Former Deputy Prime Minister Heng Swee Keat was appointed the first chancellor of the Singapore Institute of Technology (SIT), with his term beginning June 1, 2026 and lasting five years until May 31, 2031 [1, 2].
As chancellor, Heng will serve as the highest-ranking ceremonial official and ambassador for SIT. He will preside over key events such as convocations and represent the university at major engagements [1, 2]. SIT’s chair Bill Chang praised Heng’s appointment, saying he is "widely respected for his distinguished service, visionary leadership and steadfast commitment to Singapore’s development" [1].
Heng said applied research and deep industry partnerships are central to education. "I share SIT’s conviction that applied research and deep industry partnership are not complementary to education — they are central to it," he said, expressing eagerness to work with the SIT community [1, 2]. SIT president Chua Kee Chaing called Heng’s role "an important chapter in SIT’s journey towards education with deep skills and adaptability," praising his long-standing advocacy for equipping learners to meet rapid change [1].
Heng served as Deputy Prime Minister from 2019 to 2025, Minister for Education from 2011 to 2015, and Minister for Finance from 2015 to 2021. He currently chairs the National Research Foundation and serves on the GIC board and its Investment Strategies Committee [2]. SIT became Singapore’s fifth autonomous university during Heng’s tenure as Education Minister [1].
Minister for Education Desmond Lee congratulated Heng on social media and said he is confident Heng will provide the wisdom and counsel for SIT’s growth in Singapore’s higher education landscape [2].
SIT publicly announced Heng’s appointment on June 3, 2026, issuing statements from Heng and university leaders [1, 2].
