Message from His Excellency Mr Doug Chester
Australian High Commissioner to Singapore |
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 In keeping with tradition, I am pleased to serve as Patron of the Australian Alumni Singapore (AAS).
Australia and Singapore share a long-standing and deep relationship underpinned by strong trade, defence, tourism and education ties.
Australia is honoured to have had the privilege of hosting more than 100,000 bright and talented young Singaporeans at our institutions since the early 1950’s. This has helped to shape and deepen the understanding of each country’s culture and society.
It is heartening to note that many of our alumni in Singapore have continued to maintain links with Australia. The strong people-to-people ties, developed through alumni engagement, have provided enormous opportunities for Australians and Singaporeans to conduct personal and professional engagements with one another.
I support fully the work of the Management Committee of AAS, ably led by Mr Loh Hoon Sun, to further promote the strong ties that already exist between the people of Australia and Singapore.
I encourage you to be active in your alumni activity and lend support to the AAS.
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Mr Doug Chester
Patron
Australian Alumni Singapore |
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Message from Dr Tony Tan
Chairman of Singapore Press Holdings and former Deputy Prime Minister of Singapore |
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 I am delighted to be appointed the first local Patron of the Australian Alumni Singapore (AAS). I had the pleasure of working closely with AAS in 2005 when AAS celebrated its Golden Jublilee Year and again in 2008 when AAS organised the Australian Universities International Alumni Convention (AUIAC) held in Singapore. At both functions, I mentioned that beyond merely building good political and economic links, people-to-people links are equally important and that Asian students who have studied in Australian universities are some of the strongest links between Asia and Australia. The network of contacts and friendships that AAS has forged has strengthened this strong people-to-people bond adding real substance to the relationship between our peoples and countries.
The AAS, founded in 1955, is the oldest alumni club in Singapore. I commend the founding members for their foresight in initiating this important people-to-people link, and the pastcommittees for preserving this heritage and keeping up with the challenges of staying relevant to the changing needs of members.
I am confident that the newly elected Management Committee headed by Mr Loh Hoon Sun, will bring AAS to greater growth and recognition among alumni bodies both locally and overseas.
I urge members to do your part for, and be a part of, the Australian Alumni Singapore.
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Dr Tony Tan Keng Yam
Patron
Australian Alumni Singapore |
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President's Welcome
The Australian Alumni Singapore (AAS) will be turning 55 in 2010 and while convention dictates this as a time for retirement, I am delighted to be your new President to help move AAS forward not for just a year or two but towards its centennial anniversary. And of course, to achieve this, every alumnus irregardless of age or university, is required to play a part.
The call from past Presidents to keep the tenets of AAS relevant to attract younger members and rejuvenate the Management Committee, had been a challenge year after year. Thanks to our Immediate Past President, Mr Simon Ho and his Management Committee who had organized a couple of high profile events, notably the AUIAC 2008, AAS has not gone into retirement and oblivion.
The new AAS Constitution adopted by the AGM on 29 Sep 2009, subject to the approval of the Registry of Societies, has recommended several changes that aim, among other things, to provide continuity and self renewal of the Management Committee and admit Institution members.
In this system of self renewal, “one–third of the elected Management Committee members shall retire by rotation each year and shall be eligible for re-election provided no member shall serve for more than six years continuously.” We certainly hope to keep the AAS Management Committee constantly rejuvenated to carry on the tasks that the Founding Committee had begun.
Our current Management Committee has pledged to reach out to all existing members through an improved and interactive website, an e-Newsletter once in four months, and regular events. With the provision in the new AAS Constitution allowing office bearers to stay for a term of two years, there will be more stability and continuity in the execution of planned programmes. To achieve the goals of our term in office and serve our members better, we have formed 6 Committees, namely, Activities Committee, Business Committee, Membership Committee, Newsletter Committee, Relationship Committee and Website Committee.
Furthermore, with the admission of Institutional members, we hope to work closely with existing Australian institutions of higher learning, professional bodies and their campuses, branches and alumni bodies outside Australia and attract more new members. More importantly, we will foster closer relationships with the Australian High Commission in Singapore, the Australian business community and Australian Universities Alumni, both local and overseas, through our newly-formed Business and Relationship Committees. Hopefully, these will create opportunities for our members to network with both the Australian and Singapore business and professional communities.
On a personal note, I am very excited at the changes and the vast opportunities that these will lead to. However, this dream will not be possible without your individual support. I look forward to working with you and celebrating the 55th AAS Anniversary in 2010.
Loh Hoon Sun
President AAS
29 Sep 2009
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