In March 2002 Smith was awarded the Cross of the Order of Merit of the Federal Republic of Germany for his achievements in building networks in cultural and scholarly relations at national and international levels. He also received the European Culture Project Prize in 1999 from the Pro Europa European Foundation for Culture for his “contributions to the innovative dialogue between the scholarly and public spheres.”
In addition to his executive role at the Academy, Smith is an expert commentator on political affairs on German radio, television, and newspapers, particularly in the context of transatlantic relations