Faculty Annual Teaching Excellence Awards 2026

Congratulations to Professor Kumaralingam Amirthalingam, Assistant Professor Ivan Lee ’14, Professor Ng-Loy Wee Loon, S.C. ’87, Associate Professor Burton Ong ’99, Associate Professor Tan Zhong Xing ’12, Professor Umakanth Varottil PhD ’10 and Associate Professor Helena Whalen-Bridge LLM ’02 on being the recipients of the Faculty-level Annual Teaching Excellence Awards!

The Faculty-level Annual Teaching Excellence Awards are presented by NUS Law to recognise faculty members who demonstrate an exceptional commitment to education. The Dean of NUS Law, Professor Andrew Simester, presented the awards during the Start of Term Welcome lunch on 14 January 2026.

Pictured above are (from top left) Professor Ng-Loy Wee Loon, S.C., Professor Umakanth Varottil, Associate Professor Helena Whalen-Bridge, Associate Professor Burton Ong ’99, Associate Professor Tan Zhong Xing ’12, and Assistant Professor Ivan Lee.

A New Chapter at Kent Ridge

This celebration marked the first faculty event since the move back to the Kent Ridge campus. Within the new Wee Chong Jin Moot Court premises, faculty, visiting professors and administrators gathered to reconnect and welcome the new year.

As students knuckle down for a new semester of rigorous curriculum, our educators are equally busy bringing lessons to life and engaging a fresh batch of students.

Adapting to a Changing World

Of his teaching approach, Professor Varottil noted how the rise of artificial intelligence has made the classroom more dynamic. He said, “The ‘AI-fication’ of the world requires us law teachers to nimbly adapt our teaching styles to make a difference to the students’ learning experience, when their sources of legal knowledge (both human- and machine-generated) are proliferating at a rapid pace.”

The Heart of Teaching

Despite the changing landscape, the faculty’s core philosophy remains focused on the students. When asked about their teaching philosophy, the awardees agreed that creating the right environment is essential for making a difference in young lives.

Assistant Professor Lee emphasised the importance of a relaxed atmosphere: “University classes are, ultimately, structured conversations between students and the teacher, and conversations can only be productive (and enjoyable!) if everyone is relaxed, sincere and authentic. I try my best to create such an atmosphere in all my classes; I think everything else is secondary.”

As for Professor Varottil, the intellectual curiosity of his students keeps him motivated. “While some students are in constant pursuit of doctrinal clarity from legislation and judicial pronouncements, others are keener to come to grips with broader policy considerations. This diversity of student expectations makes teaching somewhat demanding, but my constant endeavour to meet with this challenge has been a rewarding experience.”

A Joint Endeavour

Associate Professor Tan views the relationship between tutor and student as a partnership in understanding the “seamless web of law”. He said, “I have learnt as much from my students as they have from me, and am enriched even as I seek to enrich others.”

Reflecting on his role, he noted that the best law teachers never stop being students themselves.

“For one, I am most inspired to teach when I have learnt something new about contract law, or have a fresh perspective on presenting familiar material, whether from a more theoretical or doctrinal angle. I am excited to share these insights with my students.

“Secondly, we must always put ourselves in the shoes of a first-year law student—with her passion, curiosity and willingness to ask simple but deep questions about the character of law, as we do in my class on legal theory.”

Looking Ahead

As the faculty settles into its new home at Kent Ridge, these awards serve as a timely reminder that the heart of NUS Law lies in its people. Whether navigating the complexities of AI or rediscovering fundamental legal principles, our educators remain dedicated to fostering a vibrant, collaborative community. With a new semester under way, we look forward to the continued growth and excellence that these award-winning teachers inspire in every classroom.