PROFESSOR LILY KONG
SMU PRESIDENT AND LEE KONG CHIAN PROFESSOR
Professor Lily Kong has been President of Singapore Management University since 2019, the first Singaporean to lead the institution and the first woman to head any university in Singapore. She was previously Provost of SMU (2015-2018). Before that, she held various senior management roles at the National University of Singapore.
At SMU, she has spearheaded significant strategic initiatives, focusing on Digital Transformation, Sustainable Living, and Growth in Asia.
Under her leadership, SMU launched new colleges, research centres and institutes, and overseas centres, boosting its standing and reputation significantly. Enrolment, research funding, industry partnerships, and philanthropic support have surged during her tenure, along with new infrastructure to support SMU's growth. SMU had also gained recognition as the best employer in the Singapore university sector by The Straits Times. The university is ranked amongst the top three in the world for archival research in accounting, second in the world for software engineering, second in Asia for research in business schools, and has won best accelerator/incubator programme and best co-working space in Southeast Asia.
As part of SMU’s 25th anniversary, she had also launched the institution’s new Vision and Mission, reaffirming aspirations to be Asia’s premier global city university, at the nexus of management, social sciences, and technology.
EDUCATION
| 1991 | PhD in Geography, University College London |
| 1988 | MA in Geography, National University of Singapore |
| 1986 | BA(Hons) in Geography (First Class), National University of Singapore |
AREA OF SPECIALISATION
Urban transformations, and social and cultural change in Asian cities
PREVIOUS APPOINTMENTS
Professor Lily Kong was the Provost at SMU (2015 to 2018).
Before joining SMU, she held various senior management roles at the National University of Singapore, including Vice Provost (Education), Vice Provost (Academic Personnel), Vice President (University and Global Relations), Dean (Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences), Dean, University Scholars Programme, Acting Executive Vice-President (Academic Affairs) at Yale-NUS College, and Director, Asia Research Institute. She was also a faculty member at the National University of Singapore’s Department of Geography for nearly 25 years.
PROFESSIONAL AWARDS
An award-winning academic, Professor Kong has received prestigious honours, including the Victoria Medal from the Royal Geographical Society, the Robert Stoddard Award from the American Association of Geographers, the Commonwealth Fellowship, the Fulbright Fellowship, the Fellowship (Foreign) from the Geographical Society of China and the S R Nathan Fellowship. She is consistently ranked in the top 1-2% of her field in studies by Stanford, and has been conferred an Honorary Degree by Loughborough University. She has also been recognised in Forbes Asia’s Power Businesswomen list, Forbes inaugural 50 over 50 (Asia) and Tatler’s Asia’s Most Influential. She has been inducted into the Singapore Women’s Hall of Fame. Her national awards include the Public Service Medal (Silver), Public Service Star and Ministry of National Development Medallion.
RESEARCH ACTIVITIES
She is an interdisciplinary scholar, with disciplinary roots in Geography. She is widely known for her research on urban transformations, and social and cultural change in Asian cities. In particular, she has published a large body of work on inter-communal relations (including religious and racial relations), social cohesion, national identity, cultural policy and cultural industries, creative cities and creative economy, urban heritage and conservation, smart cities, migration and education. She has sat on multiple editorial boards of major international journals and is well-sought after as keynote speaker.
OP-EDS AND REPORTING
- Universities must rethink their research impact beyond metrics and rankings: SMU president Lily Kong The Straits Times 29 November 2024
- A rose or a unicorn? Asean’s mission under the spotlight The Straits Times 10 October 2024
- Is this home, truly? Reflections on Singapore as it turns 59 The Straits Times 8 August 2024
- Humanities and social sciences – everything, everywhere, all at once The Straits Times 8 June 2024
- What does Singapore need from its next generation? The Straits Times 1 March 2024
- Advancing women in academia: geographical mobility and the path to success Times Higher Education 29 February 2024 and Lianhe Zaobao 07 March 2024
- Time to rethink higher education in Singapore and set our own agenda The Straits Times 14 February 2024
- Singapore’s hawker culture at crossroads The Straits Times 18 December 2023
- Faith-based fissures take many forms The Straits Times 21 September 2023
- Universities should set goals for sustainable development Lianhe Zaobao 23 June 2023
- With generative AI, do we still need universities The Straits Times 11 May 2023, co-authored with Professor Lim Sun Sun
- A holistic blueprint for sustainability Times Higher Education 2 May 2023
- Young Singaporeans abroad and their misguided sense of superiority towards S-E-Asia The Straits Times 22 November 2022
- Religious competition: how to keep the good, minimise the bad The Straits Times 23 September 2016
BOOKS
Authored Books
- Kong, L., Woods, O., Tse, J. K. H., (2025) Handbook of the Geographies of Religion, Springer, 1,030pp.
- Kong, L. (2023) Singapore Hawker Centres: People, Places, Food, 2nd edition, Singapore: National Environment Agency and National Heritage Board. 240pp.
- Kong, L. and Woods, O. (2016) Religion and Space: Competition, Conflict and Violence in the Contemporary World. London: Bloomsbury. 199 pp.
