Almost every week, members of Tembusu College are invited to meet and chat with guests - both local and international - through a variety of hosted events. There is a huge diversity of backgrounds amongst our visitors, who range from politicians to diplomats, artists, writers, poets, and academics. Select an event category on the left to find out more.
Our events and members of our community are also frequently featured by the Press and Media. Visit the Newsroom to read the reports.
Tembusu College’s motto The Home of Possibilities, means we value the development of each individual according to her or his own path through life. At the same time we are a learning community, which seeks to give students an intense experience in a nurturing environment. The college administers (and awards certificates for) the prestigious University Town College Programme (UTCP), which augments students’ regular degree programmes by emphasising breadth, critical thinking, and exposure to inter-disciplinary thinking. Our curriculum includes both seminars and out-of-classroom learning experiences.
The college is not themed. Diversity is an important part of our ethos, and we offer learning opportunities across a broad spectrum of interests. We do, however, have particular areas of strength, which are reflected in the backgrounds of our faculty.
As a Residential College, residents of Tembusu College live and learn together with their peers under the same roof. Integral to the learning is the University Town College Programme (UTCP) where residents read five Seminar-style Modules over their two year residency. Find out more About the Programme or browse available modules on the left.
Concerned about the workload? Find out How UTCP Fits with your faculty-based degree programme at NUS.
Living and learning together at Tembusu happens as part of our 'Out-of-Classroom Teaching' programme.
Keen to continue residing at the college after completing the UTCP? Find out what lies ahead in the Senior Learning Experience.
A home away from home, the Tembusu College community is 21 storeys of collegiate spirit known for its friendly and welcoming culture.
Wake up or wind down through casual conversations with your Fellows and peers over meals at the Dining Hall. Sweat it out over sports at the Multi Purpose Hall. Huddle with like-minded individuals at one of the many Student-run Interest Groups & Student-Initiated Projects or start your own. Let loose or let your creativity flow in the well furnished Student Spaces. Be our Student Partners and contribute to the College community.
Need career advice? Stressed? Need help on personal issues? Or simply want catch up with friendly members of our Residential Team? We're here for you.
Tembusu College is much more than a home; it's a Home of Possibilities.
National Library Prominent Speaker Series - Darwin and Wallace
Charles Darwin and Alfred Wallace are some of the most important figures in the history of science. Yet, despite all that has been written about them over the years, historical research is still turning up completely new findings about their lives, their science, and how they came to change our understanding of life on earth forever.
This talk by, leading expert on Darwin and Wallace, Dr John van Wyhe, summarises two of his most recent books: Charles Darwin in Cambridge and Dispelling the Darkness: Voyage in the Malay Archipelago and the discovery of evolution by Wallace and Darwin.
About John van Wyhe
John van Wyhe is a historian of science, with a focus on Charles Darwin and Alfred Russel Wallace, at the National University of Singapore. He holds numerous academic and research positions, ranging from founder and director of The Complete Works of Charles Darwin Online, Scientific Associate, The Natural History Museum (London), a Fellow of the Linnean Society and a Member of the British Society for the History of Science. Through Darwin Online, he has distributed more Darwin to the public than all the publishers in history combined.
Location: Level 16, The Pod, National Library building
The Tembusu (Fagraea fragrans) is a large evergreen tree in the family Gentianaceae. It is native to Southeast Asia. Its trunk is dark brown, with deeply fissured bark, looking somewhat like a bittergourd. It grows in an irregular shape from 10 to 25m high. Its leaves are light green and oval in shape. Its yellowish flowers have a distinct fragrance and the fruits of the tree are bitter tasting red berries, which are eaten by birds and fruit bats.
