Across NUS, Communities of Practice (CoPs) have been established in various industries and interest areas. Spanning groups devoted to everything from Robotic Process Automation (RPA) to Digital Enablement (DE), these CoPs provide support, resources and networking for their members, helping participants to stay apprised of the latest trends and best practices in their respective fields.
The newest entry to the list is the NUS Agility Network, launched in March 2023, during the Office of Human Resources’ People’s Day event.
The NUS Agility Network was launched in March 2023; from left: Theresa Ong, Koh Ser Hwee, Nur Jannah Binte Mohamed, Han Ming Guang, and NUS President Professor Tan Eng Chye
Currently open to staff members and alumni from the NUS Agility Office (AO) and its predecessor, the Organisational Excellence Transformation Unit (OETU), the network seeks to bring together NUS staff with an interest in increasing the University’s efficiency and responsiveness in an evolving higher education landscape.
“As our office operates on a short-term secondment model, our staff and alumni forge a diverse and expansive network across the University who share a unique experience,” said NUS Agility Office Director Mr. Roy Tan. “The Agility Network is a more formal way to both bring these staff together to learn from each other and to provide sustained support to our alumni as they continue to effect organisational change and improvement from their subsequent postings.”
A Microsoft Teams channel and WhatsApp group have been established for the Network to communicate, with members sharing news articles and events, posing questions, and seeking advice and assistance on challenges confronted in the course of their work.
A glance through the Teams chat highlights the range of the Network’s discussions: there are appeals for facilitators that can lead focus groups, an advertisement for an upcoming seminar on the future of artificial intelligence in higher education, as well as requests for departmental examples of innovation that can be amplified through AO’s newsletter Little Steps Forward.
“If we don’t know the answer to something, chances are there is someone within the group who does,” said NUS Agility Network Chairman, Mr. Han Ming Guang, a Senior Manager at the Office of the Provost. “We hope that by strengthening these relationships with one another, we can likewise facilitate collaboration opportunities across University departments and domains.”
In addition to its virtual presence, the CoP also aims to organise at least one event per quarter, offering a way for members to meet and interact face-to-face.
The NUS Agility Network’s first official event was held on 26 July 2023, hosting a Q&A session with the Deputy President (Administration), Mr. Clarence Ti. As much of the Agility Office’s work to date has involved or has impact upon the Administrative Cluster at NUS, the event was an opportunity to hear directly from DPA on University strategy while enjoying lunch with other Network members.
DPA Clarence Ti (centre, in jacket) pictured with the NUS Agility Network members
Mr. Ti spoke on a wide range of subjects, touching upon his leadership style, perspectives on success and failure (“success is helping others succeed”), and the potential tension between wellbeing and the University’s drive to transform (“we cannot slow down, but we can accelerate sustainably”). He also outlined the three main goals for the Administrative Cluster in the next few years, summed up as “1, 10, 100”: one million impact hours, 10 practice leadership areas, and 100 promising administrative leaders.
“I personally found DPA’s thoughts on leadership really eye-opening. It has made me reflect on how I should be leading and motivating my team and how I should carry myself as a leader," said Ming Guang.
In future, the Network aims to organise more events, potentially inclusive of workshops to increase members’ professional skills, seminars to encourage understanding of emerging technologies, field trips to learn about other University departments, as well as volunteer and social opportunities.
“We are excited about the Network and the potential that it carries,” said Ming Guang. “This extends beyond the personal support and sense of belonging that the community provides to the impact the Network can have on the University in terms of generating new ideas and solutions.”
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