- Kong, L., Ching, C-H, and Chou, T-L. (2015) Arts, Culture and the Making of Global Cities: Creating New Urban Landscapes in Asia, Cheltenham: Edward Elgar, 260 pp.
- Kong, L. (2011) Conserving the Past, Creating the Future: Urban Heritage in Singapore, Singapore: Straits Times Press, 260 pp.
- Kong, L. (2007) Singapore's Hawker Centres, Singapore: Singapore National Printers, 176 pp.
- Kong, L., and Yeoh, B. S. A. (2003) The Politics of Landscape in Singapore: Constructions of "Nation", Syracuse: Syracuse University Press, 254 pp.
- Winchester, H, Kong, L., and Dunn, K. (2003) Landscapes: Ways of Imagining the World, Harlow: Pearson, 2003, 206 pp.
- Kong, L., and Chang, T. C. (2001) Joo Chiat: A Living Legacy, Singapore: Editions Didier Millet, 152 pp.
- Perry, M, Kong, L., and Yeoh, B. S. A. (1997) Singapore: A Developmental City-State, World Cities Series. Chichester: John Wiley, 339 pp.
- Briffett, C., Kong, L., Yuen, B. K. P., and Sodhi, N. S. (1997) The Planning and Ecology of Park Connector Systems in Urban Areas, Singapore: National University of Singapore, 115 pp.
- Kong, L., Low, S. A., and Yip, J. (1994) Convent Chronicles: History of a Pioneer Mission School for Girls in Singapore, Singapore: Armour Publishing, 220 pp.
Edited Books
- Kapur, D., Kong, L., Lo, F. and Malone, D., eds., (2023) The Oxford Handbook of Higher Education in the Asia-Pacific Region: Oxford University Press, 877 pp.
- de Dios, A. and Kong, L., eds., (2020) Handbook on the Geographies of Creativity: Edward Elgar Publishing, 400 pp.
- Gomes, C., Kong, L. and Woods, O., eds., (2020) Religion, Hypermobility and Digital Media in Global Asia: Amsterdam University Press, 238 pp.
- Kong, L. and Sinha, V., eds., (2015) Food, Foodways and Foodscapes: Culture, Community and Consumption in Post-Colonial Singapore, Singapore: World Scientific, 247pp.
- Hopkins, P., Kong, L. and Olson, E., eds., (2013) Religion and Place: Landscape, Politics and Piety, Dordrecht: Springer. 222 pp.
- Kong, L., and O'Connor, J., eds., (2009) Creative Economies, Creative Cities: Asian-European Perspectives, Dordrecht: Springer, 227 pp.
- Kwok, K. W., Kwa, C. G., Kong, L., and Yeoh, B. S. A., eds., (1999) Our Place in Time: Exploring Heritage and Memory in Singapore, Singapore: Singapore Heritage Society, 216 pp.
- Olds, K., Dicken, P., Kelly, P. F., Kong, L., and Yeung, H. W. C., eds., (1999) Globalisation and the Asia Pacific: Contested Territories, London: Routledge, 293 pp.
- Savage, V. R., Kong, L., and Neville, W., eds., (1998) The Naga Awakens: Growth and Change in Southeast Asia, Singapore: Times Academic Press, 360 pp.
- Savage, V. R., and Kong, L., eds., (1997) Environmental Stakes: Myanmar and Agenda 21, Singapore: Hanns Seidel Foundation, 329 pp.
- Kong, L., Lim, E., and Lian, L. C., eds., (1996) Crossing Borders: A Geographical Field Expedition Guide, Singapore: Geography Teachers' Association, 126 pp.
- Yeoh, B. S. A., and Kong, L., eds., (1995) Portraits of Places: History, Community and Identity in Singapore, Singapore: Times Editions, 252 pp.
SELECTED SPEECHES
Email: lilykong@smu.edu.sg
Tel: +65 6828 1940
Singapore Management University
Administration Building
81 Victoria Street
Singapore 188065
Institute of Policy Studies, October to November, 2024
Through a compelling three-part lecture series, SMU President and 15th S R Nathan Fellow, Professor Lily Kong, explored the evolving role of universities in shaping societal development. She reflected on the historical transformations of universities, as well as their value and future trajectories, in a rapidly changing world.
In the first lecture Through the Looking Glass: Insights into the Origin and Evolution of Universities, she illustrates how, throughout history, the university has reflected changing societal contexts. The contemporary university is no different – a condition of our post-industrial, post-truth world.
In the second lecture, At the Crossroads: Universities for the 100-Year Life, Prof Kong examined what a university stands for as humanity contemplates and confronts the very real possibility of a 100-year life. The relevance of the university will, of necessity, extend beyond the narrow slice of three to four years in the first of four quartiles of human life.
In her third and final lecture, Beyond the Ivory Tower: Research and the Dilemmas of Quality and Relevance, she invited discussion about the responsibility of universities – as a brain trust – to the world beyond their walls. Prof Kong addressed questions of misinformation, manipulation, and misconduct in research, but also, more optimistically, research that is creative, catalytic, and consequential.
