UOB and Wee Foundation gift S$110 million to advance NTU’s educational priorities
With government matching, the gift will create an endowment of up to S$275 million and support NTU programmes focused on financial aid, community service, and entrepreneurship.
(From left) Mr Wong Kan Seng, Chairman, UOB; Mr Wee Ee Cheong, Deputy Chairman and CEO, UOB; Mr Chan Chun Sing, Minister for Education; Professor Ho Teck Hua, President, NTU Singapore; and Ms Goh Swee Chen, Board Chair, NTU Board of Trustees, at the signing ceremony on 14 April.
UOB and the Wee Foundation have pledged a combined gift of S$110 million to NTU Singapore. With government matching, the gift will create an endowment of up to S$275 million to advance the university’s strategic priorities.
This endowed gift will turbocharge NTU’s engine of opportunity. For a start, the University plans to launch three educational initiatives that will open up new opportunities for students, and impart in them the value of giving back to the community. Collectively, these initiatives will benefit up to 1,200 NTU students and 1,500 individuals from disadvantaged backgrounds annually.
A signing ceremony was held on 14 April 2025 to formalise the gift, witnessed by Mr Chan Chun Sing, Minister for Education. Also present at the event were Ms Goh Swee Chen, NTU Board Chair; Mr Wong Kan Seng, Chairman, UOB; Mr Wee Ee Cheong, Deputy Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, UOB; and Ms Wee Wei Ling, Director, Wee Foundation.
The combined gift builds on the support that UOB, the Wee Foundation, and the late Dr Wee Cho Yaw have extended to NTU over the years, to support education and research advancement, to provide financial assistance to students from disadvantaged backgrounds, and to groom future leaders.
Ms Wee Wei Ling, Director, Wee Foundation, said: “NTU was especially close to Dr Wee Cho Yaw’s heart as he had served the university in various roles over the decades. This gift honours Dr Wee’s legacy and reflects his enduring ties with NTU.”
At the event, NTU President Professor Ho Teck Hua said the late Dr Wee was already a donor to the University back in the 1960s, chaired the Council of Nanyang University from 1970 to 1980, and was NTU Pro-Chancellor from 2004. The gift will also inspire the NTU community to pay it forward and create a positive ripple of change in Singapore, he added.
The gift also marks UOB’s 90th anniversary. Said Mr Wee Ee Cheong, Deputy Chairman and CEO, UOB: “Our late Chairman Emeritus and Honorary Adviser Dr Wee Cho Yaw always emphasised the importance of remembering our roots and giving back to society. UOB has been steadfast in supporting social causes in the arts, in children development and education. As we celebrate our 90th anniversary, we are proud to honour Dr Wee's legacy in supporting NTU to help young people realise their potential through education."
(From left) Mr Wee Ee Cheong, Deputy Chairman and CEO, UOB; Ms Wee Wei Ling, Director, Wee Foundation; Mr Chan Chun Sing, Minister for Education; Professor Ho Teck Hua, President, NTU Singapore; and Ms Goh Swee Chen, Board Chair, NTU Board of Trustees, at the signing ceremony on 14 April.
