CASE Asia-Pacific Leadership Award
The CASE Asia-Pacific Leadership Award celebrates CASE member institutional chief executive officers, system heads, and trustees for outstanding efforts in promoting and supporting education and institutional advancement.
CASE celebrates the leadership, innovation, and impact of professionals from different lived experiences. As in all its initiatives, CASE values inclusivity, and therefore, the Individual Achievement Awards actively seek the broadest possible set of nominations from institutions and individuals across the globe.
To be considered for this award, nominees must meet the following requirements:
- Institutional CEO, system head, or trustee (current or retired) for a CASE member institution.
- Institutionally Related Foundations or self-governed alumni association CEOs and trustees are not eligible for nomination.
- Current members of the CASE Regional Councils are not eligible for nomination.
- Self-nominations will not be accepted.
Professor Lily Kong
The Leadership Award recognises CASE member institutional heads, presidents, chancellors, system heads, or other campus chief executive officers for outstanding efforts in promoting and supporting education and institutional advancement.
Professor Lily Kong has become a beacon of visionary leadership throughout her 30-year career in higher education. In 2019, she became the President of Singapore Management University—the first Singaporean woman to lead any university in Singapore. Her execution of bold institutional visions, including Vision 2025 and the development of SMU2030, has strengthened SMU’s academic excellence, strategic partnerships, and global reputation.
Under her leadership, SMU has expanded its international footprint through new Overseas Centres, deepened strategic partnerships across Asia, and advanced global thought leadership in human‑centred education. Professor Kong has championed values‑driven, interdisciplinary learning and lifelong education, embedding ethics, sustainability, and digital intelligence into the curriculum.
She has built a philanthropy ecosystem that aligns SMU’s fundraising priorities with the institution’s mission and long-term vision for societal transformation. She pioneered the flagship, award-winning SMOO Challenge to support students with financial need, personally raising nearly 60% of overall funds.
The award was presented on 8 May 2026 at the Asia-Pacific Advancement Conference.
CASE Asia-Pacific Distinguished Service Award
The CASE Asia-Pacific Distinguished Service Award celebrates inspirational advancement professionals whose accomplishments and service to CASE have made a significant and lasting impact on institutional advancement. The award acknowledges individuals whose embodiment of the spirit of CASE, particularly leadership and generosity in sharing knowledge with the community of practice, have earned the respect and admiration of fellow colleagues.
CASE celebrates the leadership, innovation, and impact of professionals from different lived experiences. As in all its initiatives, CASE values inclusivity, and therefore, the Individual Achievement Awards actively seek the broadest possible set of nominations from institutions and individuals across the globe.
To be considered for this award, nominees must meet the following qualifications:
- From a CASE member institution or Educational Partner or retired from a CASE member institution.
- Made significant contributions to CASE through volunteer service.
- Current members of the CASE Regional Councils are not eligible for nomination.
- Self-nominations will not be accepted.
Lea Sublett
The Distinguished Service Award recognises inspirational advancement professionals whose accomplishments have made a significant and lasting impact on institutional advancement and whose life and character have earned the respect and admiration of fellow colleagues.
Lea Sublett is an international leader in alumni engagement. As the inaugural Director of Alumni Relations at the Mohamed bin Zayed University of Artificial Intelligence in Abu Dhabi, the United Arab Emirates, she developed a best-practice office of Alumni Affairs and successfully implemented a global alumni engagement strategy and University-wide programs and events. Lea spearheaded global initiatives for the university, including a collaboration with the World Economic Forum to establish a Centre for the Fourth Industrial Revolution (C4IR) and a partnership with Google.org to support initiative for non-English AI modeling.
Throughout her career, Lea served in leadership roles at various institutions, including Manager of Alumni Affairs at the King Abdullah University of Science and Technology in Saudi Arabia, Director of Alumni Relations at The Australian National University, and Director of Alumni and Community Relations at The University of Queensland.
Lea has been a dedicated CASE volunteer for over a decade. She shared her expertise with fellow alumni relations professionals on the Commission on Alumni Relations, and has helped to further CASE’s global impact through her involvement planning the Asia-Pacific and Middle East advancement conferences.
The award was announced on 8 May 2026 at the Asia-Pacific Advancement Conference.