Growth in Asia

SMU kicked off its 9th Global Summer Programme with a groundbreaking new addition — the Digital Intelligence track. This exciting new offering empowers participants with cutting-edge skills in AI, business-data management, and beyond.

As part of the University's commitment to deepening Singapore’s engagement with Southeast Asia, SMU proudly organised the Global Ready Talent (GRT) Programme's SEA appreciation event in Jakarta. This initiative, developed in collaboration with Enterprise Singapore, equips students with invaluable insights into the region’s business, cultural, and societal landscapes. Discover how SMU is fostering the next generation of talent ready to thrive in Southeast Asia.

The SMU Industry Leaders Dialogue in China was themed as “Financing a Greener Future: China and Southeast Asia” and also featured the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding 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.

SMU Overseas Community Service Project (OCSP) Project Gazaab aims to empower youths in Nepal by imparting business knowledge and skills to them, enabling them to realise their potential as entrepreneurs. For the 12th iteration of the project, SMU volunteers from Project Gazaab Nepal XII made the trek to Nepal’s remote mountain villages to teach local students entrepreneurial skills.

The launch of the inaugural overseas edition of SMU City Dialogues took place in Bangkok on 9 May 2024, centred around the theme “Growing Asia’s Secondary Cities – Challenges and Opportunities.”

SMU has officially launched its representative office in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam, known as the SMU Overseas Centre Ho Chi Minh City (OCHCMC) – a significant step in SMU’s mission to foster knowledge sharing and regional collaboration as a gateway university in Asia.

The new SMU Urban Institute (UI) is dedicated to multi- and inter-disciplinary research on cities in Asia and was launched in response to trends that underscore a critical need to prioritise urban research. These include the rapid urbanisation of many Asian cities, and the need for policymakers to face increasingly complex and pressing challenges when it comes to balancing urban growth with the development of resilient and sustainable cities.

SMU President’s State of the University Address 2023 touched on significant developments, strategic priorities, as well as future endeavours. It took a new and engaging format in embracing SMU’s people-centric thrust: faculty, staff and students shared their experiences and achievements through a series of videos that formed Prof Kong's compelling narrative.  

Aligned with SMU’s “Growth in Asia” strategic priority and its continued commitment to provide high-quality education and contribute to regional development, the University inaugurated its latest Overseas Centre in bustling Bangkok, Thailand on 27 October 2023. The establishment of Overseas Centre Bangkok (OCB) marks the University’s second regional presence, with the first launched in Jakarta, Indonesia in December 2022., SMU plans to launch its third Overseas Centre in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam next year.

Representatives from SMU’s staff and faculty hosted guests from the SMU International Advisory Council (IAC) Malaysia, as well as friends from various industries for a dinner in Kuala Lumpur on 24 May 2023. Among the esteemed guests were HE Vanu Menon, Singapore High Commissioner to Malaysia, as well as CEOs and Chairpersons from key sectors.