Social Fabric and Quality of Life

SMU Study: Framework needed to raise the bar for quality volunteer experience Depending on the stage of life that they are at, volunteers can have starkly different resources, responsibilities, and even motivations. Hence, social service agencies (SSAs) need to learn more about volunteers and match their experiences and expectations to the volunteer tasks.

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.

Each year, SMU hosts its annual Wee Kim Wee Soka International Seminar on Global Peace and Understanding. Held on 16 February 2023, this year’s event focused on the big questions explored by SMU’s Core Curriculum as they relate to wealth and poverty. It brought together academics, policymakers, practitioners, and observers from around the world to discuss new ways of thinking about how wealth and poverty influence our lives today.

Life can sometimes take you down unexpected turns, and it is not uncommon to discover one's true calling along a road less travelled. Such was the experience of SMU alumna Apoorva Charan, who has carved out her own path as a film producer following her graduation.

Among the many events and initiatives organised by SMU in celebration of International Women’s Day (IWD) in March 2023 was a panel dialogue themed ‘SMU Women at the Forefront of Sustainability’. The panel consisted of leading SMU alumnae who have each played important roles in driving sustainability efforts in their respective fields.

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.

Education is a fundamental right that should be accessible to everyone, no matter their circumstances. In order to navigate a world that is in flux, it is important to foster skills beyond traditional domain knowledge. SMU President Professor Lily Kong spoke about the education and skills we most need in an age of transformation during the panel discussion, Skills and Education in the Race for Humanity, at the 2022 Women’s Forum Global Meeting.

“Elites” is often a term imbued with negative connotations.

It comes as no surprise to an ageing population that social networks are pivotal for providing support to seniors.

It is no secret that smartphones have taken over our lives.