SMU President Professor Lily Kong participated in the Worldwide Universities Network Presidents’ Forum 2025, joining global university leaders to pursue shared goals of academic collaboration, innovation, and sustainable development. Her presence underscored SMU’s commitment to regional integration and global partnerships in addressing shared challenges through higher education.

From August to November 2023, SMU Libraries hosted artist Priyageetha Dia in its inaugural Artist-in-Residence (AiR) programme. She worked on research concerning the communist insurgency during the Malayan Emergency and the role of rubber plantations in the Cold War that was concurrently developing at about the same time.  “This area of study is not only historically rich but also complex, requiring a deep dive into various aspects of political, social, and economic narratives of that era,” she explains.