Editor’s Note
Welcome to the latest issue of SMU Engage, the corporate newsletter of Singapore Management University. We have given it a brand new look to mark 15 years of progress and innovation at the University. It is now more compact in size, so that it is easier to carry around and more readable as a download on your tablet; it has a cleaner and sharper design, to help you browse through and focus on the stories that interest you; and it is written with a more lively and concise style, to make it faster and more enjoyable read.
We were honoured in June to have Singapore’s Prime Minister Mr Lee Hsien Loong deliver the 7th Ho Rih Hwa Leadership in Asia Public Lecture. This was made all the more significant coming in the midst Singapore’s “SG50” golden jubilee, our “SMU15” 15th anniversary, and 13½ years after Mr Lee’s father, then Senior Minister Lee Kwan Yew, delivered the inaugural lecture in the series. Mr Lee Hsien Loong used the occasion to raise many thought-provoking points about our nation’s future, as you can read in our lead story.
What hasn’t changed in SMU Engage, is the comprehensive coverage we provide in three sections. “Zest”, our student news section, includes a story on Commencement 2015, our biggest yet, as well as a feature on our medal-winning students at the 2015 SEA Games. “Academia”, the section on academic news, announces the appointment of our new Provost, Professor Lily Kong, and the new Dean of the School of Accountancy, Professor Cheng Qiang – both of whom will play major roles in the University’s development for many years to come. The final section, “Connections”, which covers thought leadership, advancement and staff news, in this issue includes news of a major redevelopment of Campus Green to add more buzz to the Bras Basah district, ending with a review of the recent Channel NewsAsia TV panel discussion series, shot at SMU Labs and including one of SMU’s prominent thought leaders on each show.
I hope that this new-look presentation will engage you in a refreshing way. Enjoy!