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Early adminission advertisment with unconventional highlights on SMU's unique and revolutionary education
In this series of admissions advertisements launched by Singapore Management University (SMU) in 2003, prospective students are invited to embrace an unconventional, intriguing, and undaunted learning journey under the tagline “Experiencing the SMU Spirit.” Created to foreground what distinguished SMU from more traditional institutions, the campaign deliberately shifted attention away from the usual markers of university prestige—grades, rankings, and academic accolades—and toward something more immediate and human: the confidence, enthusiasm, and mindset of SMU students. In doing so, the students themselves became the campaign’s most compelling evidence of SMU’s unique and progressive educational approach. The advertisements also crystallised four core qualities the university sought to cultivate: a heart grounded in empathy and support for the less privileged; a deep appreciation for life; spirit and soul expressed through generosity and sharing; and passion that fuels persistence and achievement. These ideals were voiced through individual student testimonies as a vivid embodiment of the values the campaign championed — Ms Jenny Foo (Heart); Mr Tan Chee Wee (Life); Mr Joven Lai (Life); Mr Jeremy Nguee (Soul); Mr Richard Ho (Passion) and Johnny Tay (Passion).
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    Early adminission advertisment with unconventional highlights on SMU's unique and revolutionary education
    In 2004, Singapore Management University (SMU) unveiled a bold series of admission advertisements under the tagline “Get the SMU edge, make a difference.” Designed to spotlight what set the university apart, the campaign moved beyond traditional branding that typically highlights academic achievement alone. Instead, SMU positioned its students’ confidence, enthusiasm, and mindset as living testimonials of its unique and revolutionary educational approach. With a playful, contemporary visual style, the advertisements echoed SMU’s interactive, broad-based pedagogy and its emphasis on developing self-assured graduates. The campaign featured a range of testimonies, including students (Mr Lim Kong Wee and Mr Darren Lim), faculty (Prof Steven Miller), an industry partner (PricewaterhouseCoopers, represented by Deborah Ong), alumnus Tan Siang Leng, and even a proud parent—each captured in lively poses that reinforced the message of youthful ambition and possibility.
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      A career coach engaged a student in a one-to-one conversation at the 2025 Careers Day
      Meaningful career conversations took centre stage at the SMU Careers Day in September 2025, as career coaches from the Dato’ Kho Hui Meng Career Centre (DKHMCC) engaged students in one‑to‑one discussions on their career aspirations and next steps. The photo featured Mr Tan Poon Kian, Assistant Director with DKHMCC in conversation with a student. Through personalised guidance and practical insights, students received tailored advice on career planning, skill development and navigating the job market. These coaching interactions underscore the Career Centre’s commitment to empowering students with the clarity and confidence to make informed career decisions.
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        Students conversing with an industry representative in the Postgraduate Career & Networking Fair in February 2026
        Students engaged in conversation with an industry representative at the Postgraduate Career & Networking Fair, held at the T-Junction in February 2026. Held twice a year, the SMU Postgraduate Career & Networking Fair is curated for postgraduate students and recent graduates with more than two years of work experience. The event brings together experienced talent and industry employers across sectors such as finance, consulting, tech, fast-moving consumer goods (FMCG), and media, offering opportunities to explore well-matched roles, ask meaningful questions, and connect directly with industry professionals. The Feb 2026 edition brought together close to 200 experienced students and 36 leading employers across these sectors.
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          Part-time postgraduate students were actively engaged at the Connecting Talents event in 2025
          At the 2025 Connecting Talents event, the audience were engaged with thoughtful questions by the speaker Mr Ryan Lim, founding partner of QED Changemakers (not in photo), with several attendees also walking away with signed copies of his book.
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            Postgraduate alumni panelist discussion at Connecting Talents event in November 2025
            Photo featured a panelist comprising SMU postgraduate alumni discussing the topic "Mastering career transitions : Strategies to successfully pivot", and exploring practical approaches to navigating career changes at a Connecting Talents event on November 2025. Key takeaways included focusing job searches by function or sector rather than a broad “spray and pray” approach, understanding the limits of agency recruiters for career pivots, exploring alternative entry routes beyond online applications for competitive roles, and leveraging networking with thoughtful, low-pressure outreach. (Panelist from left) Ms Penny Peng Wen (MWM, 2024) ; Mr Jack Drabwell (MBA, 2023) ; Mr Ng Kian Boon (MQF, 2014) ; Ms Srishti Saxena (MBA, 2020) and moderator Mr Pranav Ramachandran (MBA, 2026). First launched in June 2019, Connecting Talents is open to postgraduate (PG) students with more than two years of work experience, and features SMU postgraduate alumni sharing career stories and insights to support professional growth and networking.
