Professor Lily Kong – Shaping a University for the Future

What does it take to reimagine a university for the future? For Professor Lily Kong, BBM, PBM, FBA, President of Singapore Management University (SMU), the answer lies in challenging conventions, nurturing changemakers, and ensuring that research truly makes a difference in people’s lives.

 

As the first Singaporean to lead SMU, Prof Kong has broken new ground throughout her career. Yet, for her, the real reward is not in the prestigious accolades she has received, but in the opportunity to create impact by shaping generations of students and driving knowledge that advances society.

 

In the first episode of SMU Impact Stories, Prof Kong reflects on her journey from cultural geographer to university leader.

 

 

Championing research with real-world impact

 

No two universities are the same. Each reflects a unique community, research intention, and role in society. For Prof Kong, the responsibility of higher education is clear: universities must prepare students to thrive in and improve a changing world while also producing knowledge that serves the greater good.

 

As an urban geographer and interdisciplinary scholar, her research has examined themes central to Asia’s urban future—from inter-communal relations, religion, and social cohesion to national identity, cultural policy, the creative economy, heritage, and education. Across these areas, she has consistently highlighted how culture, identity, and policy shape urban life and community resilience.  

 

Building on this foundation, her more recent work extends these concerns into the digital age, exploring with colleagues at SMU how technology is reshaping communities in Southeast Asia’s emerging smart cities.

 

These studies highlight different approaches: in Jakarta, citizens are mobilised as active participants in co-creating urban infrastructure through digital platforms, while in Singapore, the Smart Nation initiative reflects a government-led model where public agencies build technological capabilities from within to drive innovation.

 

Prof Kong has long championed a shift in how research is valued: not just by technical metrics or superficial rankings, but by the real difference it makes to society. This conviction has shaped SMU’s research culture.  

 

“Lily’s leadership reminds us that research must not only be rigorous, but also relevant to the communities we serve.”  

– Professor Orlando Woods, Director, SMU Urban Institute

 

It is a conviction she has also carried into dialogues and broader discussions on the future of higher education. In her S R Nathan Fellow lecture series on the future of universities, and in her book Universities Reinvented: Shaping Legacy and Impact for a New World (2025), she reflected on the evolving role of universities—examining how they have historically mirrored changing societal contexts, considering what it means to be a university in an age where a 100-year life is possible, and inviting discussion on their responsibility as a “brain trust” to the world beyond their walls.

 

Prof Kong at the launch of Universities Reinvented: Shaping Legacy and Impact for a New World.