Times Higher Education Awards Asia 2025 recognises SMU-X’s achievements
SMU was named Winner in the “Teaching and Learning Strategy of the Year” category at the prestigious Times Higher Education (THE) Awards Asia 2025.
The annual THE Awards Asia celebrates innovation and excellence across higher education institutions in Asia and is often dubbed the “Oscars” of higher education. It recognises outstanding leadership, impactful initiatives, and transformative educational practices – and this time, awarded SMU-X, SMU’s flagship industry project-based experiential learning framework that integrates academic knowledge with real-world industry projects.
It marks a significant milestone for SMU-X, which pioneered a decade ago. Envisioned as a differentiating pedagogy, SMU-X underscored SMU’s longstanding commitment to redefining learning through interdisciplinary, collaborative, and experiential approaches.
SMU Provost Professor Alan Chan said, “We are deeply honoured to receive this recognition from THE Awards Asia, which is particularly meaningful this year as the University celebrates its 25th anniversary.
“SMU-X has evolved over the past decade into a distinctive hallmark of our undergraduate and postgraduate education; it exemplifies our belief that learning should not only be rigorous but also relevant, connected, and transformative.”
He also emphasised a commitment to continuously innovate and scale the impact of SMU-X, by means of further integrating technology, expanding global opportunities, and deepening partnerships to deliver meaningful and impactful multi-disciplinary solutions, calling the award “both a celebration and a call to action”.
Paving the way for success beyond the classroom
In the citation, THE Award Asia judges noted that situating learning in the real world is an effective way to prepare students for success beyond university, and lauded SMU for having overcome the challenging practicalities of extending teaching outside the classroom.
“SMU fosters a sustainable ecosystem of learning and collaboration that strengthens university-industry synergy and drives continuous pedagogical improvement,” noted the judging panel.
The SMU-X framework was designed to bridge the gap between classroom theory and industry practice, and spans undergraduate, postgraduate, and continuing education programmes. It integrates academic coursework with experiential learning, which enables students to apply their classroom knowledge into practical settings.
SMU-X courses put students into teams to work with industry professionals from corporations, non-profit organisations, government agencies and community partners to develop insights and recommendations. Students then work to tackle specific challenges that reflect evolving industry needs. SMU-X also encourages collaboration by allowing students the opportunity to work with peers from across different disciplines.
Throughout the process, faculty members serve as academic mentors to guide students through research, analysis, and solution development while embedding academic rigour into every project. And that is how SMU prepares its students to be effective global citizens beyond Singapore and the region.
The experiential learning model has been featured in global higher education forums as a best-practice case study in applied learning and won multiple accolades on the global stage. These include the Green Gown Award 2024 – “Next Generational Learning and Skills” category; and the 2024 QS Reimagine Education Awards – Gold award and Innovation in Business Education Award.
See also: SMU wins prestigious THE Awards Asia 2025 - Teaching & Learning Strategy of the Year | SMU Newsroom
