As the 15th S R Nathan Fellow for the Study of Singapore appointed by the Institute of Policy Studies, SMU President Professor Lily Kong will deliver a series of three lectures under the theme “Reshaping Universities: Building Legacy and Impact for a New World.” On Monday, 4 Nov, she presented her second lecture, titled “At the Crossroads: Universities for a 100-Year Life,” discussing how universities must transform to remain relevant over the next century. Prof Kong emphasised that future universities must become lifelong partners in a world where people are likely to live and work longer. This requires shifts not only from universities but also from employers and individuals to support continuous learning. She noted that universities typically group students by age in the same courses due to different learning styles. However, if universities can create environments that encourage participation across age groups, students will benefit from learning alongside peers of various ages, gaining diverse skills and experiences. In her first lecture on 8 Oct, Prof Kong traced the origins of higher education through the histories of different regions. She explored the early connections between higher education and religion, the process of universities becoming more secular, and how this evolution has reflected changes in the function of higher education, its accessibility, and societal expectations.