SINGAPORE, March 30, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO) has announced the establishment of the UNESCO Chair in Sustainability Law Futures at Singapore Management University (SMU), placing the university at the forefront of legal research and policy innovation for sustainable development in Asia-Pacific. Associate Professor of Law Michelle Lim has been appointed as Chairholder.
As host of the UNESCO Chair, SMU joins a prestigious global network of over 1,100 UNESCO Chairs across 130 countries, connecting the University’s faculty and students to more than 10,000 international academics and researchers dedicated to advancing education, science and open knowledge through international cooperation.
Associate Professor Michelle Lim from SMU Yong Pung How School of Law is an internationally recognised scholar in sustainability law and governance. Her work focuses on advancing legal frameworks that help societies anticipate and respond to complex sustainability challenges. Under her leadership, the UNESCO Chair in Sustainability Law Futures will advance futures-oriented legal frameworks that address complex sustainability challenges, promote interdisciplinary collaboration, and support policymakers and communities in shaping resilient governance solutions.
SMU President, Professor Lily Kong, said, “Aligned with SMU2030, the University’s strategic plan which is anchored on a clear and purposeful impact agenda, the UNESCO Chair in Sustainability Law Futures embodies our 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.”
Associate Professor Lim said, “Sustainability challenges are evolving rapidly, and legal systems must be able to anticipate emerging risks and opportunities. Through this UNESCO Chair, we hope to bring together scholars, policymakers and communities to explore futures approaches to sustainability law. In particular, we explore the role of story-telling 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.”
The Chair will contribute to the activities of UNESCO’s Social and Human Sciences Sector through research, teaching and training, as well as community action and communication. Through collaborative research, open-access resources and public dialogues, the Chair will facilitate knowledge exchange between academia, policymakers and communities, as well as support efforts to strengthen sustainability law education by integrating interdisciplinary perspectives and forward-looking policy approaches.
