Undergraduate Education

SMU’s business-case club, Team Cognitare, continued its strong showing this year when its team was awarded the title of Global Champion – over 19 others – at the prestigious Thammasat Undergraduate Business Challenge in October this year.

Graduation is a celebration of our students’ hard work and achievements – an important period of their lives draws to a close as they stand on the cusp of the next phase of their journey through life. This is why SMU calls this a “commencement”, to signpost it as the beginning of a new journey ahead. Over five days in late July, the 3,737-strong Class of 2023 celebrated the successful completion of their education journey at SMU.

The Karim Family Foundation has made a generous contribution to SMU with the establishment of the Karim Family Foundation Scholarship. The new scholarship was announced at a Gift Ceremony held on 27 February 2023, at the SMU University Lounge. This scholarship was initiated by SMU alumni Cindy and Chayadi Karim, who graduated from SMU in 2014 and 2015 respectively. They are the children of Bachtiar Karim and Dewi Sukwanto, Principals of the Karim Family Foundation.

On 10 February 2023, SMU paid tribute to its longest-serving Trustee and Chairman, Mr Ho Kwon Ping who had stepped down from the position. Over two and a half decades, Mr Ho had made an incredible impact on the University and its growth, so it was only fitting that his contributions were recognised by both current and past members of the SMU Board of Trustees and an illustrious guest list of VIPs during the Appreciation Event for Mr Ho held at the SMU Hall.

Every day, people interact with insurance products and services. Whether it is car insurance, health insurance, or life insurance, most people have some type of policy to protect their valuable tangible or intangible assets. Behind the scenes, there is a team of professionals who work diligently to ensure that the products offered are affordable and meet the customer's needs.

The importance of global exposure for future leaders has never been more pressing. The world is changing at a breakneck pace, and an overseas experience during tertiary education helps broaden our view of what's happening elsewhere in this wide-open universe we call home.

Over many decades, university has been the final stop for many students before they venture into adulthood. It stands as an institution that tests and challenges those who enter, providing them with knowledge to be ready when it matters most-the real world.

In recent years, diversity, equity and inclusivity (DEI) have become more than mere buzzwords in business organisations. Instead, effective DEI initiatives have grown to serve as critical drivers for organisational success. In particular, the events of 2020 have propelled DEI issues to the forefront, with impactful social movements and effects of the pandemic resulting in greater proactivity in achieving true diversity and inclusion.

Mobility and diversity are crucial to higher education, and a new statement signed by 33 university leaders from over 20 countries commits to upholding these values at a time when they are under duress. It is crucial to “continue to enable the cross-border flows of students, and the cross-cultural interactions that can only make the world a better place”, said Professor Lily Kong, President of SMU and one of the signatories of the statement.

A new and improved Core Curriculum begins in Academic Year 2019-2020. Professor Elvin Lim , Dean of the Office of Core Curriculum, explains the impetus behind the changes.