Education Commons^™

Singapore Management University (Smu): Tracking The Strategy Evolution Of A Start-Up University, Michelle P. Lee, Howard Thomas, Alex Wilson

Research Collection Lee Kong Chian School Of Business

The year 2020 marked the 20th anniversary of the Singapore Management University (SMU). SMU exists in an ecosystem for higher education that is quite unlike what one might find in other parts of the world. The supportive and stable environment the Singapore government provided in terms of its funding and policies meant a more predictable environment within which a university can make long-range planning. Singapore's development since its independence in 1965 has been undergirded by the belief that a strong educational system is the backbone of the country's economic development. The Era of Evolution is a story of both implementation …

Singapore Management University Report To Stakeholders 2022/2023, Singapore Management University

Report to Stakeholders

This year, we were delighted to welcome Mr Piyush Gupta as SMU’s second Chairman of the Board of Trustees, as well as to see the start of Professor Lily Kong’s second term as SMU President. There were a number of important senior appointments as we introduced new offices and restructured to enhance our research, partnerships, engagement, and transformation capabilities. The title of the Annual Report, “Sustainable Growth”, points to the University’s commitment to economic, social, and environmental sustainability in how we work, learn, and play as an Engaged City University, even as we continue to maintain growth and development. The …

Singapore Management University Report To Stakeholders 2021/2022, Singapore Management University

Report to Stakeholders

The title of the annual report, “Our Evolving Garden”, points to how the University continues to develop and progress as “One SMU”. With the world now learning to live with COVID-19 as endemic, the last year has been one in which SMU students have been able to resume many of the activities that contribute towards providing a transformative education. For example, they were able to attend many more events on campus and to travel overseas for internships, exchanges, and community service projects. Faculty too were able to attend academic conferences and meet with educational partners, business connections and research associates …

The Challenges Faced By University Educators In Singapore When Referring Students To Counsellors: An Instrumental Case Study, Poh Yaip, Steven Ng, Yee Lin Chung

Research Collection School of Social Sciences

This study examines the difficulties faced by two university professors working in a public, autonomous university in Singapore, when referring students to counselling services. Educators typically observe how students interact and behave in class, and may refer students to counselling services. However, there is little research into how educators experience and view this role, particularly in higher education in Asia. Two university professors who had referred students to their university’s counselling centre took part in semi-structured interviews for the study. From these interviews, the study revealed educators can face a range of challenges in their referral role, such as lack …

Up Close And Personal With Mr Sundar Selvam: Hitting Zero Targets, Sundar Selvam

Oral History Collection

He might not be one you would have come across on campus. And not one you might read much about in SMU news or in the limelight for its achievements, preferring to remain in the background. But look around the SMU campus and you will see the fruits of his work and that of his team. Meet Sundar, SMU’s Vice-President for Campus Infrastructure and Services. Since January 2015, he has been at the forefront of driving SMU’s own sustainability journey which has resulted in several “firsts”. This interview was published in the August edition of SMU CIRCLE.

Celebrating A Milestone: 20th Anniversary Achievement Highlights [School Of Accountancy], Singapore Management University

SMU Corporate Reports

The book “Celebrating a Milestone 20^th Anniversary Achievement Highlights” was published in August 2021 to commemorate SoA’s 20^th Anniversary as well as the 15^th Anniversary of the Master of Professional Accounting Programme. The book documents the achievements and key milestones in SoA’s history.

Up Close And Personal With Hugh Edmiston: Engineering Smu Towards Growth And Excellence, Hugh Edmiston

Oral History Collection

So what can a chartered engineer from the United Kingdom tell us about our aspirations to contribute to growth in Asia, as a young university in Singapore? As I found out…plenty. And then some. Meet SMU Senior Vice-President (Administration) Hugh Edmiston, who joined us just as COVID-19 hit our shores (“Little did I know there was a global pandemic on the horizon when I moved!”); and read on to learn more about his multiple roles and responsibilities in SMU as he drives our growth in Asia. This interview was published in the June 2021 edition of SMU CIRCLE.

