S. Rajaratnam School of International Studies

03/08/2026

03/08/2026

To wrap up our RSIS Day celebrations, we had a wonderful time last Friday reconnecting with our esteemed alumni at our annual alumni dinner! 🎉 With over 200 in attendance, it was a very fun night of networking, reminiscing our shared experiences, and celebrating our ever-growing RSIS Community.

We also had the pleasure of welcoming Distinguished Fellow Dr Mohamad Maliki Osman as the guest of honour for the evening. In his speech, Dr Maliki highlighted that in an era of geopolitical uncertainty, the ability to think strategically has never been more important and urged RSIS graduates to be among those guiding the way forward. He cited that the high calibre of RSIS academic standards is demonstrated by distinguished alumni that have attained positions of influence, and every single one of our students have made RSIS proud through their career accomplishments.

At the dinner, we presented the 2026 Teaching Award, which recognises outstanding educators who go above and beyond in shaping engaging and impactful learning experiences at RSIS. This year, the award was presented to Dr Su-Hyun Lee, Deputy Head of Graduate Studies and Senior Associate Fellow.

“I feel deeply honoured and privileged to receive the 2026 RSIS Teaching Award. Teaching at RSIS over the past years has been a focal point where I share my knowledge about geopolitical and economic affairs but also get inspired by insights and questions from students. I would like to express deep gratitude to my students, colleagues, and mentors who have accompanied me on this journey and share this honour with all of them.” – Dr Su-Hyun Lee

🎉 Congratulations, Dr Lee! To everyone who attended, thank you for being part of such a special evening. Your continued support and connection to RSIS are what make our alumni community so vibrant. Here's to celebrating the memories we've shared and creating many more together! 🙌 🥳

Read Dr Maliki’s full speech here: https://rsis.edu.sg/rsis-speeches-article/rsis/speech-by-dr-mohamad-maliki-osman-rsis-distinguished-fellow-and-guest-of-honour-at-the-rsis-alumni-dinner-2026/

03/08/2026

One team wearing multiple hats. Handling over $60K in various currencies. And a mandate to make sense of what was happening in the world. That was how the early days of RSIS was like. 🤝

30 years later, RSIS has grown tremendously into a global graduate school and pre-eminent think tank, making our mark in the world. By remembering our purpose, trusting in our processes, and perhaps most importantly, cherishing our people, we have indeed come along way, as we celebrate three decades of RSIS. 🌏

These are our people, these are their stories. And we can't wait to see how the next 30 years and beyond will look like! ✨

02/08/2026

The signing of various agreements at the recently concluded Singapore-Indonesia Leaders’ Retreat highlights the breadth and depth of the bilateral relationship. The commitment from both leaders to critical areas of cooperation, from energy and defence to freedom of navigation, is important as we approach 60 years of diplomatic relations in 2027.

Read more in RSIS Commentary “The 2026 Singapore-Indonesia Leaders Retreat: Strengthening the Partnership” by Alexander R. Arifianto, Senior Fellow and Coordinator of the Indonesia Programme at the Institute of Defence and Strategic Studies (IDSS), RSIS and Nicholas Lim, Senior Fellow at IDSS and was the Singapore Defence Attache to Indonesia from 2019 to 2022.

Click the link below to read the full commentary:
https://rsis.edu.sg/CO26161

Image credit: Prime Minister’s Office Singapore

01/08/2026

What a day it was! 🎊

From meaningful conversations to memorable celebrations, here are some of the highlights from this year's RSIS Day! ✨

A heartfelt thank you to everyone who joined us and made the day such a memorable one. Until next year!

31/07/2026

Congratulations to the RSIS graduating Class of 2026! 🎓

Today, we celebrate not only your achievement, but also the dedication and resilience that you have shown that brought you to this milestone. From thought-provoking discussions and rigorous research to lasting friendships… we hope your journey at RSIS has been one of growth and discovery.

A special shout-out goes to our Gold Medal recipients for their outstanding academic achievements! They are:

Syed Muhammad Bin Ismail - The Lion Group Gold Medal
Fiennes Ivo Nathaniel Lei - The United Overseas Bank Gold Medal
Ang Sia Yong James - The Rajabali Jumabhoy Foundation Gold Medal
Li Yaqi - The Liow Keng Teck and Dorothy Liow Gold Medal
Maitri Srivastava - Tay Seow Huah Book Prize

As you embark on the next chapter, we hope you carry forward the perspectives and connections you've built here. Wherever your path leads, may you continue to make a meaningful impact and approach the future with confidence.

Congratulations once again, and we wish you every success in your journey ahead! 🎉

31/07/2026

As part of our RSIS Day celebrations, we also said hello to our newest batch of students! 👋

Our incoming cohort was warmly welcomed by Dean of RSIS, Prof Kumar Ramakrishna, alongside the Coordinators of our MSc programmes, before joining our staff and continuing students at the RSIS Day celebrations, and getting to know one another through team bonding activities and a campus tour later in the afternoon. Amb Ong Keng Yong, Executive Deputy Chairman of RSIS, also welcomed the students, encouraging them that despite being from different parts of the world, we warmly welcome them to join the RSIS family, and being a part of RSIS meant being able to “benefit from both the academic and intellectual capital in both RSIS and NTU.”

We wish all our students an enriching and memorable experience, and we can't wait to see all that you'll accomplish!

30/07/2026

Celebrating RSIS Day 2026! 🎉 This year’s RSIS Day was especially significant as we commemorated 30 years of RSIS. The RSIS community; comprising staff, students, and alumni; came together for an afternoon of celebration, with good food, gifts, activities, and yes, meaningful conversations with each other! A huge thank you to everyone who came down to be part of this joyous occasion, and not forgetting the team who worked hard over the past few months to make today’s celebrations possible.

30 years of RSIS would certainly not have been possible without our people.

This year, we presented our Long Service Awards – ranging from 5 years to 30 years – to 31 of our staff, to recognise their dedication and hard work!

A special shoutout to Prof Ang Cheng Guan (Principal Research Fellow and Associate Dean) for receiving the 30 Years Long Service Award! 👏 Over the past 30 years, Prof Ang has made significant contributions to advancing knowledge through his prolific research and publications while shaping the growth of RSIS through his leadership and mentorship, and we extend our deepest appreciation for his unwavering dedication to scholarship and education.

Congratulations to all award winners! Thank you to all who attended to celebrate with us! 🥳