In memoriam: Professor Leong Ching, pioneering scholar and passionate student advocate

Professor Leong Ching, NUS Vice Provost of Student Life, an institutional economist and leading scholar in behavioural public policy, passed away on 6 November 2026.

An NUS alumna (Arts & Social Sciences '92, MA '96, Public Policy PhD '13), she was the NUSS Professor in Behavioural Public Policy at the Lee Kuan Yew School of Public Policy (LKYSPP).

A pioneer in establishing behavioural economics as an important research area at NUS, Prof Leong devoted her academic career to studying water policy, environmental management and public sector reform in Singapore and Asia.

Her research examining how emotions, narratives and perceptions influence policy decisions has advanced understanding of complex issues such as public resistance to recycled drinking water and hesitancy toward the novel mRNA vaccines during the COVID-19 pandemic. Findings from her research on the latter were cited by the World Health Organization on the importance of behavioural intervention. Her scholarship has appeared in reputable publications such as Global Environmental Change, the Journal of Public Administration Research and Theory, and ASEAN Development Outlook reports, among others.

Over the course of her academic career, Prof Leong transformed the research paradigm in behavioural water policy. The evolution of her research – from early descriptive studies to the large-scale field experiments she designed that directly tested policy “nudges” in communities – has been lauded by external reviewers as exemplary. Her appointment to the editorial board of the Behavioural Public Policy journal cemented her reputation as a custodian of rigour in the field. A forthcoming Oxford University Press monograph further established her role as the go-to authority on water behaviour, extending her influence from regional specialist to global policy expert.

Prof Leong joined LKYSPP in 2014. She taught courses on governance, policy communications and behavioural economics, and held visiting appointments at the London School of Economics and the University of Cambridge. As a testament to her intellectual leadership, she was most recently named the NUSS Professor in Behavioural Public Policy.

Reflecting the breadth of her commitment to the University, Prof Leong was a passionate advocate for students’ personal development in her role as Vice Provost of Student Life and, before that, Dean of Students and Resident Advisor at College Green. A thought leader in humanistic experiential learning, she championed initiatives such as NUSOne, which formalised the concept of student life and the value of out-of-classroom experiences; through NUSOne, students gained a smoother transition in their first year, more avenues to explore interests beyond the classroom, and expanded opportunities for campus living.

In recognition of her distinguished service, Prof Leong was awarded the Public Administration Medal (Silver) at the 2025 National Day Awards.

You are invited to share your memories of Ching or leave a message of tribute or condolence in her honour on this tribute wall.