Singapore Management University (SMU) today conferred an Honorary Doctor of Laws on SMU alumna and Singapore's most decorated Paralympian, Ms Yip Pin Xiu, in recognition of her exceptional sporting achievements, leadership in advancing inclusion and accessibility, and outstanding contributions to society, as the University opened its Commencement 2026 celebrations.
Across five days of ceremonies, SMU will graduate 3,857 students, comprising 2,298 Bachelor's degree graduates, 1,424 Master's and Juris Doctor graduates, and 135 Doctorate graduates. Forty-nine Bachelor's graduates completed double degrees.
The opening ceremony, hosted by the SMU School of Economics, was officiated by Guest-of-Honour Dr Leow Kah Shin, Co-Founder of Quantedge, and attended by more than 1,000 graduates, award recipients, family members and guests.
Addressing the graduating class, SMU President Professor Lily Kong said a university education should develop not only professional capability but also character.
"The world will reward innovation and expertise, but it will also call upon your judgement, your integrity, and your empathy. What will distinguish you is not only what you know, but how you choose to engage with uncertainty, with difference, and with difficulty."
This year's Commencement also marks two academic milestones.
SMU celebrated the inaugural cohort of 36 graduates from its Bahelor of Science (Software Engineering), the University's first SkillsFuture Work-Study degree programme. The four-year programme combines classroom learning with a year-long industry apprenticeship, equipping students with software engineering, DevOps and AI capabilities. As of June 2026, about seven in 10 graduating students had secured full-time employment, with employers including ByteDance, Google, JP Morgan, NCS, UBS and Accenture.
SMU also celebrated the first 30 graduates from its Master of Sustainability programme. The interdisciplinary programme equips graduates with expertise in sustainability strategy, management and policy, preparing them for roles in consulting, professional services and the public sector. For MST students who graduated in 2025, 88% landed full-time roles within 6 months of graduation.
SMU Chairman Mr Piyush Gupta encouraged graduates to build on Singapore's success by creating impact beyond personal achievement.
"Singapore's own journey illustrates this well. Economic success was essential. But what truly mattered was how that success translated into opportunity, resilience, and shared progress. Your generation now has the opportunity, and responsibility, to build on that foundation."
This year's University Valedictorian is Ryan Lee Zong En, who graduates with a Bachelor of Science (Information Systems). Alongside graduating with a perfect GPA, Ryan was recognised for his leadership and service to the SMU community, receiving both the Kwek Hong Png Valedictorian Award and the CPI Valedictorian Award.
The University Salutatorian is Jolie Cheng Yu An, who graduates with a Bachelor of Business Management. A Lee Kong Chian Scholar, Jolie led consulting projects supporting charities and social enterprises and contributed more than 235 hours of community service, including a service-learning project in Laos.
SMU also recognised 12 recipients of the Ho Kwon Ping CIRCLE Award, presented annually to students who exemplify the University's values of Commitment, Integrity, Responsibility, Collegiality, Leadership and Excellence through academic achievement, leadership and service.
The graduating Class of 2026 is also supporting the SMU Circle Fund, the University's annual graduating class giving initiative that supports financially challenged students. Over the past five academic years, the campaign has brought together more than 500 alumni, raised over S$190,000, and funded bursaries for 17 undergraduates, reflecting a growing culture of philanthropy among an alumni community now spanning over 20 years of graduates.
Annex 1 - Honorary degree recipients – past and present
Other materials, including the speeches, citation and graduate profiles available for interviews, can be accessed below.