APRU Chair Re-Elected At Annual Presidents Meeting
New Steering Committee Formed

July 2, 2004 - National University of Singapore (NUS) President, Professor Shih Choon Fong was re-elected to the chairmanship of the Association of Pacific Rim Universities (APRU), a trans-Pacific grouping of 36 leading research universities in 16 economies in the Pacific Rim.

Hosted by the University of Chile, the association's eighth annual presidents' meeting was held June 23-25, 2004 in Santiago, Chile. The 21 university presidents who gathered at the meeting voted Professor Shih to a two-year term as chair of APRU.  NUS Associate President Lawrence Loh was also re-elected to a second term as APRU secretary general.

APRU leaders in front of statute of Andres Bello (1843) the first Rector of University of Chile.

The APRU Annual Presidents Meeting is a keynote event in the APRU calendar, bringing together university leaders to discuss business matters and future directions of the association as well as issues of strategic importance to research universities.

APRU Chairman, Professor Shih Choon Fong toasting the host of the meeting, University of Chile Rector Luis Riveros

At the Santiago meeting, existing and new members were also elected to the steering committee of the association. Peking University President Xu Zhihong, Seoul National University President Un-Chan Chung and University of British Columbia President Martha Piper were newly elected to the steering committee. University of Southern California (USC) President Steven B. Sample was appointed chairman emeritus and USC Vice Provost Richard Drobnick as secretary general emeritus.

Professor Shih (centre) addressing the APRU meeting. (L-R): Richard Drobnick (USC Vice Provost & APRU Secretary General Emeritus); Lawrence Loh (NUS Associate President & APRU Secretary General); Luis Riveros (University of Chile Rector, Host); Steven B. Sample (USC President & APRU Chairman Emeritus)

This year's meeting included a panel discussion on higher education issues in the Pacific Rim.  APRU presidents discussed topics ranging from the role of public and private universities, funding pressure, student accessibility and the impact of the education reforms currently taking place in their respective home economies.  Various presentations on university best practices and new initiatives were also made by the presidents.

As an indication of the association's recognition, the APRU presidents had a private meeting with Chilean President, His Excellency Mr. Ricardo Lagos at the presidential palace, La Moneda.

APRU Chairman Shih presenting an APRU memento to Chilean President Ricardo Lagos (right) at the presidential palace

Next year's annual presidents' meeting will be held in Singapore, hosted by NUS.  A joint meeting with APRU and the Association of American Universities will also be hosted by NUS with a proposed agenda addressing global developments in university research and education as well as critical geo-strategic issues.

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For more information on APRU's activities, visit www.apru.org.

Media contact:

Carol Lee
Program Manager
APRU Secretariat
Tel: (65) 6874 3538
Email: aprucl@nus.edu.sg