SMU’s Co-Curricular Transcript wins Gold at QS Reimagine Education Awards 2025

SMU has once again set the benchmark for holistic education, clinching the Gold Award at the QS Reimagine Education Awards 2025 for its pioneering Co-Curricular Transcript (CCT). This global recognition celebrates SMU’s commitment to empowering graduates with skills that transcend the classroom, preparing them to thrive in a rapidly evolving workforce.

Held in London, the annual competition drew more than 1,600 submissions from universities and education providers worldwide. SMU’s approach of providing a clear framework that can document the skills gained outside of formal coursework distinguished itself from the keen competition.

Validating SMU’s holistic graduate development

The award reinforces the University’s long-standing view that tertiary education extends beyond classroom instruction and examinations.

Designed by the Office of the Dean of Students (ODOS), the CCT complements the academic transcript by recording students’ participation in activities such as internships, leadership appointments, community engagement, mentorship programmes, and international exposure, as well as the skills gained through these experiences.

First issued to the Class of 2025, the CCT links student activities to SMU’s Graduate Learning Outcomes and tracks development across three stages: Exposure, Integration and Transformation. Students who show substantial progress in specific areas may also receive digital certifications to better present their strengths to potential employers.

When the CCT was launched in 2023, SMU President Prof Lily Kong emphasised its importance, saying: "We align learning objectives from the various co-curricular platforms to these Graduate Learning Outcomes and promote a culture of meaningful reflection, with the aim of guiding students in deepening and documenting their learning. In so doing, we empower students to enhance self-awareness and articulate areas of personal growth."

Narrowing the gap between classes and workplace

Transferable skills such as collaboration, initiative and adaptability are critical in recruitment and career progression yet are difficult to verify and seldom captured in academic transcripts.

The CCT helps to close this gap. Supported by the Integrated Co-Curricular Management System (ICMS), a digital platform that guides reflection and captures mentor input, students are encouraged to make informed decisions about their co-curricular involvement and to describe their achievements in clear and practical terms.

The system draws on transformative learning theory and records not only which activities students undertake. It also goes on to document how these activities build soft skills such as confidence, judgement, and readiness for work life. A 2022 pilot survey showed strong student support, with more than 80 per cent reporting that the framework made their participation more purposeful and almost all favouring the issuance of an official record at graduation.

From 2025 onwards, all undergraduates will graduate with a CCT, benefiting approximately 2,000 students each year.

A milestone from a dedicated team

The CCT represents several years of planning and collaboration within SMU. The project began in 2020 under the leadership of Alvin Sim, Head of Co-Curriculum Development and Student Care & Support Services, who sought to bring coherence and accountability to a wide range of co-curricular activities across the University.

Former Dean of Students, Professor Paulin Straughan, served as project advisor and was instrumental in advancing the initiative. She said: “SMU has always believed that education goes beyond the classroom. Co-curricular engagement enables students to apply academic knowledge in real settings while building confidence and a sense of responsibility.”

Project Manager Toh Xiao Wee led the development and implementation of the ICMS platform, ensuring alignment between the pedagogical intent and the University’s operating systems.

Global interest and growing sector influence

The initiative has also drawn attention from higher education institutions and policymakers internationally. Over the past two years, delegations from Singapore, Southeast Asia, the Middle East, and North America have visited SMU to learn about its design and operations, including the National University of Singapore, Mississippi State University, De La Salle University, the University of Brunei Darussalam, and Qatar Foundation Higher Education.

This award follows SMU’s Gold in 2024 for its Industry Project-Based Experiential Learning (INDEX) programme, commonly known as SMU-X. These successive recognitions highlight SMU’s influence in strengthening graduate preparation within the region.

Strengthening graduate outcomes at scale

As employers place greater value on adaptability, communication and professional judgement, the ability to present such strengths clearly will become increasingly important. The CCT offers a structured way for students to record and communicate these added dimensions of learning at the point of graduation.

The London award serves not only as an international endorsement but also as affirmation of SMU’s broader mission: to prepare graduates who are confident in their abilities, ready for the workplace and committed to contributing to society.

See also: SMU’s Co-Curricular Transcript wins Gold at QS Reimagine Education Awards 2025 | SMU Newsroom