HEUG Famous: Yen Teck Kong Interview

For our October edition of HEUG Famous, we’re excited to spotlight Yen Teck Kong, Chief Information Technology Officer at the Singapore University of Social Sciences (SUSS). Yen Teck has been an active member of the HEUG community since 2005, when he first joined the Oracle Student System Product Advisory Group. Over the years, his passion for collaboration and knowledge sharing led him to found the HEUG Asia regional chapter in 2011, where he continues to serve as Chair of the Executive Committee. With more than 25 years of experience in higher education technology and a career dedicated to innovation and community-building, Yen Teck’s leadership has been instrumental in connecting institutions across Asia and beyond.

Where do you work? How long have you been there?

I am the Chief Information Technology Officer at the Singapore University of Social Sciences (SUSS). I have been at SUSS for 3 years. Prior to joining SUSS, I worked at the National University of Singapore (NUS) for over 25 years.

Are you working on-site, remotely, or hybrid? What has that experience been like for you?

The work arrangement at SUSS is hybrid – 3 days work in office and 2 days work from home. However, I have opted to work in office everyday ever since I joined SUSS. I find in-person discussion and collaboration a lot more effective than online. It is not too much of a hassle to commute daily as Singapore is just a small island state, measuring 49 kilometers (30 miles) from east to west and 28 kilometers (17 miles) from north to south!

What Student or ERP system do you work in, and what modules do you primarily work with?

SUSS is still using a bespoke Student Information System (SIS) developed >15 years ago. We are in the process of implementing a Composable SIS to replace our legacy SIS.

SUSS is quite different from a typical university as 75% of our students are part-time adult learners. Typical SIS without localization and customization would not be able to support our business processes well. In view that most of the Software-as-a-Service SIS are still evolving, we have decided that a Composable SIS, comprising purpose-built and custom-built solutions, would meet our requirements best for the time being.

When did you get involved with HEUG? How did that happen?

I was first introduced to HEUG in 2005 when I was the Project Director for the then Oracle Student System (OSS) project at NUS. I joined the OSS Product Advisory Group (PAG) under HEUG. The OSS implementation did not materialize at the end and I eventually implemented the PeopleSoft Campus Solutions at NUS in 2010.

In what capacities have you been involved with HEUG?

I benefited so much from the sharing by the HEUG community that I decided to start a regional chapter in Asia. HEUG Asia was formally formed in 2011 and I have been serving HEUG Asia ever since. I am the Chair of HEUG Asia Executive Committee and the only member who has organized every HEUG Conference in Asia since its inception!

Do you have a favorite or meaningful story regarding your time in HEUG?

I remember someone sharing with me that HEUG is pronounced as “hug”, as member institutions often express their “affection” to each other. I have observed many institutions providing useful advice and helping their peers to be successful in system implementation, to the extent of sharing the reports and/or customizations that they have developed free of charge! Asia did not have a strong culture of sharing in the past, but over the years, institutions have become more open after the formation of HEUG Asia. The spirit of knowledge and experience sharing was propagated to higher education institutions in Asia partly because of HEUG.

What has been your favorite conference location? Why?

I have attended quite a number of Alliance Conferences over the years, but every conference city is a new discovery for me as I have not been there before. The 2024 conference at Phoenix was particularly memorable to me as I tried the autonomous ride-hailing for the first time in my life!

What is your first HEUG related memory?

I always remember the very first HEUG conference I attended in 2005. Firstly, my colleague and I arrived at Nashville without our luggage – our flight from Singapore to Chicago was delayed, we made it to our destination but our checked luggage did not! We also missed the opening session the next morning as both of us overslept due to the melatonin we took. Ever since that trip, I will always pack a set of clothes in my hand luggage when I have a connecting flight. I have also stopped taking melatonin when I travel.

What is YOUR value proposition for HEUG?

HEUG is the vast network that connects many entities together – institutions, members, product principals, service providers. I see myself as a little dot in the network, doing my part in linking some of these entities together. I personally benefited from these connections, and I believe those entities in my connection also benefited from the wider HEUG network.

Do you have a work-related philosophy you would like to share?

“Do what is right, not what is easy” – In my line of work, I often have to say “No” to many requests – for instance, seeking deviation from security policies, implementing a nice-to-have customization that has negative ROI, purchasing of expensive software when a more cost-effective alternative is already available. However, I will not be hesitant to support initiatives that will benefit the university – implementing technologies or solutions that will increase productivity, enhance user experience, optimize costs, improve cybersecurity posture, even if it requires me to put in extra efforts and clear many hurdles.

What new app/technology/platform is intriguing to you right now?

It has got to be AI! AI has changed how lecturers teach, how students learn, how researchers conduct research, and how administrators manage business processes. I look forward to the day when AI is fully infused into learner lifecycle processes from admission application to course recommendation to degree audit. The whole AI-powered learner experience is going to be awesome!

A heartfelt thank-you to Yen Teck Kong for sharing his story and for his incredible contributions to the HEUG community. Your dedication—spanning nearly two decades—has strengthened collaboration, inspired countless members, and helped shape the success of HEUG Asia since its very beginning. We’re so grateful for your continued leadership and enthusiasm in advancing higher education technology across the region!

Want to connect with Yen Teck? Visit his HEUG profile or connect with him on LinkedIn.