Singapore Management University (SMU) celebrated its exceptional educators at an Appreciation Lunch and Awards Ceremony, hosted on campus at Event Square, SMU Connexion on 8 October 2024. Jointly organised by the Centre for Teaching Excellence (CTE) and the College of Graduate Research Studies (CGRS), this year’s event marked several exciting milestones, including the highest number of nominees and award recipients since the SMU Teaching Excellence Awards were incepted 19 years ago in 2005.
The SMU Teaching Excellence Awards celebrate outstanding faculty members who demonstrate exceptional performance at various stages of their academic journey. Through SMU-X courses, undergraduate and postgraduate professional programmes, they serve as role models of quality teaching. This year, as a testament to the growth of SMU’s teaching community, the nomination slots were carefully calibrated to reflect evolving faculty strength and diversity, while maintaining the prestige of the awards.
Close to 100 faculty members and staff attended the event, including SMU President, Prof Lily Kong and SMU Provost, Prof Timothy Clark. Prof Kong presented the prestigious Distinguished Educator Award to Prof Benedict Koh from SMU Lee Kong Chian School of Business (LKCSB) at the Awards Ceremony. Prof Phang Sock Yong from SMU School of Economics (SOE) who was unable to attend in person was also presented the Distinguished Educator Award.
Addressing the audience, Prof Kong noted, “Our educators are the heart of SMU’s mission to create an impact through transformative education. Today, we honour their dedication and the profound influence they have on their students.”
In a first, this year’s Awards introduced the SMU Teaching Excellence Hall of Fame, which recognises faculty members who have received at least five SMU Teaching Excellence Awards. Prof Seow Poh Sun from the SMU School of Accountancy (SOA) and Principal Lecturer Rosie Ching (SOE), were the inaugural recipients honoured for their consistent excellence and lasting impact on the SMU teaching community.
The rigorous selection process for the SMU Teaching Excellence Awards involved careful consideration by members of the Faculty Advisory Committee for Teaching and Learning (FACTL), with additional input from the Associate Provost (PGP Education), Assoc Prof Themin Suwardy for the Teaching Excellence in Postgraduate Programme Programmes (PGPP) Award. Together, they assessed nominations based on a range of criteria, including teaching philosophies, sound pedagogical principles and innovative practices, student feedback, as well as contributions to the scholarship of teaching and learning.
“I would like to acknowledge the effort from FACTL members who reviewed all the nominees’ submissions, and Associate Provost of PGP Education, Themin Suwardy, for reviewing the PGPP Award submissions. Each FACTL member had to go through over 350 pages of write-ups. They balanced this with their teaching, industry, and research commitments,” said Prof Venky Shankararaman, Vice Provost (Education) and Professor of Information Systems (Education), in his address at the Appreciation Lunch and Awards Ceremony.
“Deciding the recipients was challenging as everyone was excellent,” continued Prof Shankararaman. “While Course Feedback ratings could have made the process easier, quality teaching goes beyond a single number—it is about impact, innovation, and the scholarship of teaching. Thank you to all the reviewers for rising to the challenge.”
In another first, SMU College of Graduate Research Studies (CGRS) presented the SMU Outstanding Graduate Supervisor Award, which recognises exemplary supervision of PhD students. The award recipients were selected by the University Graduate Supervision Committee (UGSC) and supported by members of the Postgraduate Research Programmes Committee (PGRPC).
“The SMU Outstanding Graduate Supervisor Award recognises the critical role that supervision and mentorship play in a PhD student’s journey. Exceptional supervisors guide students not only through the challenges of research but also in their development as future scholars and professionals. This award celebrates the dedication and impact of faculty members who invest in the growth of the next generation of academics,” said Prof Wang Heli, Dean of the CGRS.
This award highlights the University’s commitment to postgraduate research education and the crucial role taken by supervisors in setting the next generation of researchers up for success in both academia and industry. The recipients of this inaugural award are Prof Kapil Tuli (LKCSB), Prof Zhang Liandong (SOA), Assoc Prof Chang Pao-Li (SOE), and Prof David Lo from SMU School of Computing and Information Systems (SCIS).
“Awards are nice, but none of us starts a class thinking about awards,” said Prof Venky Shankararaman. “We are focused on making content that resonates, ensuring interactive activities succeed, and helping students grasp challenging concepts. We also balance this with teaching soft skills and keeping up with rapid changes, like the evolution of AI and blended learning, which has become a core feature at SMU. Thank you for your commitment to teaching despite all the challenges.”
Photo credit: SMU