Conference Location

The Obligations IV conference for 2008 will be held at the charming Bukit Timah Campus.

History

Home previously to a number of institutions, Bukit Timah Campus has a long rich academic history. Institutions located at Bukit Timah Campus include Raffles College (1928-1949), the University of Malaya (1949-1962), the University of Singapore (1962-1981), the Institute of Education (1982-2000) and the Singapore Management University (2001-2005).

Raffles College (1920s)

Built in the 1920s on a piece of land donated by the Straits Settlement Government, Bukit Timah Campus was first built to be the campus ground for Raffles College, a college for the higher education in arts and sciences. Funds were raised from the public and some of the biggest donations were from Sir Manasseh Mayer, Oei Tiong Ham and Eu Tong Sen. The original design of Bukit Timah Campus was by Cyril A Farey and Graham D Dawbam of London and it was the winning design of an (British) empire-wide architectural competition in 1922. Raffles College was officially opened on 22 July 1929.

University of Malaya (1949-1962)

In 1949, following the recommendation by a Commission on Education in Malaya, the University of Malaya was created with the merger of Raffles College and King Edward VII College of Medicine. The faculties of law and engineering were added to the existing faculties of arts, science and medicine.

University of Singapore (1962-1981)

By the 1960s, as the University of Malaya could no longer meet the needs of both Singapore and Malaya, a decision was made to separate the Kuala Lumpur Division and Singapore Division for them to become national universities in the respective countries. The University of Singapore was established on 1 January 1962 and resided at Bukit Timah Campus until it shifted to the Kent Ridge Campus in 1977.

Other Institutions

From 1982, Bukit Timah Campus became home to the National Institute of Education and subsequently, the interim home of Singapore Management University in 2001. On 1 August 2005, following the decision made by the Singapore government, NUS took over Bukit Timah Campus, continuing its heritage as an education site.

Photographs courtesy of Zhang Rui, NUS Law undergraduate.