Up Close And Personal With Smu President Prof Lily Kong, Lily Kong

Oral History Collection

On the occasion of SMU’s coming of age (21st anniversary), alumnus Terence Quek (MCM 2013) 'Zoomed' SMU President Professor Lily Kong, and through a host of questions discovered her leadership challenges, why she ran 248km, and how she plans to keep SMU “glowing”.The interview was published in the February 2021 edition of SMU CIRCLE.

Singapore Management University Report To Stakeholders 2020 - 2021, Singapore Management University

Report to Stakeholders

Last year, the profound impact of the Covid-19 pandemic reaffirmed that the three strategic priorities we had identified for SMU and the wider community – digital transformation, sustainable living and growth in Asia – are the right priorities. As the world learns to manage Covid-19, focus must be given to sustainable living. Here SMU can contribute to driving solutions to manage climate change and sustainable city living.

Rapid Transition Of A Technical Course From Face-To-Face To Online, Swapna Gottipatti, Venky Shankaraman

Research Collection School Of Computing and Information Systems

Just like most universities around the world, the senior management at Singapore Management University decided to move all courses to a virtual, online, synchronous mode, giving instructors a very short notice period—one week—to make this transition. In this paper, we describe the challenges, practical solutions adopted, and the lessons learnt in rapidly transitioning a face-to-face Master’s degree course in Text Analytics and Applications into a virtual, online, course format that could deliver a quality learning experience.

Alternative Education Spaces And Pathways: Insights From An International Christian School In China, Menusha De Silva, Orlando Woods, Lily Kong

Research Collection School of Social Sciences

The nascent scholarship on geographies of alternative education focuses on alternative education spaces, most located in the UK, that resist and/or negotiate neoliberal restructuring of education, some of which cater to socially marginalised groups. In contrast, through an ethnographic focus on an underground Christian international school in China, we examine an alternative education space that responds to parents’ aspirations for their children to be inculcated with global cultural capital, Chinese values and Christian beliefs. These aspirations are not fulfilled in mainstream state schools or international schools in China, but are demanded by parents looking for a “superior” set of skills …

Covid-19 And Management Education: Reflections On Challenges, Opportunities, And Potential Futures, Steve Brammer, Timothy Clark

Research Collection Lee Kong Chian School Of Business

COVID-19 is having profound impacts on tertiary education globally. Border closures, cuts to aviation capacity, mandatory quarantine on entering a country, restrictions on mass gatherings, and social distancing all pose challenges to higher education (HE) institutions. Business Schools (BSs) have larger and more internationally diverse cohorts of students and staff, generating particular challenges, but also often have more mature digital and remote education capabilities that enable responses to COVID-19. Therefore, exploring emergent evidence on how BSs are likely to be affected by COVID-19 over the short, medium, and long term is of significant importance to our community. In this commentary, …

Competing For Academic Labor: Research And Recruitment Outside The Academic Center, Yasmin Y. Ortiga, Meng-Hsuan Chou, Jue Wang

Research Collection School of Social Sciences

Increasing competition among research universities has spurred a race to recruit academic labor to staff research teams, graduate programs, and laboratories. Yet, often ignored is how such efforts entail negotiating a pervasive hierarchy of universities, where elite institutions in the West continue to attract the best students and researchers across the world. Based on qualitative interviews with 59 Singapore-based faculty, this paper demonstrates how migrant academics in competitive universities outside the West take on the burden of seeking other ways of attracting academic labor into their institutions, often resorting to ethnic and transnational ties to circumvent limits imposed by a …

Digitalisation Of Smes In Singapore: An Institute Of Higher Learning-Enterprise Partnership Model, Benjamin Huan Zhou Lee, Gary Pan

Research Collection School Of Accountancy

An SME had commissioned a team of five accounting students to develop a forecasting model using analytics. The student team was from the Accounting Analytics Capstone (SMU-X) course offered by the School of Accountancy, Singapore Management University (SMU), in January 2018. For this project, the student-consultants applied their knowledge of accounting data and analytics, combining it with a multidisciplinary approach to solve real-world complex financial analytical problems that have real-time consequences.

