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](/sites/default/files/styles/max_650x650/public/2023-11/Matthew%20Lee%20-%20Outdoor.png?itok=AadpPXSY)
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.
![Photo of Melvyck Leong](/sites/default/files/styles/max_650x650/public/2024-07/melvyc_leong_0.png?itok=TsTIt4Pd)
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](/sites/default/files/styles/max_650x650/public/2023-11/Lim%20Tau%20Wee%20-%20Outdoor.png?itok=XMpnrAbZ)
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](/sites/default/files/styles/max_650x650/public/2023-11/Yip%20Siew%20Min%20-%20Outdoor.png?itok=VezrHaEV)
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](/sites/default/files/styles/max_650x650/public/2024-07/Enabel%20Tan_1.jpg?itok=cPg8_wlO)
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](/sites/default/files/styles/max_650x650/public/2023-11/Valerie%20Sim%20-%20Outdoor.png?itok=QFKnS1Ts)
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.
![P A Fathima Muhsina](/sites/default/files/styles/max_650x650/public/2024-07/fatimah_0.png?itok=DS-bpZ33)
P A Fathima Muhsina
Manager
Email: fathimam@smu.edu.sg
Fathima Muhsina oversees partnerships with universities in North America and Oceania, focusing on areas like student exchange, academic collaboration, and research partnerships. Before joining SMU, Fathima garnered valuable experience at institutions like the National University of Singapore and Singapore University of Social Sciences. In her previous roles, she effectively managed student exchange programs and academic initiatives. Fathima has a keen interest in working with data, leveraging it to uncover trends and insights beneficial to educational institutions. She holds a Master of Finance degree from Singapore University of Social Sciences and a Bachelor of Science in Information Systems from Singapore Management University.
![Michelle Hong](/sites/default/files/styles/max_650x650/public/2023-11/Michelle%20Hong%20-%20Outdoor.png?itok=oX7FGOUT)
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.
![Photo of Kayven Tan](/sites/default/files/styles/max_650x650/public/2024-07/kayven_tan_0.png?itok=W5EDxfm2)
Kayven Tan
Senior Executive | Connect on LinkedIn
Email: kayventan@smu.edu.sg
Kayven currently manages and develops SMU’s international collaborations and partnerships with universities in the Southeast Asian region through facilitating research and academic collaborations, university conferences and dialogues and student exchange programmes.
Prior joining to SMU in 2023, Kayven served as a Foreign Service Officer in the Singapore Ministry of Foreign Affairs. There, he was in charge of formulating and reviewing Singapore’s bilateral policies relating to technical assistance under the Asia Pacific region. He also liaised with ministries and statutory boards to curate, implement and facilitate capacity-building programmes for foreign government officials from over 170 developing countries, sharing Singapore’s expertise on Healthcare, Sustainability and Public Administration. He also assisted in the conceptualization and implementation of the Singapore-Timor-Leste ASEAN Readiness Support (STARS) package, a technical assistance package to provide support for Timor-Leste in its accession to ASEAN.
Kayven graduated with a Masters in International Relations from Nanyang Technological University. Outside of work, he enjoys travelling and hiking in his leisure time.