Social Science & Humanities Ideas Festival Launch, National University of Singapore, 20 March 2024
Social Science and humanities research (SSHR) is a strategic asset critical to Singapore’s navigation of increasingly complex and inter-related social and global challenges. Its relevance permeates every aspect of our lives, including the insights it offers on how to better harness science and technology for the greater good. Compared to about 40 years ago, when one University in Singapore offered humanities and social science programmes, the development of the SSHR ecosystem in Singapore has increased opportunities, funding support, and recognition for scholars. Nevertheless, gaps and challenges remain. Traditional metrics for assessing research impact require recalibration, if not a complete shift, to broader indicators beyond conventional academic achievement. Scholars must strategise how SSHR can create demonstratable impact, in both academic and social terms. This necessitates adopting more diverse modes of communication to ensure research findings resonate not only with academics but also policymakers and industry stakeholders, as well as broader audiences and communities, thereby amplifying their impact.
International Conference on Cohesive Societies (ICCS), 6 September 2022
Social cohesion, a multi-dimensional concept built on trust, community, shared values, and solidarity, is essential for social harmony. Adapting Bertelsmann Stiftung’s Social Cohesion Framework for Southeast Asia provides insights into Singapore’s cohesion levels. Given Singapore’s geography, history, and demography, fault lines are unavoidable – these include race and religion, migration and multiculturalism, inequality and inequity, virtual and physical divides, and inter-generational disconnects.
Mitigating these challenges requires nurturing social relations, fostering connectedness, and prioritising the common good. The management of social cohesion in Singapore is multi-faceted, combining state-led initiatives – through legal, policy, and regulatory mechanisms – with grassroots efforts. However, persistent issues such as xenophobia, NIMBYism, and perceived competition for opportunities continue to pose challenges to cohesion efforts.
Intangible Cultural Heritage Symposium by the National Heritage Board and the International Information and Networking Centre for Intangible Cultural Heritage in the Asia-Pacific Region, 31 August 2021
In this keynote address, Professor Kong explores the interconnectedness of tangible and intangible cultural heritage and emphasises the critical role of youth in sustaining it. She argues that cultural heritage must be relevant to young people’s lives in order to endure, highlighting five key strategies inspired by Maslow’s hierarchy of needs.
She discusses how heritage can address safety needs (e.g., job security through heritage industries), social belonging (e.g., fostering identity through heritage-focused clubs), and esteem (e.g., recognition through awards and competitions). She also emphasises the cognitive appeal of heritage education across disciplines and the aesthetic engagement of young people through contemporary media like music videos and interactive technology.
Professor Kong calls for embedding cultural heritage into education, community engagement, and everyday life, ensuring it remains a living, dynamic force rather than a static relic of the past.
Denton Rodyks Dialogue Global Smart Cities: Challenges and Opportunities, 25 September 2020
Professor Lily Kong explored the challenges of scaling smart city initiatives in ASEAN through the ASEAN Smart Cities Network (ASCN). While the ASCN aims to enhance quality of life, competitiveness, and sustainability, Professor Kong highlighted six key challenges: overlooking cities’ historical contexts, mismatched development of digital and material infrastructure, corporate-driven privatisation, growing socio-spatial inequalities, poor integration across governance layers, and the risks of hasty policy transfers.
She advocated for a measured approach, urging policymakers to "go slow" and "go small," prioritising incremental improvements and aligning infrastructure with local needs. While counterintuitive, Professor Kong emphasised the importance of respecting cities’ unique contexts, ensuring smart technologies serve as catalysts for meaningful change, and leveraging academia’s role in moderating policies to empower local agency and foster sustainable urban development.
Urban Solutions magazine, January 2019
Professor Lily Kong opined that Singapore’s local cuisine is the outcome of different food traditions intermingling through trade and cultural exchange. She argued that as what the world eats becomes increasingly globalised, the best way to keep Singaporean food culture alive is to share it with others abroad. The article was published in Urban Solutions, the bi-annual magazine of the Centre for Liveable Cities (CLC), in an issue which took the theme Food Secure Cities. CLC is a division of the Ministry of National Development, Singapore.
The Business Times, 23 September 2015
In a special feature, SMU Provost Professor Lily Kong highlighted the importance of integrating humanities (and social sciences) into business management education, noting that SMU, from inception, has demonstrated a commitment to broad-based learning and multi-disciplinary learning, critical thinking, and emphasis on communicative abilities whilst delivering in-depth education in a specialised field. Professor Kong also discussed the value of cross-cultural communications and cultural awareness, citing several modules which SMU offers to enable students to communicate and negotiate effectively with key international stakeholders. She added that graduates with a broad-based education are more likely to display versatility and be articulate and knowledgeable in diverse subjects, hence making them more sought after in the market. Professor Kong expressed her wish to add to the SMU curriculum more humanities modules in the years ahead as she believes that a management university with a curriculum that combines specialisation with the holistic and broad-based approach of the liberal arts may best-serve the future needs of Singapore, stressing that SMU takes the lead in this.
