1,821 Nanyang Technological University (NTU) faculty and staff have donated a total of 20,145 days of unused annual leave towards student aid and endowments.

In a media release, NTU said the total donation was worth about S$10.25 million, with the average donation being 11 days' leave.

The highest donation was 15 days.

On average, NTU employees get between 21 and 42 days of annual leave depending on their employment scheme and length of service.

The option to voluntarily redeem unused earned annual leave value — based on each individual's salary rates — was offered to employees as part of the university's annual faculty and staff giving initiative.

The redeemed annual leave value was donated to an NTU fund of the individual's choice.

This included the university's bursaries, general endowment, education and student life fund, or 18 other school or centre advancement funds that support student projects and club activities such as seminars, and new research initiatives.

Wanting to give back to her alma mater

One faculty member who donated 15 days' leave was Associate Professor Ivy Kwan, who serves as the Assistant Dean for Career Services at NTU's Nanyang Business School (NBS).

Kwan donated her leave to the NBS Student Aid Fund, which provides financial support to NBS students experiencing hardship.

"I really wanted to give back to NTU and NBS, which is my alma mater," she said, adding that she hoped others would benefit from their education at NBS just as she had.

"I teach at NBS and this is my little way of investing in the future of my students. I would definitely do it again in the future!"

Helping students affected by Covid-19

Noting the impact that Covid-19 has had on students and their families, NTU Senior Vice President (Administration) Tan Aik Na said the donations showed how much the NTU community was invested in the success and well-being of students.

"It is doubly important during the pandemic for us to rally our support as OneNTU to help these students," said Tan.

According to their media release, NTU had introduced a Covid-19 relief package for students earlier this year.

Part of the package was the NTU Priorities Fund, which was set up to help students with no other recourse for financial support amid the COVID-19 crisis. The fund has since grown to S$1.7 million in size with over 1,600 donors.

Additionally, students who needed immediate assistance due to the COVID-19 outbreak were supported by the OneNTU Fund, which gave them an interest-free advance of S$1,500 which they can pay back within two years of graduating.

In total, the Covid-19 relief package has helped 1,170 students with aid amounting to S$1.6 million, ranging between S$500 and S$3,000 per person, said NTU.

Top image from NTU

Totally unrelated but follow and listen to our podcast here