SMU brings research, innovation and talent to World Cities Summit 2026
Published onAt World Cities Summit 2026, SMU showcased how its research, innovation and talent are helping shape more liveable, resilient and inclusive cities. From faculty insights and multidisciplinary research on urban futures to student and alumni-led ventures addressing sustainability challenges, SMU brought bold ideas and practical solutions to a global conversation on cities.
From TikTok mashups to festival stages, SMU business alumna Ashley Ler, known professionally as Kiara, tells how business grounding, creative courage and discipline turned passion into a thriving DJ career.
SMU’s first team to complete the Gobi Desert Challenge earned the sole Model ESG Team Award, showcasing resilience, sustainability leadership and responsible action beyond classrooms.
Discover how SMU’s new master's programme equips graduates with AI, data science and economics expertise to turn complex data into sharper business and policy decisions.
SMU’s Business Innovations Generator has been named the world’s Best Accelerator/Incubator Programme, a milestone that spotlights 17 years of venture-building and innovation leadership.
Celebrate a proud SMU milestone as President Professor Lily Kong receives the 2026 CASE Asia-Pacific Leadership Award. This recognition honours her visionary leadership in advancing academic excellence, global relevance, alumni engagement, and philanthropy – further strengthening SMU’s standing as a world-class university making meaningful impact across Asia and beyond.
SMU’s new Longevity Societies and Economies Institute will drive research, policy and industry collaboration to help Singapore thrive in an ageing society and silver economy.
SMU Indonesia deepens the University’s regional impact, partnering industry and government to equip talent with digital, technical, and human skills for an AI-driven economy.
SMU Law clinched its second straight Sports Law Arbitration Moot title in Lausanne, underscoring its global mooting excellence and growing strength in sports law.
SMU’s largest alumni gift, from Jeff Tung and Benjamin Twoon, will help student founders turn bold ideas into viable ventures through funding, mentorship, and a new work-study pathway.
SMU PhD in Business (General Management), alumnus (2017) Dr Tan Boon Heon didn’t take the usual MBA route at the peak of his pharmaceutical career. Instead, he chose a part-time doctorate at SMU to prepare for life’s “half-time” — and a second act built on purpose. As a result, he is now CEO of HCA Hospice.