Former DPM Jayakumar appointed NUS pro-chancellor

Former deputy prime minister S. Jayakumar has been appointed a pro-chancellor of the National University of Singapore (NUS).

Yesterday, the university announced his appointment to a three-year term, which will start on July 1.

Professor Jayakumar will be joining the other pro-chancellors - Council of Presidential Advisers member Po'ad Mattar, former chief justice Chan Sek Keong, former banker Theresa Foo, Blackstone Singapore chairman Gautam Banerjee, and businessman Teo Siong Seng - in the university's chancellery.

The chancellery is headed by President Halimah Yacob, who is also NUS chancellor.

NUS said the pro-chancellors act on behalf of the chancellor during the chancellor's absence from the university, and preside at the annual commencement ceremonies.

Prof Jayakumar graduated top of his cohort at the then University of Singapore's law faculty in 1963, and joined the faculty as a lecturer in 1964. He was appointed dean and served from 1974 to 1980.

While there, he took leave to serve as Singapore's permanent representative to the United Nations and high commissioner to Canada from 1971 to 1974.

In 1980, he entered politics where he held portfolios including Minister for Law, Home Affairs, Labour (now known as Manpower) and Foreign Affairs, and Deputy Prime Minister, Senior Minister, and Coordinating Minister for National Security.

He retired from politics in 2011 and returned to NUS Law in October that year.

He is also a senior legal adviser to the Minister for Foreign Affairs.

NUS president Tan Eng Chye said of the new appointment: "Prof Jayakumar has had a long association with NUS - as a student, former dean of Law, and alumnus.

"Prof Jayakumar is a leading light to many in our community - his distinguished career in public service contributed to the growth and development of Singapore, as well as the advancement of legal education and the legal profession.

"We look forward to his contributions in NUS chancellery matters."