Nanyang Technological University (NTU)’s legal team sits within the Legal and Secretarial Office (LSO). LSO is comprised of a team of 18 qualified lawyers from different jurisdictions, along with three non-lawyers responsible for overseeing legal operations and board secretarial affairs. LSO’s portfolio extends beyond the vetting of agreements and the disseminating of basic legal advice.

Recently LSO has enhanced its value as a genuine business partner for NTU by leading collaborations with local universities in Singapore, streamlining research agreement templates and reducing turnaround time by 35%. They also updated gift agreement templates and published charity and tax law self-help guides to support NTU’s charitable efforts. Additionally, LSO revamped NTU’s Intellectual Property Policy to better protect NTU’s IP rights and increase revenue through this channel. Furthermore, LSO established a knowledge management portal for easy access to a range of legal resources, making LSO a valuable partner with improved uniformity and understanding in legal matters.

We have also been data governance champions. To mitigate the risk of data breaches and unauthorised data disclosures at NTU, LSO, in collaboration with the IT department, developed the Data Governance Policy (DGP). This policy encompasses all NTU data and establishes accountability within the community for data handling and protection. To operationalise the DGP, LSO has implemented three practices. We have established a dedicated Data Governance and Privacy Operations Unit to ensure efficient and impartial oversight of critical aspects of the DGP infrastructure. We have also created a network comprising over 100 DGP managers across all NTU units, ensuring successful on-the-ground implementation and adherence to the policy. We have also conducted virtual roadshows and small group sessions aimed at department heads to raise awareness and promote understanding of the DGP’s principles and requirements.

The Data Protection Officer (DPO) for NTU also sits within LSO therefore LSO acts as the main body driving personal data protection awareness and compliance throughout the organisation. In the last year we have launched a new e-learning modules for its PDPA e-learning program, benefiting 35,000 students and 8,000 employees. The team have also collaborated with the InfoComm and Media Development Authority, Singapore (IMDA) to promote awareness of personal data protection and data governance at NTU’s Cybersecurity Day. LSO introduced IMDA’s interactive online game and Instagram filter at its Privacy booth, providing an engaging way for employees and students to learn about data protection in Singapore. Finally, LSO has conducted legal clinics, tabletop exercises, and workshops that attracted over 500 stakeholders. These events were designed to address personal data protection-related inquiries and educate attendees on data breach management standard operating procedures (SOPs).

To demonstrate that LSO’s achievements are not merely self-promotion, it is worth noting that the NTU community has recognised their efforts. LSO received an outstanding 90% overall satisfaction rating in the Q2 2023 Legal Satisfaction Survey.