We bridge SMU and world university communities, forging partnerships that bring together the best students and faculty to learn from and alongside each other, and to collaborate on research that impacts societies positively
Matthew Lee
Director
Email: matthewlee@smu.edu.sg
Matt leads Team IO in building bridges and deepening relations for SMU with some 300 partner universities around the world. His time at SMU follows 21 years of international relations work in the public and non-profit sectors. Best experiences then include running international campaigns, and leading multilateral negotiations and collaborations on maritime issues at UN agencies and regional inter-governmental organisations; establishing a representative office in London to promote Maritime Singapore to the European community; and building a network of Friends of Singapore Communities in major cities in China, the UK, US and ASEAN countries.
Real and reel lives converge for Matt. His first close encounter with the force of alliances was in 1977, when Lucas gifted fanboys A New Hope. Folded not stirred, this Double “International” O’s other passion is ice-cream…velvety ice-cream.
Florence Wee
Associate Director
Email: florencewee@smu.edu.sg
Florence leads strategic initiatives to develop and grow SMU’s international relations, focusing on enhancing the university’s global reach and influence. Her work involves identifying and connecting with key stakeholders, building and strengthening collaborations with partners across the Greater China region, North Asia, and beyond to advance SMU's internationalisation agenda.
Prior to joining SMU, Florence's diverse career journey included pioneering the establishment of Singapore’s national performing arts centre, Esplanade ~ Theatres on the Bay, where she managed daily operations and planning for the Technical Production department. She also oversaw student and graduate affairs, and managed The Republic Cultural Center at Republic Polytechnic.
After a long career in the arts, she joined Business China, where she led the Business Leaders Group, engaging prominent and young business leaders, organising high-impact events, and executing flagship projects such as the Advanced Leaders Programme, the Singapore Digital Economy Forum, and high-level Fundraising events. She also managed key relationships with business leaders cross Singapore, ASEAN, and China.
Melvyck Leong
Senior Assistant Director
Email: melvyckleong@smu.edu.sg | Connect on LinkedIn
Melvyck is responsible for SMU’s portfolio of university partnerships across the Americas and Oceania, and leads the International Office’s communications, engagement and outreach efforts. He brings 12 years of experience spanning multilateral climate work, environmental policy stewardship, university partnership development, and forging collaborative outcomes across the public, private and non-profit sectors in the US, the UK, Europe and Southeast Asia. Before joining the university, Melvyck was Singapore’s lead negotiator for climate change adaptation issues under the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change, and led the development of environmental policies to manage transboundary haze pollution within ASEAN. A husband and father, Melvyck holds a degree in English Literature and Communications from the National University of Singapore.
Lim Tau Wee
Assistant Director
Email: twlim@smu.edu.sg | Connect on LinkedIn
Tau Wee develops SMU’s partnerships and collaborations with universities in Brunei, India, Philippines, Thailand and Vietnam, through joint academic programme collaborations, student exchange and programmes, research collaborations and university conferences, dialogues and networks. He also led the Short-Term Study Programmes team and developed the SMU Global Summer Programme into a scalable and profitable revenue-generating programme for SMU.
Prior to joining SMU in 2017, he drove Singapore International Foundation’s (SIF) strategy and work in China and led collaborative projects and events in the fields of healthcare, academia, business and social entrepreneurship in Shanghai, Beijing, Yunnan and Chongqing, as well as Kuala Lumpur, Bandung and Jakarta, to further SIF’s public diplomacy mission among foreign communities of interest, while growing Friends of Singapore networks overseas and in Singapore.
Tau Wee graduated from the National University of Singapore with a Bachelor of Science in Applied Mathematics.
Yip Siew Min
Assistant Director
Email: smyip@smu.edu.sg | Connect on LinkedIn
Siew Min currently manages the growth and development of SMU’s network of quality international partnerships, particularly in Europe and the UK.
She brings more than a decade of experience in interacting with stakeholders from different cultural backgrounds and education levels through her teaching stints in Singapore and Japan.
Before joining SMU, Siew Min was the Head of Staff and Student Development at the School of Communication, Arts and Social Sciences in Singapore Polytechnic where she led and managed a large array of school-wide events and initiatives.
Siew Min’s passion for experiential learning and inculcating global awareness among the youths motivated her to apply for the Japan Exchange and Teaching Programme where she taught oral communication skills to senior high school students in Fukuoka for two years. She also facilitated several overseas student exchange and community service expeditions to places such as Hiroshima and Shangri-La.
Enabel Tan
Senior Manager
Email: enabeltan@smu.edu.sg | Connect on LinkedIn
In SMU International Office, Enabel currently manages the development and growth of SMU’s external relations and partnership networks, in particular for Greater China, Japan and Korea.
Prior to joining SMU, Enabel had portfolios ranging from branch operations, acquisitions and negotiation to international relations and event management during her stints in various government agencies including Prime Minister’s Office, Republic Polytechnic, JTC Corporation and HDB. Following her stint in civil service, she joined Singapore Business Federation (SBF) and drove their key signature events including 7th Singapore Regional Business Forum, Singapore China Trade and Investment Forum as well as international trade fairs – China ASEAN Expo (Guangxi), China International Import Expo (Shanghai). On the market development front, she oversaw SBF’s interest and partnerships development in Korea and China.
Enabel has a keen interest in International Relations and holds a Master of Social Science (China and Global Governance) degree and a Bachelor of Arts in Sociology both from Nanyang Technological University.
Valerie Sim
Senior Manager
Email: valeriesim@smu.edu.sg | Connect on LinkedIn
As Senior Manager in the SMU International office, Valerie currently manages the growth and development of SMU’s external partnerships and relations, specifically in Europe.
Valerie was introduced to cross-cultural engagements at the inaugural Singapore Youth Olympic Games 2010, where she enjoyed her experience as the principal assistant in the engagement of government agencies and foreign embassies in Singapore. That led her to join the National Institute of Education, Singapore as Senior Assistant Head overseeing Hospitality Relations, where she built over 10 years of experience managing internationalisation activities and initiatives and consulting on protocol-related matters. She was also the project lead for the NIE Visitors Learning Centre, a first of its kind that tells Singapore’s teacher education development story.
Outside of work, Valerie enjoys watching F1 races but cannot drive to save herself.
Liaw Ee Jin
Manager
Email: eejinliaw@smu.edu.sg | Connect on LinkedIn
Ee Jin manages SMU’s partnerships with universities across the Americas and Oceania. Ee Jin also supports the International Office’s engagement and outreach efforts, including through its communications and collateral.
Prior to SMU, Ee Jin was Senior Manager at the Singapore National Youth Council’s Global Office where she curated and implemented bilateral and regional programmes for youth leaders from ASEAN countries and China to network and discuss global issues. She worked together with various organisations across sectors on the Asia-Ready Exposure Grant, which supports initiatives to equip Singaporean youths to be Asia and Global ready.
Ee Jin is curious about people and seeks to engage, understand and connect with them. Ee Jin holds a bachelor’s degree in mass communications with a second major in psychology.
Michelle Hong
Office Manager
Email: michellehong@smu.edu.sg
Michelle is the Office Manager of SMU International Office. She is responsible for the organisation and coordination of office administration duties and office procedures.
Prior to joining SMU in 2018, Michelle was managing the sale and marketing of processed teak logs in the golden land of Myanmar.