Professor Lily Kong, President of Singapore Management University (SMU) and the first Singaporean woman to lead a university in Singapore, recently shared her leadership journey and insights on the future of higher education in an interview with Professor Judyth Sachs on Studiosity's 'Reimagining Higher Education' podcast. Acknowledging her sixth anniversary in the role, Professor Kong reflected on the people who have sustained her, the unique mission of SMU, and the challenges facing universities today.
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WATCH the full recording as a video here.
The Strength of Community and Human Scale
When asked to bring an object that helps understand her as a leader and an educator, Prof. Kong chose a photo of her friends from when they were 16, underscoring the vital role of relationships.
"The journey would not have been possible at all if not for the people around me. They have been a source of strength and support."
This value of human connection informed her decision to join the then 15-year-old SMU as Provost, moving from the larger National University of Singapore. She was attracted to SMU's "more human scale," a mid-sized university where she could recognise and know colleagues and students as individuals. This human-centred environment, she believes, allows the university to "scale up initiatives and touch the lives of every student".
Interdisciplinarity as the Educational Core
Prof Kong's own academic experience shaped her convictions about learning. As an undergraduate on a special direct honours programme, she found her one-to-one tutelage a very lonely experience, lacking the benefits of peer learning and class debate. This reinforced her belief that "learning is a social activity".
Drawing from her roots as an interdisciplinary scholar with training in geography—a "synthesising discipline"—she has championed interdisciplinarity at SMU. This approach is embedded in the core curriculum, revamped under her leadership to include three pillars: Capabilities, Cultures, and Civilisations.
This design encourages students to "think across disciplines more". For example, the core course on "big questions" brings e.g. a philosopher, a psychologist, and a marketing person together to explore a theme like happiness and suffering, helping students "think in integrative ways across the different disciplines". SMU also offers interdisciplinary majors, like Politics, Law, and Economics, and even allows a select group of students to devise their own thematic majors, achieving an interdisciplinary depth.
An inclusive, student-centred experience
Prof Kong described the student experience at SMU as inclusive and student-centred , focused on exchange, connection, and learning. When imagining a walk around the inner-city campus, she highlights specific spaces that are central to fostering community and collaborative learning:
- The Underground Concourse : This concourse links all the schools and allows movement without exposure to sun or rain. More than a thoroughfare, it is a "hive of activity" with shops and eateries , and its width allows for exhibitions, dance rehearsals, and students setting up small businesses. Prof Kong considers this concourse to be, in some ways, the "heart of campus ".
- The Library : Recognising that libraries are changing, the SMU library is seen as a place for people, not just books. It features co-working spaces and learning commons open 24/7 , where students are seen as "diligent individuals, but also as collaborative groups ".
- The Campus Green : Despite being in the heart of the city , the campus strives to be green. The campus green, with its artificial turf , is a popular spot, especially in the evenings. It is framed by beautiful architecture, including the National Museum and what was formerly the St. Joseph's Institution. For Prof Kong, the campus green signifies the central city location that "marries natural urban heritage with the assets of the city ", reminding students that they are fortunate to have "the city as our classroom".
Image source: smu.edu
Preparing Students to Flourish in a Fluid World
There are challenges, Prof Kong says, in a local education system focused on academic grades, requiring universities to persuade some students to take broader courses, and there is the national challenge of a declining population and balancing the need for international students against local anxieties. Internationally, she expressed concern about "doors closing in some parts of the world" and the curtailment of student mobility, urging educational institutions to enhance cross-cultural understanding.
To ensure students are prepared for a future of rapid technological change, Prof Kong argues for a shift in focus beyond cognitive learning. She believes universities must cultivate holistic individuals by developing other dimensions, specifically intrapersonal and interpersonal intelligences.
"I do think that other intelligences are very important for us to cultivate- interpersonal intelligences, the ability to understand somebody else, some other culture, how to navigate that, how to interact with that."
Reflecting on the unpredictable nature of future technology, she stressed that the ability to "read the room" and understand human dynamics remains vital. This underscores a powerful conclusion about the university's role: "the best thing I think I can do for my students is to help them be still more human." This includes encouraging resilience and a sustained interest in the humanities to grasp human frailties and strengths.
Professor Kong offers a compelling vision for higher education that is simultaneously grounded in human connection and forward-looking in the face of technological disruption.
