NCL in Action 25/26: Inviting alumni in Singapore and Malaysia to join the conversation and shape a better future
We’ve recently returned from a jam-packed trip in Southeast Asia in which we reconnected with our alumni communities in Singapore and Malaysia to facilitate a global conversation on the rifts and shifts facing society.
27 November 2025
Uniting our alumni community in Southeast Asia to tackle the big issues of today
As part of this year’s NCL in Action programme, alumni in Singapore and Malaysia were invited to meet with senior leaders from our university this November to discuss how Newcastle is responding to today’s big challenges – and preparing students for the future.
In a world shaped by shifting geopolitical landscapes, rapid technological change, economic uncertainty and the climate emergency, Newcastle University has a responsibility to society and its students. Alumni attendees heard from Newcastle University’s Vice-Chancellor and President, Professor Chris Day CBE, as well as senior leaders based in-country, to discover how we’re tackling these rifts and shifts head-on.
It was wonderful to reconnect with our alumni communities in these key regions, which are home to Newcastle University’s two international campuses. Thank you to all who joined us.
Engaging an audience spanning four generations
On Wednesday 12 November, around 60 alumni – spanning the Class of 1972 to Class of 2025! – met at the Four Seasons Hotel in Kuala Lumpur to hear from Professor Dennis Wong and Professor Vishna Nadarajah on Newcastle University’s plans for the region and latest developments.
Professor Wong has been at Newcastle University since September 2023 and is the Regional Provost and Group CEO (East and Southeast Asia). In this role, he has strategic leadership responsibility over our international campuses and partnerships in the region. Meanwhile, Professor Nadarajah is CEO and Vice-Provost of Newcastle University Medicine Malaysia, our international campus in Johor which trains the next generation of medical practitioners.
Newcastle University Medicine Malaysia (NUMed) opened in November 2011 and is the first fully owned international branch campus for medicine established by a UK university. Since then, over 1,500 medical students have graduated from NUMed, with graduates able to apply to practice in both the UK and Malaysia. And today, NUMed is a broader life sciences campus, with a Sports and Exercise Science degree programme soon launching.
Two days later and 220 miles south, alumni in Singapore descended on the Tanglin Club to join the conversation with Vice-Chancellor and President, Professor Chris Day CBE, and Provost and CEO of Newcastle University in Singapore (NUiS), Professor Jonathan Galloway.
Newcastle University has had a stronghold in Singapore since 2007, originally focusing on the marine sector (which our city has a longstanding history in), and Newcastle has been a popular destination for Singaporean students since the 1960s. Today, we deliver undergraduate Engineering courses in partnership with Singapore Institute of Technology, and postgraduate courses at the Newcastle Research and Innovation Institute (NewRIIS), with exciting plans to launch an MSc Energy Management programme in September 2026.
It was another fantastic turnout, with Singapore guests again spanning graduating classes from the past five decades! Following the formal updates at both events, alumni were invited to ask questions of our senior leadership team before enjoying catching up with fellow graduates and reminiscing on their time at university.
How you can reconnect with your alumni community in Southeast Asia
Newcastle University has established Alumni Networks in both Singapore and Malaysia, helping graduates in these regions to build both social and professional connections.
The Singapore Alumni Network was established in early 2023 following Newcastle University’s celebrations in reaching 250,000 alumni worldwide, and our Malaysian alumni community followed suit in 2024. Both networks are open to graduates from any of Newcastle’s three global campuses and strive to foster collaboration and participation amongst alumni from diverse backgrounds, with social events, mentorship and entrepreneurial innovation central to their activity.
While in Southeast Asia, Laney Wang, International Alumni Manager, also met with graduates in Jakarta to discuss plans for a new Alumni Network in Indonesia. Stay tuned!
What’s next in the NCL in Action programme?
Vice-Chancellor and President Professor Chris Day CBE will be reconnecting with our alumni community in India in early 2026 to continue the global conversation around how we can best respond to the societal ‘rifts and shifts’ facing the world. Events are planned in Mumbai and New Delhi in February 2026, with details and registration to come soon.
We’ll also be joined by our friends at Debate Mate for a three-part accredited online workshop designed to help alumni and students communicate with confidence. This free CPD opportunity will explore how to present with impact, navigate difficult conversations and adapt messaging for different audiences. All key skills in a changing world!
And in the spring, we’ll hear from changemakers in our university community in a series of thought-provoking lectures as we take on the big issues facing the world: from climate change to the rise of misinformation.