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KEYNOTE ADDRESS BY MR THARMAN SHANMUGARATNAM, MINISTER FOR FINANCE AND MINISTER FOR EDUCATION, AT THE INAUGURAL CONVOCATION OF THE MASTER OF LAW (LL.M) DUAL DEGREE PROGRAMME JOINTLY OFFERED BY NEW YORK UNIVERSITY AND THE NATIONAL UNIVERSITY OF SINGAPORE ON WEDNESDAY, 05 MARCH 2008 AT 1840 HOURS AT THE ASIAN CIVILISATIONS MUSEUM

Her Excellency Patricia Herbold, US Ambassador to Singapore,

The Honourable , Chief Justice,

Professor Shih Choon Fong, NUS President,

Professor , NUS Law Dean,

Professor Simon Chesterman, Programme Director,

Introduction

1. It gives me great pleasure to be here with the first graduating class of the Master of Law (LL.M.) Dual Degree Programme jointly offered by New York University (NYU) and the National University of Singapore (NUS).

The LL.M Dual Degree Programme

2. The collaboration between NYU and NUS goes beyond the regular model of exchange programmes between universities. It offers a new and unique blend of courses, which cater to the diverse opportunities in an increasingly globalised legal world. Equally, this is a programme which brings together a uniquely international group of students, from 21 different countries across 6 continents in its first batch. Their interactions over the course of an intense year, both intellectually and socially, are part of the distinctive character of the NYU-NUS dual LL.M. programme.

3. This joint course has also inspired other joint degree courses offered by NYU and NUS: the joint NUS Bachelor of Law (LL.B.) and NYU LL.M.; and the joint NUS LL.B. and NYU Juris Doctor (J.D.).

4. These collaborations are farsighted. They reflect the way in which two top law schools, one in the US and the other Asia, are positioning themselves for the opportunities of the future. Their moves also resonate with Singapore’s growing role as an Asian hub for financial, legal and business services.

Intense Demand for Lawyers in a Growing Asia

5. These are exciting times for the legal fraternity in Singapore, both for those in the profession and in academia. Our economic growth, and the continuing transformation and modernisation of Asian businesses and markets, has meant an intense demand for lawyers.

6. The training of highly qualified legal professionals must keep pace with the demand. In August 2006, the Third Committee on Supply of Lawyers, chaired by then Attorney-General Chan Sek Keong suggested a second law school. In 2007, the Singapore Management University took in its first batch of law undergraduates. The NUS Law Faculty also increased its yearly intake from 220 to 250.

Singapore’s Law Schools in this New Milieu

7. The NUS Law Faculty has welcomed and adapted with confidence to the changes in our legal education landscape. The two Singapore law schools will have a key role in making Singapore a regional centre for legal education and serving as a magnet for legal talent.

8. Last year, the Report of the Committee to Develop the Legal Sector, chaired by VK Rajah, Judge of Appeal, recommended that our law schools aspire to be among the thought leaders in the common law world, in core areas of legal excellence that dovetail with Singapore’s economic priorities, such as arbitration, shipping and aviation law, biotechnology law, intellectual property law, and information technology law. The Report also recommended that

2 the law schools collaborate with local, regional and international organisations to organise conferences, symposia and courses in these fields, and other developing areas of law. The Government shares this thinking. It will position Singapore as the leading Asian hub for legal education, scholarship and networking.

9. The NUS Law Faculty has already moved in this direction. The Asian Law Institute has, since its inception in March 2003, attracted many scholars, visiting fellows and professors to teach and research here. The Centre for , mentioned by DPM Jayakumar in Parliament last Thursday, will set out a key role for NUS in developing our international law expertise and enabling Singapore to play a wider global role.

Conclusion

10. The NYU-NUS LL.M programme is time and resources well invested for each of its graduates. There will be many opportunities for you in Singapore, and the region around us.

11. I wish each of the graduates the best as you move on to the next exciting phase of your life’s journey.

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