A University Professor is the highest academic appointment in NUS. It is awarded to a senior faculty member who has demonstrated a deep and on-going commitment to the University, and has served the University with distinction in at least one of the three areas of teaching, research and service. The faculty member would have made significant long term contributions to the development of the University, which contributions may be in the areas of research, teaching, academic leadership, policy development, as well as service to the community beyond the University.

The Tan Chin Tuan Centennial Professorships are amongst the most prestigious professorships of the University established with private funds. They are bestowed upon academics who have demonstrated an exceptional level of achievement in their field of study, as well as made significant contributions to the academic policies and programmes of the University.

The Distinguished Professorship is awarded to a senior faculty member who has demonstrated excellence and international recognition in research and creative activity, together with significant and impactful leadership in raising standards of the University with respect to research or creative activity, teaching and service.

To commemorate the 80th anniversary of the Faculty of the Arts and Social Sciences in 2009 and to mark the lineage of its predecessor institution Raffles College, two new chaired professors were launched - the Raffles Professor of Humanities and Raffles Professor of Social Sciences. These professorships are aimed at faculty members who have achieved high distinction in their respective areas of research.

The Goh Keng Swee Professorship is an appointment in the Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences, and conferred to faculty members in recognition of their outstanding and impacting scholarly accomplishments.

The Provost’s Chair Professorships are for a three-year term, and are awarded to selected faculty members of Professorial level, in recognition of their outstanding and impactful scholarly accomplishments which are internationally acknowledged.

Class of '62 Professorship recognizes outstanding academic excellence, as well as academic and intellectual leadership. It is awarded to a tenured Professor who has demonstrated excellence and international recognition in research and creative activity, together with significant and impactful leadership in raising standards of the University with respect to research or creative activity, teaching and service.

The Dean’s Chair Professorships are for a three-year term and are awarded to selected faculty members of Associate Professorial level, in recognition of their outstanding and impactful scholarly accomplishments which are internationally acknowledged.