NUS law professor relinquishes faculty dean role for ‘medical reasons’ 2 weeks after appointment

SINGAPORE — The law professor who was due to take over as dean of the National University of Singapore’s (NUS) Faculty of Law in July has relinquished the role for medical reasons just two weeks after his appointment was announced.

Professor Hans Tjio, 55, who was slated to have taken over from Professor Simon Chesterman, 48, as the faculty’s 15th dean, will continue in his other roles at the university, NUS said in a media release on Wednesday (March 31).

The university initially said Prof Tjio was stepping down for "personal reasons", but a few hours later updated its statement to say that he was making the move for medical reasons instead.

“It is with deep regret that I step away from the Law Dean appointment,” said Prof Tjio. “I am grateful for the confidence and support of the university, the Law Dean search committee and colleagues have shown me during the search and appointment process.”

No elaboration of Prof Tjio’s condition was given, and NUS declined comment when approached by TODAY.  

Prof Tjio, who is currently the faculty's CJ Koh Professor of Law and the director of its EW Barker Centre for Law and Business, had informed the university’s leadership of his decision on March 26, which they accepted. His appointment was announced on March 12.

NUS said Prof Tjio remains a senior member of the law faculty, and he will continue to focus on his responsibilities in teaching, research and engagement with the industry and legal profession.

The university added that Prof Chesterman, who has led NUS Law since Jan 1 in 2012, will continue on for a fourth term until June 30, 2023.

Professor Simon Chesterman, who will take up a fourth term as NUS law faculty dean. Photo: NUS

At the same time, the university said it will convene a global search for Prof Chesterman’s successor within the first year of his new term.

Prof Chesterman said that while leadership renewal is important in any organisation, he respected Prof Tjio’s decision.

“My only condition for staying on was that this fourth term should not be as a mere placeholder,” he said. “I am therefore taking this opportunity to refresh my team and together we will focus on two key challenges confronting our community.”

Prof Chesterman said the two goals involve seeing the faculty through the Covid-19 pandemic, and revising the curriculum to ensure law students are “empowered to take advantage of the digital future”.

He said the faculty has recently created pathways for students from more diverse backgrounds to enter law, and for law students to have a baseline of knowledge and pursue minors in computer science.

Prof Chesterman said the faculty now wants to “broaden and deepen” those opportunities for all students.

“I’m still committed to leadership renewal — and that elusive sabbatical! — but I’m also excited to be playing a part in this next chapter of NUS Law,” he said.

Prof Chesterman, a widely published author of legal books, is an Australian national. He has also written a young adult fiction trilogy.