School Of Law Annual Report 2019, Singapore Management University

SMU Corporate Reports

It is my pleasure to present you the SMU School of Law’s Annual Report for 2019. This Report highlights all the exciting things that the School has done and the achievements of our faculty members, students and alumni in the past year. As a Law School, our mission is to produce meaningful and impactful research, provide relevant legal training to our students, and apply our expertise to serve the community

Singapore Management University Report To Stakeholders 2019 - 2020, Singapore Management University

Report to Stakeholders

The title, "Strength, Unity, Resilience, Purpose", reflects how the University has responded as "One SMU" to the challenges arising from the Covid-19 pandemic. Whilst putting the safety and wellbeing of students, faculty and staff first, SMU pivoted quickly to ensure that it continued to fulfil its role in nurturing global citizens for tomorrow through transformative education, addressing societal challenges through cutting-edge research, and engaging with the city and world to make meaningful impact in a time of crisis.

The theme of the report also echoes Professor Lily Kong's inaugural President's State of the University Address in September 2019. In this …

Commentary: What Lies Ahead? Considering The Future Of A ‘New’ Vietnamese Higher Education, Yasmin Y. Ortiga

Research Collection School of Social Sciences

In this commentary, Ortiga discusses two main tensions in how the authors in this volume portray the future of Vietnamese higher education. The first tension is the issue of autonomy or how universities must redefine their purpose and role in Vietnamese society as the state loosens its monopoly over higher education. Meanwhile, the second tension is the issue of privatisation or whether for-profit corporations and private agencies should play an increasing role in providing higher education services in the country. In reflecting on the future, Ortiga compares the case of Vietnam to higher education systems in neighbouring countries like the …

Counselling Referral For University Students: A Phenomenological Study From The Teachers’ Perspective, Poh Yaip Steven Ng, Yee Lin Ada Chung

Research Collection School of Social Sciences

This small-scale pilot study analysed the input of two university teachers regarding their approaches, attitudes and understanding regarding counselling referrals for students in a university setting in Singapore. Data were collected through semi-structured interviews. Using interpretative phenomenological analysis, four main categories of themes were defined from the findings: referral procedures, challenges/difficulties, support and awareness. The academic teaching staff has an important role in the holistic development of students by helping them obtain counselling referrals. The key issues raised are outlined for consideration by policymakers, academic teaching staff and practitioners both within and outside of Singapore. The findings are discussed, including …

School Of Law Annual Report 2018: Embracing Change In An Evolving World, Singapore Management University

SMU Corporate Reports

The Annual Report highlights the School of Law’s modest achievements and developments over the past year, as well as the substantive impact of these initiatives.

Singapore Management University Report To Stakeholders 2018 - 2019, Singapore Management University

Report to Stakeholders

This academic year has been one of transition, with several key changes in SMU’s Leadership.

Flipping A Course On Entrepreneurial Leadership In Ethnic Chinese Business: A Mobile Learning Perspective, Thomas Menkhoff

Research Collection Lee Kong Chian School Of Business

This exploratory article reflects on the teaching experiences for a course on “Entrepreneurial Leadership in Ethnic Chinese Business” at the Singapore Management University (SMU). It was categorised as a mobile learning course with reference to the flipped classroom model, learner mobility, and user-generated content outside the classroom. We examine three examples of mobile learning projects which were assigned to students so that they would be able to internalise key course objectives such as gaining an appreciation of the structure, functions, and cultural uniqueness of traditional small Chinese business organisations in Singapore. The paper also addresses some of the challenges faced …

Boosting The Life-Changing Power Of Universities, Arnoud Cyriel Leo De Meyer

Research Collection Lee Kong Chian School Of Business

For decades, if not centuries, societies all over the world have assumed that universities have a positive socio-economic impact on them.

