Philippine academic accuses NUS of dropping her from event over links to Singapore historian husband Thum Ping Tjin
- Sol Iglesias, who is married to government critic Thum, said the National University of Singapore (NUS) ‘disinvited’ her from speaking at a conference to be held in January
- NUS defended the decision, saying Iglesias ‘did not make the final line-up of speakers’ despite discussing flight and accommodation details with her
NUS said that the details were “still evolving” at the time and she “did not make the final line-up of speakers”.
The academic, Dr Sol Iglesias, said that the university had invited her back in August as a speaker for a specific slot at the event, set to be held in January. She provided correspondence supporting this claim between herself and the university.
For its part, NUS said on November 23 that the details of the event were “still evolving” until November 2 when Iglesias was told by NUS that she did not make the final panel of speakers.
The university did not reply to follow-up questions on why flight and accommodation details had already been discussed with Iglesias – as seen by TODAY in the email correspondence between the two parties – and why an NUS staff member had apparently told her the confirmed event dates.
Iglesias, 46, is an associate professor of political science at the University of the Philippines Diliman, based in Quezon City. She has a doctorate and a Master’s degree from NUS, where she also earned a few academic awards, according to her curriculum vitae.