China strategic alliance and partnerships bolster SMU as a gateway university
The SMU Industry Leaders Dialogue in China was held in Beijing at the Hong Kong Jockey Club on 6 June 2024.
Themed as “Financing a Greener Future: China and Southeast Asia”, the event also featured the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) between SMU and the Singapore Chamber of Commerce and Industry (SingCham) in China, as well as the launch of the SMU School of Accountancy Beijing Alumni Group.
His Excellency Peter Tan, Singapore’s Ambassador to the People’s Republic of China, graced the occasion as Guest-of-Honour. The event was attended by close to 120 guests, including members of SMU’s International Advisory Council in China, SMU alumni, and partners from industry and academia.
Formalising a long-standing strategic alliance
SMU has long-standing ties with SingCham China, and the signing of this MOU leverages both groups’ combined capabilities in delivering market insights into the region’s growth sectors and seeks to provide professional development opportunities and support for Singaporean business operations in China.
The agreement also marks the expansion of SMU’s OneSingapore network beyond Southeast Asia, with SingCham China joining an established community of SMU and SingChams in Indonesia, Myanmar, Thailand, and Vietnam.
This enhanced network serves also to bolster SMU’s vision of serving as a gateway university to Asia and fosters deeper collaboration with industry to positively impact human-capital development and business management across the region.
Green finance in China and Southeast Asia
As part of the dialogue, there was a panel discussion on “Financing a Greener Future: China and Southeast Asia”, which discussed the role of green finance in facilitating a sustainable transition, emphasising the importance of mobilising private capital for sustainable energy solutions.
The panel also discussed the potential of green finance to transform traditional economies such as the automotive and energy industries, while acknowledging the challenges of investing in disruptive technologies and the need for standardisation to combat “greenwashing”.
This has been the fourth SMU Industry Leaders Dialogue in China since the inaugural one in 2018, held in conjunction with the launch of the SMU International Advisory Council in China. Previous editions took place in Hong Kong, Shanghai and Shenzhen.
SMU’s International Advisory Councils were established for SMU to consult regional industry leaders on how the University may grow its footprint across China and Southeast Asia. To date, seven councils have been established in China, Indonesia, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Thailand, and Vietnam. View the full list of council members by country on our website.
