Celebrating Singapore's Pioneering Cohort of Arts University Graduates – Press Release

The inaugural joint Commencement ceremony marked a historic milestone for Singapore's first arts university, UAS, LASALLE and NAFA

The University of the Arts Singapore (UAS) and its founding members, LASALLE College of the Arts (LASALLE) and Nanyang Academy of Fine Arts (NAFA), held its first joint Commencement ceremony. The day’s celebrations continued with the LASALLE BA (Hons) and NAFA Convocation ceremonies, where graduates from both institutions received degrees conferred by Singapore’s first arts university.

This followed the inaugural University of the Arts Singapore LASALLE Postgraduate Convocation, which was held in November 2025.

A total of 693 graduates were conferred degrees today, across disciplines including fine arts, design, film and media, music, dance, theatre, arts management and interdisciplinary practices.

The cohort also included graduates from programmes offered in partnerships with LASALLE’s and NAFA’s institutional partners Goldsmiths, University of London; as well as the Royal College of Music (RCM) and the University of the Arts London (UAL) respectively.

Held at the Singapore EXPO, the Commencement ceremony brought together more than 2,000 graduates, family members and guests.

The Commencement ceremony was graced by Guest of Honour Mr Desmond Lee, Minister for Education and Minister-in-Charge of Social Services Integration, who presented the University’s highest honours — LASALLE’s McNally Award for Excellence in the Arts and NAFA’s The Ngee Ann Kongsi Gold Medal.

Among the cohort, eight graduates received the LASALLE Award for Academic Excellence, while eleven NAFA graduates received the Best Graduate Award, recognising outstanding academic achievement across both institutions.

Professor Kwok Kian Woon, Vice-Chancellor, UAS, said: “Today’s Commencement brings together LASALLE and NAFA graduates, reflecting the University’s commitment to transforming higher arts education and enhancing the nation’s position as a vibrant hub for the arts and design in Asia. Building on the distinctive and complementary strengths of our arts institutions, we celebrate continuity and renewal. Indeed, we reaffirm our collective effort in nurturing graduates who are grounded in their disciplines but also highly adaptable and able to exercise human judgement in a rapidly changing world.”

Professor Venka Purushothaman, Deputy Vice-Chancellor, UAS and President, LASALLE, said: “This is a significant milestone in LASALLE’s journey of transformative arts education. Long grounded in contemporary, interdisciplinary and research-informed pedagogy, our programmes have shaped generations of artists and creative practitioners for Singapore and the world. For the first time, our undergraduates are receiving Singapore-conferred awards, marking a defining moment in the maturation of Singapore’s arts higher education sector. This is a moment all Singaporeans can be proud of, as we nurture imaginative, confident and agile graduates who will shape new futures and contribute meaningfully to society.”

Mrs Tan-Soh Wai Lan, Deputy Vice-Chancellor, UAS and President, NAFA, said: “This inaugural Commencement marks an important new chapter for NAFA and our graduates. For close to nine decades, NAFA has nurtured artists, designers and performers who combine excellence in their craft with an openness to different cultures and perspectives, a commitment to their communities and the courage to create. We are confident this new generation of graduates will carry these values forward as they shape Singapore's creative landscape, enrich lives and make meaningful contributions wherever their paths may take them.”

Nurturing young creative changemakers

Among the graduates was Mitchell Hoo Min Cher, recipient of LASALLE’s McNally Award for Excellence in the Arts. A multidisciplinary fashion researcher-practitioner who graduated with a BA (Hons) Fashion Media and Industries, Mitchell explores how fashion shapes identity, power and the stories societies tell about themselves. Alongside his research, Mitchell served as editorial director of the publication Neither/Nor: Fashioning the In-Between in collaboration with New York‘s Fashion Institute of Technology. He also helmed leadership roles as a student curator for Cross-Pollination: Fashion Diasporas and The LASALLE Show Exhibition 2026. Following graduation, Mitchell aims to pursue postgraduate studies in political science.

Also among the graduates was Keane Tay Hao Qing, recipient of NAFA’s The Ngee Ann Kongsi Gold Medal. A Bachelor of Arts (Honours) Design Practice graduate, Keane is passionate about using design to improve accessibility and create more inclusive experiences for diverse communities. A two-time NAFA Scholarship recipient, he won the 2024 Visa Financial Inclusion Designathon and secured first place in A11y Playground, a collaboration between NAFA and GovTech that challenged students to develop accessibility-centred solutions. Beyond the classroom, he served as a student representative and Open House ambassador, actively supporting and representing the student community. As he embarks on the next stage of his career, Keane hopes to continue using design as a force for positive social impact.

With their graduation, this cohort is poised to make their mark within a vibrant community of forward-looking artists, designers, educators, researchers, arts leaders and changemakers contributing to Singapore’s creative sector and beyond.

For more information, please visit the LASALLE BA (Hons) Convocation website and NAFA Convocation website.