Thought Leadership

Some of the world’s leaders, and leading thinkers from NUS and overseas, regularly gather and add to the rich diversity of thoughts and ideas on our campuses, in Singapore and across the globe.
Here’s what they had to share.

To tackle Kpods and vaping, young people need facts, not fear

To tackle Kpods and vaping, young people need facts, not fear

Speaker: Elyssa Liu 26 August 2025

From 1 September, the government classified etomidate – an anaesthetic found in Kpods – as a Class C controlled drug under the Misuse of Drugs Act. Dealers may face jail terms and even caning, while users will be placed under supervision and rehabilitation, with repeat offenders potentially facing imprisonment. History shows that when demand remains, supply finds a way to adapt. Elyssa Liu, Team Leader for Legal Frameworks and Governance at the Duke-NUS Centre for Outbreak Preparedness, notes that unless demand is curbed, new substances will continue to surface and take the place of etomidate in vapes.

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Coronavirus: The great disruption Could it be time to swop fast car for slower, sturdier one?

Coronavirus: The great disruption Could it be time to swop fast car for slower, sturdier one?

Speaker: Speaker: Professor Danny Quah | 23 April 2020

COVID-19: From bats and pangolins to coronavirus and serology

COVID-19: From bats and pangolins to coronavirus and serology

Speaker: Speaker: Professor Wang Linfa | 19 April 2020

Coronavirus: Global leaders need to coordinate exit from lockdowns

Coronavirus: Global leaders need to coordinate exit from lockdowns

Speaker: Speaker: Professor Teo Yik Ying and Professor David L. Heymann | 15 April 2020

COVID-19: Lessons learned? What comes next?

COVID-19: Lessons learned? What comes next?

Speaker: Speakers: Professor Teo Yik Ying, Professor Tikki Pangestu, Associate Professor Joanne Yoong, Associate Professor James Crabtree | 15 April 2020

Insights into COVID-19’s propagation and progression

Insights into COVID-19’s propagation and progression

Speaker: Speaker: Professor Paul Tambyah | 12 April 2020

COVID-19: Analysing governments’ economic policy responses

COVID-19: Analysing governments’ economic policy responses

Speaker: Professor Bert Hofman, Professor Sumit Agarwal, Professor Bernard Yeung, Professor Sun Bae Kim, and Professor Joseph Cherian | 2 April 2020

Conversation on 2020 Pandemic – The View from Asia

Conversation on 2020 Pandemic – The View from Asia

Speaker: Speakers: Professor Qiang Fu, Professor Sun Bae Kim, Associate Professor Johan Sulaeman and Professor Sumit Agarwal, Professor Joseph Cherian, and Professor Bernard Yeung | 2 April 2020

Commentary: The COVID-19 Pandemic

Commentary: The COVID-19 Pandemic

Speaker: Commentator: Bert Hofman | 1 April 2020

COVID-19: Keep clean, to keep well

COVID-19: Keep clean, to keep well

Speaker: Speaker: Professor Wang Linfa | 23 March 2020

Coronavirus: The next three months

Coronavirus: The next three months

Speaker: Experts: Visiting Professor Tikki Pangestu from the Lee Kuan Yew School of Public Policy and Associate Professor Hsu Li Yang, Infectious Diseases Programme Leader at the Saw Swee Hock School of Public Health | 9 March 2020