News Story 3: 15 Years of Building Corporate Excellence

By Siti Rohanah Koid

The collective efforts of our corporate division in the past 15 years have propelled digital transformation, strengthened operational efficiency, and fostered a sustainable campus and people-centred workplace at the Lee Kong Chian School of Medicine (LKCMedicine). What drives this highly-motivated and results-oriented team? Siti Rohanah Koid, who’s been with the School since 2011, gives her take. 

With 15 years under its belt, LKCMedicine has much more than an outstanding medical education and trailblazing research programme to be proud of. The can-do culture and conscientious work ethos that facilitated these deliverables are also evident in the corridors of this thriving institution’s corporate offices.

While the early years warranted setting strong foundations in place – to enable and empower the faculty to deliver on the education and research front – the last five years, arguably, have seen the School set new standards in operational excellence.  

Highlighting the progress at LKCMedicine, Chief Operating Officer Dr Serene Ng, who took office in 2020, emphasised the School’s dedication to continuous improvement and community engagement.

“At LKCMedicine, our relentless pursuit of excellence is matched by our deep commitment to fostering meaningful engagement across every aspect of the School. From our brand refresh and campus enhancements to IT upgrades and community initiatives, we have been actively advancing the School’s mission and driving transformative impact for our students, partners, and stakeholders,” said Dr Ng.

The LKCMedicine Headquarters at 11 Mandalay Road houses the offices of Corporate Services and serves as the administrative heart of the School.

Dr Ng’s mandate was clear — to uphold excellence in campus operations, financial stewardship, community engagement, and corporate governance. 

In addition, she also directed her team to focus on areas such as sustainability, communications, digital innovation, and staff wellness to enhance preparedness for the future.

Results are now showing.

In the first half of 2025, Corporate Services (CS) has distinguished itself through a series of prestigious accolades; it has been recognised for outstanding achievements in communications, sustainability, and IT innovation – a testament to the respective corporate departments’ pivotal role in advancing the School’s mission and values.

One of the division’s crowning achievements is the attainment of the Eco-Office 4-Leaves Award (Elite), conferred by the Singapore Environment Council. This top-tier recognition highlights LKCMedicine’s comprehensive efforts to fostering a sustainable and eco-conscious workplace culture, through initiatives such as reducing waste, implementing green procurement, and engaging staff in sustainability campaigns.

The drive towards sustainability has also resulted in another award for the School. Thanks to the work of the Ops and Facilities team, LKCMedicine’s Experimental Medicine Building (EMB) achieved the esteemed Green Mark Platinum certification in 2024. The award recognises continuous efforts in implementing innovative strategies to optimise resource efficiency, enhance occupant wellbeing, and minimise environmental impact. These CS-led efforts have led to actual energy and cost savings. For instance, the recent improvement works to the headquarters building alone has brought down electricity consumption by 29% on average.

The inaugural Art and Science of Medicine Festival 2023 fostered public engagement through interactive activities and dialogues on health and medicine.

The CS division also demonstrated communications and outreach excellence by securing multiple awards from 2023 to 2025 for the annual LKCMedicine Art & Science of Medicine Festival, a signature event for the public showcasing the School’s innovative approach to medical education and growing research impact. Each year the whole-of-school event hosted some 4,000 residents in the heartlands of Singapore. Led by the Communications and Outreach team, the event reflects the team’s creativity, meticulous planning, and ability to deliver impactful experiences that resonate with diverse audiences. The most prestigious award for this was the Grand Gold for Special Events at the 2025 CASE Circle of Excellence awards.

Innovation in information technology is another area where the CS division has excelled in. The IT Systems & Services team recently received the OpenGov Asia’s Recognition of Excellence award for the development of advanced digital solutions that enhance both operational efficiency and healthcare outcomes.

The EMB Learning Studio at NTU main campus exemplifies the School’s ‘high tech-high touch’ approach to medical education.

More specifically, the team was recognised for the extensive technical refresh of the EMB Learning Studio including installation of artificial intelligence (AI) cameras for hybrid learning, enhanced sound system, user-friendly AV control dashboard, AI-driven maintenance, and a smart whiteboard for digital note-taking. This move to leverage cutting-edge technology to create smarter, more efficient environments for students and faculty has not only enhanced operational workflows but also empowered faculty and students with seamless, interactive experiences. It adds to the ‘high tech-high touch’ medical education approach at LKCMedicine.

Just as fulfilling was the national recognition in 2023 for the CS-led employee wellness programme. It’s LKCMedicine Cares initiative was named Health & Wellness Initiative of the Year by the Singapore Business Review (SBR) in November that year, for promoting holistic wellbeing through mental, physical, and social support initiatives for staff.

Launched in July 2022, LKCMedicine Cares is dedicated to curating holistic wellbeing and activities that support the LKCMedicine family.

Dr Ng said that these recent awards serve as external validations of the division’s impact on the School’s success and strategic direction.

“These achievements are not only a reflection of our collective commitment to organisational excellence, innovation, and sustainability at LKCMedicine, but also an inspiration for us to push boundaries and set new standards for our School. They validate our strategic contributions and drive a culture where excellence and innovation are not just goals for us, but ongoing practices,” said Dr Ng.

Yet, no one is resting on our laurels. As the saying goes, success breeds more success. While the School continues to grow our influence in education and research, all hands are on deck to foster a greater sense of belonging for the LKCMedicine community – not least of all, our students, young researchers, alumni, our donors and our patient partners – while ensuring the School stays Top-of-Mind for our prospectives.

One can be sure the progress of the School will be well-documented. With greater visibility in the media and public arena, LKCMedicine is today very much open to sharing the School’s success with its stakeholders, here and beyond. For without the larger society whom it serves, the School would be nowhere near where it stands today.