SMU Leaders

SMU’s leaders and faculty members showcased the University’s multi-disciplinary and inter-disciplinary research, thought leadership and entrepreneurship related to cities and sustainability at the World Cities Summit in Singapore. The University also helped to organise the Science of Cities Symposium there to highlight innovation and technology's impact on building resilient, inclusive communities.

The book, Behind the Banyan: Ho Kwon Ping, which Mr Ho launched at SMU on 21 May, walks the reader through his experiences as he steered hotel chain Banyan Tree through various milestones and challenges – including the recent pandemic when it had to operate with zero occupancy at many of its properties.

A book examining the remarkable life and legacy of Dr Yong Pung How was launched at SMU on 11 April 2024. Dr Yong was the second Chief Justice of Singapore between 1990 and 2006 and served as the Chancellor of SMU between 2010 and 2015. In 2021, SMU renamed the School of Law to include Dr Yong Pung How's name as a recognition for his founding contributions to the University.

SMU Patron’s Day 2024 saw the annual celebrations given a major boost as crowds of students, alumni, faculty, staff, and friends of SMU came together on SMU’s Campus Green to celebrate the University’s 24th anniversary.

The focus, in line with the University’s Vision 2025, was on environmental protection and sustainable development. President Tharman Shanmugaratnam graced the event, on his first visit as SMU’s Patron. He attended with his spouse, Ms Jane Ittogi.

More than 400 alumni, faculty members and current students of SMU’s School of Computing and Information Systems (SCIS) gathered for a dinner to celebrate the school’s 20th anniversary. The past two decades have seen the school grow from strength to strength. It is now housed in a brand-new shared sustainable city-college block, with an alumni body of over 6,000, more than 2,300 undergraduate students and close to 700 postgraduate students, including about 130 doctoral students.

On 20 October 2023, more than 400 alumni, faculty members and current students of SMU’s School of Computing and Information Systems (SCIS) gathered for a dinner to celebrate the school’s 20th anniversary.

SMU President’s State of the University Address 2023 touched on significant developments, strategic priorities, as well as future endeavours. It took a new and engaging format in embracing SMU’s people-centric thrust: faculty, staff and students shared their experiences and achievements through a series of videos that formed Prof Kong's compelling narrative.  

Twenty years of mutual support and understanding culminated on 29 May 2023, when SMU President Professor Lily Kong was conferred the esteemed Soka Gakkai Singapore (SGS) Friendship Award following the SGS Peace Lecture 2023.

On 10 February 2023, SMU paid tribute to its longest-serving Trustee and Chairman, Mr Ho Kwon Ping who had stepped down from the position. Over two and a half decades, Mr Ho had made an incredible impact on the University and its growth, so it was only fitting that his contributions were recognised by both current and past members of the SMU Board of Trustees and an illustrious guest list of VIPs during the Appreciation Event for Mr Ho held at the SMU Hall.

SMU’s new Chairman, Mr Piyush Gupta, hosted Singapore President Madam Halimah Yacob at the University’s Patron’s Day celebration on 13 January 2023. After two years of holding the event in hybrid format, students, faculty, staff, friends of SMU and the members of the local community enjoyed the much-anticipated annual event live on campus. This year marks the 23rd anniversary of Singapore Management University (SMU) and to commemorate the occasion, SMU students, alumni, staff, and members of the public gathered at Campus Green for an extravaganza event like no other.