A theatre educational specialist, Dr Yu Weijie introduced the philosophy, practice and pedagogy of conservatoire paradigm of vocational actor-training for the first time in history to the Institution of Higher Education (IHE) in Singapore through its initial and successful implementation at the Department of Theatre of the Nanyang Academy of Fine Arts since 2001.
An academically educated scholar of theatre studies, he was also trained at the 4th edition of Eugenio Barba’s International School of Theatre Anthropology at DAMS Universita di Bologna, Italy in 1990.
Dr Yu has worked as an actor, director and producer with various companies including WUWEI Theater Frankfurt (1992 - 1998), Das Jugend Theater Nuerenberg (1994), META Theatre Munich (1992 - 1998), Theater an der Ruhr (Solo Contract by Roberto Ciulli, 1998 - 2001), and Opera Mundi Hamburg (as the business partner of Jeorg von Hau, 1993 - 1998).
An Artistic Director cum Executive Producer, Dr Yu was responsible for all the production qualities at the Department of Theatre of the Nanyang Academy of Fine Arts during AY2001-06, AY2008/09 and AY2010-12.
He has taught in various Theatre faculties at the Universities of Germany, Austria, Italy, Czech, Hungary and China prior to his dedicated service at the Nanyang Academy of Fine Arts as Dean, School of Performing Arts (AY2000-2007) cum Head of Theatre Department (AY2000-06, AY2008/09, AY2010-12), and Vice Dean, Office of Academic Affairs (AY2007/08 and AY2012-present).
With papers appearing in core theatre research journals in the languages of Chinese, English, German, Italian and Czech since the 1980s, Dr Yu has also published the books Traditione e realta del teatro cinese (as the author) and Teatro Cinese (as the co-author) in Milan in 1995.
A member of the International Theatre Institute (ITI), UNESCO since 1984, Dr Yu was also working as a Residence-Research-Fellow at Prof Fischer-Lichte’s Institute of World Literature, Bayreuth Universitaet (1990 - 1991) and International Research Centre of Interweaving Cultures in Performance at Freie Universitaet Berlin (2009 - 2010), Germany.
As a panel specialist, Dr Yu has served at various committees/boards locally, e.g. Arts Fund (Totalisator Board), National Arts Council (Ministry of Community, Culture and Sports), and Music & Drama Company (Singapore Armed Force, Ministry of Defence), etc.
Recently, he has been constantly invited to provide professional consultancy on global (arts) higher educational philosophy and paradigm to the university boards/management in UK, Australia and China.
Dr Yu received his Long Service Award from the Nanyang Academy of Fine Arts in 2010.