM) alumni and Associate Professor Lye Lin-Heng (Chair, Progamme Management Committee, MEM Programme) gathered on Bantayan, a little island near Cebu, Philippines. They were there with many other green enthusiasts, to celebrate the reopening of the School of the SEA (Sea and Earth Advocates) after it was destroyed by Typhoon Haiyan in 2013.

The group was invited by its founder, the famous environmental attorney Mr Antonio Oposa Jr., whose milestone case fought in the name of future generations against the Filipino government is a compulsory study for all MEM students.

At SEA, “waste” is sought to be deleted from their lexicon. Organic matter is turned into compost, sewage is channelled into the soil as fertiliser; while non-biodegradable items are ground into tiny fragments, and mixed with cement and water to be used as construction material. Rainwater is collected and vegetables are grown. The School of the SEA is simple, basic and well-connected with nature — a place that walks the talk.

It was a great opportunity for the group to interact and exchange ideas, experiences and opinions with other guests from all over the world of diverse backgrounds. It was heart-warming to see SEA rebuilt after a catastrophe, bringing together people with a common cause, showing support for the quest for sustainability.