Behind the Scenes, Better Together
The inaugural Mr and Mrs Kwok Chin Yan Administrative Team Excellence Award celebrates colleagues whose teamwork empowers the UAS community to learn, work and connect.
Life at an arts university is often experienced through what happens in classrooms, studios, workshops and on stage. At the University of the Arts Singapore (UAS), LASALLE College of the Arts (LASALLE) and Nanyang Academy of Fine Arts (NAFA), these experiences are supported by teams working tirelessly behind the scenes to design and improve systems, services and processes that help students, faculty and staff do their best work.
At the University Sharing and Awards Ceremony on 9 October 2026, the inaugural Mr and Mrs Kwok Chin Yan Administrative Team Excellence Award recognised colleagues for their exceptional collaborative efforts. Two teams made a tangible difference to the University, demonstrating the initiative, spirit of collaboration, collegiality and care that the award was established to recognise.
The joint LASALLE and NAFA IT teams clinched the Award for developing an integrated, cross-institutional digital system to power the end-to-end delivery of the UAS Common Curriculum IN-depth module, which equips undergraduates with skills and mindsets for lifelong learning.
A Special Commendation was presented to the LASALLE and NAFA Library teams for their collaborative work in providing access and borrowing privileges for all members of the UAS community.
Recognising work behind the scenes
Established in June 2026 through a term donation from Mr and Mrs Kwok Chin Yan, the award is the first UAS staff award that recognises administrative excellence at the whole-of-university level.
The award reflects the Kwok family’s longstanding belief in supporting education, the arts and initiatives that benefit the wider community. At UAS, they chose to extend this support to an area that is essential to the life of university life but often less visible: the people who improve systems, services and new initiatives for the University.
Through a team award, the Kwok family also seeks to acknowledge shared efforts that help build a strong foundation for the University: colleagues who bring different expertise together and collaborate to develop solutions for challenges and contribute to a better everyday experience for its community.
The award recognises administrative teams from UAS, LASALLE and/or NAFA that demonstrate initiative, collaboration and accountability, and make a meaningful contribution to the University and its community. In its inaugural year, the award recipients showed how this spirit of working together can translate into practical improvements for students, faculty and staff.
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Mr and Mrs Kwok Chin Yan Administrative Team Excellence Award: Building in-house IT systems for IN-depth module
For undergraduate students taking the UAS Common Curriculum IN-depth module, a connected experience depends not only on what happens in the classroom, but also on the systems and processes supporting their participation and progress.
The IT teams came together to develop and enhance in-house IT systems supporting the delivery of the IN-depth module within a short span of time. Working closely with the UAS Academic Planning Office and registrars from LASALLE and NAFA, the team listened to user feedback, understood the needs of faculty, staff and students, and developed solutions that could work across both institutions. The teams adopted an agile and collaborative approach, testing, iterating and refining the systems as requirements evolved.
The result is an innovative shared solution that supports a common UAS experience, with a 75-85 percent reduction of the estimated time spent on manual data reconciliation, improved data integrity and a scalable digital blueprint that can support future UAS Common Curriculum modules.
The Award recognised the teams for demonstrating excellence in their technical execution and exemplary teamwork. The solutions are now applied to support different functional needs.
"What made this project so meaningful was the incredible synergy with the NAFA team. Even with different systems and infrastructures, our mutual commitment to providing the best for our students, faculty and staff drove us to build a truly impactful solution." – LASALLE IT team
“Working together with our LASALLE colleagues has been an enriching experience. Integrating data and processes from two distinct institutions required close collaboration and mutual understanding. Beyond delivering a unified solution for UAS, we learned from one another’s perspectives and practices, resulting in more cohesive workflows for students, faculty and staff.” – NAFA IT team
Special Commendation: Opening shared library access
The LASALLE and NAFA Library teams were commended for their remarkable teamwork, and demonstration of solidarity in creating a stronger library network and enabling access to the arts institutions’ libraries for all members of the UAS community.
Through their collaborative approach, students and staff are able to access and make use of resources and services across both libraries, giving them a wider range of collections and expertise while strengthening resource sharing and supporting learning and teaching. The collaboration also supports more effective use of existing library resources, space and facilities.
The collaboration has since expanded into joint outreach and staff development activities, including the NAFA Library Pop-up at LASALLE and engagement during the UAS Orientation Party. These activities have also created opportunities for colleagues to exchange knowledge, learn from one another and grow together.
“Embracing Kaizen, we learn from one another, continuously improve our practices and grow stronger together as one UAS community” – LASALLE Library team
“Bringing LASALLE and NAFA Libraries together showed us how working as one UAS community can open up resources, strengthen connections and create a richer experience for our students and staff.” – NAFA Library team
The teams are continuing to explore opportunities to build on this relationship, including joint programmes and staff development.
Our sincere congratulations to all 16 recipients!
| Mr and Mrs Kwok Chin Yan Administrative Team Excellence Award | Special Commendation |
LASALLE and NAFA IT teams:
| LASALLE and NAFA Library teams:
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