Sarawakian academic appointed to prestigious Unesco chair at Singapore Management University

KUCHING (April 4): A Sarawakian-born academic has been appointed to a prestigious global role following the establishment of a new United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (Unesco)-backed research chair at Singapore Management University (SMU).

Assoc Prof Michelle Lim, who hails from Matang here, has been named Chairholder of the newly established Unesco Chair in Sustainability Law Futures at the university, according to SMU in a press statement.

Lim, a former student of St Paul’s Primary School and Chung Hua Middle School No 1 in Kuching, becomes part of an international network under Unesco aimed at advancing education, science and policy innovation.

The Unesco Chair, hosted at SMU, places the institution among more than 1,100 such chairs across 130 countries, connecting academics and researchers worldwide to collaborate on sustainable development challenges.

Lim, an associate professor at SMU’s Yong Pung How School of Law, is an internationally recognised scholar in sustainability law and governance.

According to SMU, her research focuses on developing legal frameworks to help societies anticipate and respond to complex environmental and sustainability issues.

Under her leadership, the Chair will promote forward-looking legal approaches, interdisciplinary collaboration and engagement with policymakers and communities to build resilient governance systems.

SMU president Prof Lily Kong said the initiative aligns with the university’s SMU2030 strategic plan, anchored on a clear and purposeful impact agenda that reflects its vision of creating knowledge that matters.

“Through this initiative, SMU will build a platform for global collaboration, knowledge exchange, and legal innovation that leaves a lasting mark on sustainable development,” she said.

According to SMU, Lim holds a double degree in Science (Ecosystem Management) and Law (First-class Honours), as well as a PhD on legal and institutional arrangements for transboundary biodiversity conservation from the University of New England, Australia.

Prior to joining SMU, she held positions at Macquarie University, the University of Adelaide and the University of Dundee.

Lim said the Unesco Chair aims to bring together scholars, policymakers and communities to explore future-oriented approaches to sustainability law.

She noted that sustainability challenges are evolving rapidly and legal systems must adapt to emerging risks and opportunities.

“In particular, we explore the role of storytelling both as intangible cultural heritage, and as law, to link past and future in the design of legal frameworks oriented towards desirable futures for people and planet,” she said.

She added the Chair will contribute to Unesco’s Social and Human Sciences Sector through research, teaching, training and community engagement, while facilitating knowledge exchange and supporting the development of sustainability law education.