Farewell to Bukit Timah: NUS Law celebrates an era of memories and milestones

Faculty, staff, students and alumni of NUS Law, along with their families and friends, gathered at its current home on Bukit Timah Campus, or BTC as it is fondly known, on 15 November 2025 to honour the cherished memories ahead of its move back to Kent Ridge Campus in January 2026.

About 480 turned up to bid farewell to the campus, nestled in the lush greenery of Singapore’s Botanic Gardens, one last time to celebrate the community and reflect on the enduring legacy the campus helped create.

BTC has long been intertwined with NUS Law’s history. It was here, in 1957, that the first cohort of law students was admitted to the then University of Malaya, NUS’ predecessor institution. After the establishment of NUS in 1980, the Faculty relocated to Kent Ridge in 1981, where it remained for 25 years before returning to BTC in July 2006 when the site was returned to NUS.

As Asia’s leading law school – recently ranked first in the region in the latest Quacquarelli Symonds (QS) World University Rankings by Subject – NUS Law has produced generations of prominent alumni who have made significant contributions to Singapore and globally, including Professor Tommy Koh, Ambassador-at-Large at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and former NUS Law dean; Mr Sundaresh Menon SC, Chief Justice of Singapore; and the late Dr Thio Su Mien, prominent lawyer, legal scholar and former dean of NUS Law.

NUS Law’s move to Kent Ridge Campus marks a significant step for NUS to further integrate its distinctive law degree programmes into the University’s comprehensive and interdisciplinary undergraduate education, and foster a more vibrant academic environment, encouraging collaborations in teaching, research and administration.

Campus corners, shared moments and a celebration of community

Alumni, their families and friends spent the afternoon reliving old memories, reconnecting with familiar faces and revisiting corners of the Bukit Timah campus that hold special meaning to them – from classrooms and the verdant field at the Upper Quadrangle (or “Upper Quad”) to the Wee Chong Jin Moot Court and the C J Koh Law Library. Carnival games, musical performances by law alumni, a nostalgic photo gallery, instant photo booths and a cosy “Tea with Teachers” session added to the festive atmosphere.

A highlight for many was the campus heritage tour led by NUS Law Adjunct Professor Kevin Tan, who guided participants from the Eu Tong Sen Building at the Upper Quad through Block B to the Lower Quadrangle, where the Manasseh Meyer Building and the C J Koh Law Library stand. Along the way, he brought the rich history of the campus to life with stories behind these iconic spaces.

In his remarks at the event, NUS Law Dean Professor Andrew Simester acknowledged the bittersweet occasion, noting the end of NUS Law’s chapter at Bukit Timah and the start of a new one at Kent Ridge. He said the earlier move to Bukit Timah in 2006 had been transformative, providing the Faculty space to develop its graduate student programmes, establish research centres and expand its visiting professor initiatives. Welcoming the move, he added that it “opens up new opportunities to interdisciplinary studies and research, as well as chances to engage better with our fellow students and colleagues across the university.”

For Ms Marrissa Karuna (Law, ’16), attending the farewell party was a deeply nostalgic experience, as BTC was where she first met her husband, Mr Andrew Chua (Law, ’17). Sparks flew between the pair during their undergraduate days, whether through orientation activities or the many hours spent honing their mooting skills together for competitions. Numerous corners of the campus hold special meaning for them – the library, the study rooms on the upper floors of Block B, the Upper Quad where Mr Chua played football, and even the nearby Botanic Gardens, which Ms Karuna fondly remembers as a lovely spot for strolls after class.

The couple brought their one-year-old son to see these familiar spaces. “This is a very special place for us since we met here,” Ms Karuna shared. “We thought it would be a nice opportunity for him…because we’ve never brought him here. It feels like a full-circle moment for us – and quite surreal to be back with our baby.”

The experience was equally nostalgic for Mr Caleb Tan (Law, ’11) and Mr Peh Yun Hui (Law, ’11), who were among the first cohort of students to spend all four years at BTC after the Faculty’s return in 2006. Attending the event with their families, they recalled fond memories in the study rooms and performing music together on campus. A family law course taught by former NUS Law Professor Leong Wai Kam also left a lasting impression. Reflecting on the memories made there, Mr Peh, who recalls heading to the old NUSS Guild House for a drink between classes, noted, “I wouldn’t really say it’s the spaces, but the people, who form the memories you associate with this place.”

It was a sentiment echoed by Ms Karuna, who shared how the NUS Law experience would be just as rewarding for students moving to Kent Ridge. “At the end of the day, the best memories you will have of law school are actually not of the place. It’s the people, the friends who will see you through everything, and you will make great memories there.”

This story was first published on 29 May 2025 on NUS News. Click here for more NUS News stories.