Laying the foundation for a rising powerhouse in medicine

Renowned business leader, pioneer and philanthropist Tan Sri Dato Lee Kong Chian founded Lee Foundation in 1952 to support cultural, educational, charitable and public organisations.

For more than 30 years, the Foundation has made generous contributions to various causes at Nanyang Technological University, Singapore (NTU Singapore). These contributions included a pledged endowed gift of S$150 million in 2011 towards the University’s then-new medical school with half of the sum going directly to needy students. The gift, enhanced by government matching, amounted to S$400 million.

In recognition of the gift from Lee Foundation, the medical school was named the Lee Kong Chian School of Medicine (LKCMedicine), which officially opened on 28 August 2017.

The S$150 million from the Lee Foundation is used to establish two endowment funds at LKCMedicine. Half of the gift – S$75 million – is specifically designated for the Lee Kong Chian School of Medicine Bursaries and Financial Aid Fund. The remaining S$75 million is channelled to the Lee Kong Chian School of Medicine Education and Research Fund.

To date, the Lee Kong Chian School of Medicine Bursaries and Financial Aid Fund has funded 640 bursary awards and four emergency grants to assist needy students with their education expenses, and 23 overseas travel grants to provide financial assistance to bursary recipients for their six-week elective overseas.

The Lee Kong Chian School of Medicine Education and Research Fund has funded 13 scholarships and awarded 11 postdoctoral fellowships to deserving biomedical and clinical research scientists at LKCMedicine.