Growth in Asia

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.

During SMU’s first Presidential Distinguished Lecturer Series (PDLS) held overseas, in Jakarta, SMU President Professor Lily Kong moderated an eminent panel  who spoke on the importance of developing a talent pipeline pertaining to sustainability in Indonesia, as well as exploring various strategies to help bridge existing skills shortages.

In 2021, SMU welcomed its largest cohort of early-stage start-ups into its Institute of Innovation and Entrepreneurship (IIE) Business Innovations Generator (BIG) programme.

In an increasingly globalised economy, expansion beyond one’s home market helps to unlock revenue potential, diversify one’s customer base and broaden the scope of investment opportunities. For multinational companies with a strong international presence, the next step to cementing their positions in global markets lies in successfully establishing regional headquarters.

Going global is often part of a burgeoning business’ roadmap for scaling up. But while international expansion into new markets can deliver exponential returns, it could also unleash a plethora of complex new challenges – a scenario that is all the more heightened in the cutthroat realm of real estate.