SMU has appointed Professor Lily Kong as its new Provost. Prof Kong, who is currently the Vice-Provost of academic personnel at NUS, will officially join SMU in September, making her the first female university provost in Singapore. Prof Kong’s research interests include geography, heritage and conservation and religion, and she will hold the Lee Kong Chian Chair Professorship of Social Sciences. SMU President Professor Arnoud De Meyer said that Prof Kong’s background is a “nice complement” to the University's focus on management, as SMU is strengthening its humanities subjects by looking at introducing more humanities modules for students. Prof Kong said: “I feel I can make a contribution both in terms of research, insight and impact on society and community, as well as in terms of the educational programmes that I can help to shape very directly for the benefit of the graduates, and Singapore.”