A top researcher who is ranked among the leading scholars in the world in his area of financial disclosure, a highly-regarded educator and an international academic with strong connections with China and America.

A “triple threat” is how SMU Provost and Deputy President (Academic Affairs) Professor Rajendra K Srivastava described Professor Cheng Qiang who has been appointed to assume the position of Dean, School of Accountancy from July 1, 2015. Speaking to reporters at a press briefing last week, Professor Rajendra said he was very pleased that Prof Cheng will be taking on the important role. “There were three other candidates who were very, very good from North America, Europe and Asia. It was a tough feat but Prof Cheng did well to jump over a very high hurdle in terms of leadership, thought leadership, commitment to education and connectivity to the accounting industry among many factors of consideration.”

Prof Cheng, 42, is instrumental in propelling the school’s research and thought leadership ranking to first in Asia and seventh in the world.

Prof Cheng joined SMU in 2011 and will succeed Professor Pang Yang Hoong the founding Dean of SOA. Prof Pang is completing three terms spanning a total of close to 15 years and will continue in her position as SMU Vice Provost (Undergraduate).

Showing his appreciation to Professor Pang Yang Hoong, SMU President, Professor Arnoud de Meyer thanked her for her contributions for the past one and a half decade, for creating the School of Accountancy and bringing it to the level where it is today. Professor De Meyer said, “Not only has Prof Pang built a school which produces high quality graduates who go on to have great jobs and salaries, she has been able to do so while establishing the school as one that is recognised for the quality of its research in the world. Through SoA’s research, we are able to influence not just accountancy practice standards in Singapore but also internationally.”

Professor Pang shared with reporters her thoughts about her successor. “I have full confidence in Prof Cheng. We have worked together since 2011 when he came to SMU. I have seen his leadership in the School. He has been a great mentor to our faculty especially our junior faculty in helping them establish their research agenda.”

 “I can see that he will be able to understand the School’s standing in Singapore, Asia and the world. He is the right candidate to take the school to the next level,” she added.

Prof Cheng has gained a reputation as being an outstanding faculty whose contributions are pivotal to the advancement of SoA. He received awards both at the school and university levels for his achievements in teaching and research. These include the SoA Most Outstanding Faculty Teaching Award (2014), SMU Lee Kuan Yew Fellowship for Research Excellence (2013) and SoA Most Outstanding Faculty Award in Research (2013). Additionally, he was instrumental in recruiting senior research faculty and top world renowned visiting faculty to the School in the last few years.

[Photo: Professor Cheng sharing a light moment with reporters at the media briefing held on 22 April 2015. Professor Arnoud De Meyer, Professor Rajendra Srivastava and Prof Pang Yang Hoong were also present.]

In the last eight years, his research in corporate governance and earnings management won him recognition, garnering praise and top awards at international accounting conferences.

“Joining SMU is probably one of the best decisions I have made in my professional life. I appreciate very much this opportunity, and the trust and confidence placed in me to lead the School in the next phase of its development,” he said.

Top on Professor Cheng’s priority list will be to continue attracting quality students to SoA. Professor Cheng said that while the School is in great shape, one of its key challenges would be to recruit the best students to SMU. In his five-year term, Cheng said he hopes to expand the post-graduate programmes, and to increase collaboration with more Chinese and North American universities.

[Photo: Professor Cheng Qiang speaking to reporters]

As Associate Dean (Research), he helped raise SoA’s international profile, boosting its worldwide research rankings in The Brigham Young University Accounting Research Rankings - Financial Accounting with Archival Methods. The School is ranked #1 in Asia and improved from 20th position in 2012, to 10th in 2013 and to seventh worldwide in the recently released rankings. He is credited with increasing research productivity among faculty in SoA, mentoring and co-authoring research papers with many junior research faculty.

In addition to further enhancing the intellectual capital of the School, the Dean-designate also hopes to strengthen the School’s links to stakeholders including the accounting industry, employers and alumni.

Press release: SMU names next Dean for School of Accountancy