The SMU-London School of Economics and Political Science (LSE) Global Forum examined what it will take for universities to fulfil their responsibility toward societal impact in a fractured world, while putting the universities’ strategic partnership into action through new joint research projects on urban sustainability, workforce and longevity challenges in Singapore, the UK and beyond. Moderated by SMU Vice President for Impact Professor Scott Fritzen, the Forum marked the first major research milestone under the SMU-LSE strategic partnership, with three joint projects selected from nine proposals under the LSE-SMU Research Seed Fund, examining urban sustainability, artificial intelligence (AI) and the future of work, and longevity and healthy ageing. Awarded projects included research by SMU Professor of Geography and Director of SMU’s Urban Institute Orlando Woods, SMU Assistant Professor of Urban Studies Andrew Stokols, SMU Associate Professor of Organisational Behaviour & Human Resources Burak Oc, and SMU Associate Professor of Economics Kim Seonghoon.
At the event, SMU President Professor Lily Kong said, "Academics have been trained to think about publications, citations and rankings. But in an increasingly complex world, universities must ask themselves how they can make a difference. We must encourage academics to think beyond publications—how their work can make a difference to business, government and society—and how university systems and academic culture can better support them. Changes to policy and practice are usually based on the accumulation of knowledge, oftentimes drawing on the work of various scholars. So, we need to recognise the difference between an academic's contribution and the attribution of change to any single individual or work. Both are important."