Comments On The Setting Up And The Growth Of Smu By Mr Heng Swee Keat, Minister For Finance At Smu Commencement Ceremony 2018, Swee Keat Heng

Oral History Collection

Speech by Mr Heng Swee Keat, Minister for Finance at SMU Commencement Ceremony on 31 July 2018. He talked about the setting up and growth of SMU and thanked Arnoud De Meyer for his constributions as SMU President.

Latin America: Management Education’S Growth And Future Pathways, Gabriela Alvarodo, Howard Thomas, Lynne Thomas, Alexander Wilson

Research Collection Lee Kong Chian School Of Business

The book Latin America: Management Education’s Growth and Future Pathways [Emerald, UK] follows a past, present and future perspective on the growth of management education in the region. In this article for Global Focus we highlight some of the key findings from our study of its evolution and look at current issues facing the continent.

Singapore Management University Report To Stakeholders 2017 - 2018, Singapore Management University

Report to Stakeholders

In this year’s Annual Report we have included, for the first time, a special section on the efforts SMU has made to contribute to sustainability.

Learning To Fill The Labor Niche: Filipino Nursing Graduates And The Risk Of The Migration Trap, Yasmin Y. Ortiga

Research Collection School of Social Sciences

Overseas recruitment has become a common strategy in filling nurse shortages within U.S. health institutions, sparking the proliferation of nursing programs in the Philippines. Export-oriented education exacerbates a mismatch, however, between available jobs (in both the Philippines and the United States) and the number of nursing graduates, thus increasing joblessness and underemployment among Filipino youth. Pursing higher education as a means to migrate also puts Filipino students at risk of getting caught in a migration trap, where prospective migrants obtain credentials for overseas work yet cannot leave when labor demands or immigration policies change. Such problems highlight the complicated impact …

The Relentless Pursuit Of University Rankings Is Creating A Two-Track System, Eng Fong Pang, Linda Lim

Research Collection Lee Kong Chian School Of Business

Global university rankings constructed mainly by Western commercial media outlets,like this week’s Quacquarelli Symonds (QS) Asia University Rankings, seem to be a perennial sourceof interest in Singapore.Yet, rankings have well-known limitations.The Ministry of Education (MOE) and university leaders frequently deny that they motivate policy orare a basis for institutional evaluation. But they do provide a convenient way to ascertain ifuniversities meet our aspirations for world-class status.At the same time, because rankings tend to emphasise research publications of global significance,there is some skepticism among academics and the general public everywhere of their value to localcommunities.

How Smu Became An Agent Of Change For Universities, Arnoud De Meyer, Lily Kong

Research Collection School of Social Sciences

Its partnership with Wharton has helped enrich the landscape of higher education in Singapore, two SMU leaders write in response to Han Fook Kwang's column last Sunday.

Singapore Management University Report To Stakeholders 2016 - 2017, Singapore Management University

Report to Stakeholders

SMU has come a long way since we opened our doors to our first students in 2000. We have adapted and grown as we created and seized new opportunities. As a result, today we are blessed with a world-class campus in the heart of Singapore’s city centre, six schools offering both undergraduate and postgraduate programmes as well as many other postgraduate, professional and continuing education programmes; and close to 10,000 students on campus. All this was brought into focus this year as we opened the splendid new School of Law building, with its jewel-like Kwa Geok Choo Law Library and …

Smu Is First Asian University To Offer Master’S Degree Accredited By International Professional Hr Body Cipd, Singapore Management University

SMU Press Releases

The Singapore Management University (SMU) has become the first university in Asia to offer a master’s degree accredited by the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development (CIPD). SMU joins prestigious universities such as the London School of Economics and Political Science (LSE) and Kings College London to deliver the CIPD’s premier level accredited qualifications. SMU’s Master of Human Capital Leadership (MHCL) has been designed in partnership with the CIPD, the Human Capital Leadership Institute (HCLI), and the Wharton Centre for Human Resources (USA), resulting in a market-leading study programme that provides unparalleled professional qualifications, business acumen and academic knowledge.