Uunveiling the cover of Universities Reinvented: Shaping Legacy and Impact for a New World at the book launch on 12 August 2025.
Minister for Education Desmond Lee (centre), SMU President Professor Lily Kong (left) and IPS Director Mr Janadas Devan (right) unveiling the cover of Universities Reinvented: Shaping Legacy and Impact for a New World at the book launch on 12 August 2025.
At the launch of her new book, Professor Kong invited leaders, policymakers, and educators to reimagine the role of higher education in a changing world. The book is drawn from her IPS–SR Nathan Lectures delivered between October and November 2024. Across these lectures, she traced how the idea of “the university” has evolved in response to shifting societal contexts, examined what it must represent today as humanity grapples with the prospect of 100-year lifespans, and reflected on the responsibilities universities bear beyond the confines of academia. The publication also brings together highlights from Professor Kong’s dialogues with audiences following each lecture, expanding the conversation on how universities can shape enduring legacy and meaningful impact in the years ahead.
At the launch of her new book, Professor Kong invited leaders, policymakers, and educators to reimagine the role of higher education in a changing world. The book is drawn from her IPS–SR Nathan Lectures delivered between October and November 2024. Across these lectures, she traced how the idea of “the university” has evolved in response to shifting societal contexts, examined what it must represent today as humanity grapples with the prospect of 100-year lifespans, and reflected on the responsibilities universities bear beyond the confines of academia. The publication also brings together highlights from Professor Kong’s dialogues with audiences following each lecture, expanding the conversation on how universities can shape enduring legacy and meaningful impact in the years ahead.