SMU welcomed Mr Ong Ye Kung, Acting Minister for Education (Higher Education & Skills) and Senior Minister of State, Ministry of Defence; Dr Janil Puthucheary, Minister of State, Ministry of Communications and Information and Ministry of Education; Ms Low Yen Ling, Parliamentary Secretary, Ministry of Education and Ministry of Trade and Industry; Mr John Lim, Divisional Director, Higher Education Policy Division and Divisional Director, Higher Education Operations Division;  Ms Lee May Gee, Executive Director, Academic Research (Covering) and Director, Higher Education Policy and Ms Diane Loo, Senior Deputy Director, Media Relations (Higher Education & Skills) and Press Secretary to Acting Minister (Higher Education & Skills)  for an afternoon of informal discussions on Wednesday 9 March.

The delegation was greeted by SMU’s Prof Arnoud De Meyer, President; Prof Lily Kong, Provost; Prof Tan Chin Tiong, Senior Advisor; Ms Gulcin Cribb, University Librarian and Ms Shirley Low, Head, Government Affairs who walked with them to the Li Ka Shing Library Learning Labs. There they listened to presentations by Prof Kong on SMU’s undergraduate and continuing education, and Prof Steven Miller, Vice Provost (Research) and Dean, School of Information Systems on our research initiatives. Both presentations inspired searching questions and further discussions.

Prof De Meyer (centre) elaborating on SMU’s presentations to Minister Ong.

Mr Ong, Dr Puthucheary and Mr Lim then spent more than an hour chatting to SMU students over tea. They asked the students about their views on the education system in Singapore and experiences at SMU; while the students enquired about government policies on education and related issues.

Mr Ong enjoying a free and frank discussion with SMU students.

Dr Puthucheary answering questions from SMU students.

After tea, the delegation and hosts visited SMU Labs, where Mr Tan Gan Hup, Associate Director, SMU-X led a short tour of the award-winning facilities and Prof Miller introduced the Fujitsu-SMU Urban Computing and Engineering (UNiCEN) Corp. Lab.

Mr Ong (2^nd from left), Mr Lim (in background) and Dr Puthucheary (far right) leaning about SMU Labs from Mr Tan (far left).

The three guests chatted amiably about their visit with Prof De Meyer, Prof Kong and Prof Tan who accompanied them back to the Li Ka Shing Library where they said farewell.

Mr Ong Ye Kung, Acting Minister for Education (Higher Education and Skills) (front row, 8^th from right); Dr Janil Puthucheary, Minister of State (front row, 8^th from left); Mr John Lim, Divisional Director, Higher Education Policy Division and Higher Education Operations Division (front row, 7^th from left); Prof Arnoud De Meyer, SMU President (back row, far right); Prof Lily Kong, SMU Provost (front row, far right); together with SMU students who had chatted with them over tea.

Main photo: Mr Ong Ye Kung, Acting Minister for Education (Higher Education and Skills) (right) being welcomed by Professor Arnoud De Meyer, SMU President at the Li Ka Shing Library.