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              The 2025 SMU Careers Day, at the T-junction, had strong participation from both undergraduate and postgraduate students
              First held in September 2023 at T-Junction, SMU Careers Day is a student-focused event designed to support their internship and job search journey, with no employers present. The 2025 edition attracted over 500 students, who had the opportunity to learn more about the career development support offered by the Dato’ Kho Hui Meng Career Centre (DKHMCC), consult career coaches for personalised advice, and engage in interactive booth activities and refreshments. Open to students at any stage of their career journey, the event provides a supportive space for them to gain clarity, build confidence, and take their next step forward.
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                20260414_citydialogue_panel
                The 2026 SMU City Dialogues was held in conjunction with the 17th World Ageing Festival at Marina Bay Sands. It served as a platform that brings together global academics, policymakers, and industry leaders to exchange ideas and generate actionable insights for sustainable and inclusive urban development. This year’s theme enabled participants to engage with key issues such as ageing-in-place, healthy longevity, purposeful ageing, and financial and social resilience, highlighting opportunities to unlock the potential of the longevity economy while strengthening systems of support. The photo features the panel discussion moderated by Professor Paulin Straughan, exploring how societies can respond to the complexities of ageing populations. The panellist (from left to right) are Mr Ong Yunn Shing, Chief of Strategy, Research and Data, Agency for Integrated Care ; Associate Professor Low Lian Leng, Chairman of Division of Population Health and Integrated Care, Singapore General Hospital ; Director of Centre for Population Health Research and Implementation (CPHRI), SingHealth ; Professor Axel Börsch-Supan, Executive Director of SHARE, Munich Research Institute and Professor Paulin Tay Straughan, Interim Co-Director of SMU LSEI ; Director of Centre for Research on Successful Ageing (ROSA).
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                  Participants of the 2026 Dato' Kho Hui Meng Young Scholars Programme presenting to an audience and panel judges in their project showcase
                  The photo captures participants in the Dato’ Kho Hui Meng Young Scholars Programme 2026 presenting their research findings, proposed solutions, and anticipated impact to an audience and panel of judges during the Project Showcase segment. The Project Showcase serves as a platform for participants to demonstrate their creativity, critical thinking, problem-solving abilities, and teamwork. Working in groups of six, participants identify a real-world challenge, examine its root causes, and develop innovative and practical solutions to address it. Through this experience, they strengthen their analytical, collaborative, and communication skills while sharing ideas with the potential to make a meaningful and lasting impact.
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                    SMU won the Digital Transformation of the Year – Education category at the GovMedia Conference & Awards 2026
                    Singapore Management University (SMU) received the Singapore Digital Transformation of the Year – Education award at the GovMedia Conference & Awards 2026 for its AI-Powered Campus Assistant Suite, a collection of AI-driven tools designed to improve access to information, enhance student support, and streamline campus operations. The event was held in Marina Bay Sands Expo & Convention Centre on 9 July 2026. Featured in the photos (from R - L) are : Ms Audrey Lam from the Office of Business Improvement (OBI) ; Mr Arkar Winn Minn Htwe ; Mr Seow Wei Yeng ; Mr Lau Kai Cheong, Chief Information Office and Vice President ; Mr Goh Wee Sen from the Office of Integrated Information and Technology Services (IITS) ; Mr Lim Boon Wee, Senior Vice President, Administation from the Office of President and Mr Jeffrey Wee ; Mr Alan Kong from IITS. The initiative demonstrates SMU’s commitment to leveraging AI to enhance user experience and operational efficiency across campus. Built using Microsoft Azure AI and the Power Platform, the suite adopts a modular approach through three specialised assistants: -Ask:Smoo provides answers to common policy, HR, IT, and campus service enquiries, reducing routine administrative workloads and enabling staff to focus on more complex tasks. -Student Chatbot supports students with academic and administrative matters such as course registration and degree planning, while allowing academic advisors to devote more attention to complex cases and student wellbeing. -Lost & Found Assistant digitises the university’s lost-and-found process, using AI to assist with item reporting, image analysis, description generation, categorisation, and matching of lost items.
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                      Inaugural run of ASEAN Internship Programme Plus in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam
                      Students participating in the inaugural ASEAN Internship Programme Plus (AIP+) in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam, had the opportunity to visit a local business and gain firsthand insights into how agriculture contributes to economic growth and supports rural livelihoods. They also studied at Vietnam National University to gain insights into Vietnam’s politics, economy, and society. Launched in May 2025, the AIP+ programme is jointly managed by the Centre for Global Education and Opportunities (GEO) and the Dato’ Kho Hui Meng Career Centre (DKHMCC). It aims to enhance students' employability and global readiness through internships at ASEAN companies. Students are introduced to ASEAN cities with high business potential, providing them with an understanding of the companies, challenges, opportunities, and the business culture and landscape. They are also given opportunities to acclimatize to the city and country, and to build contacts in their assigned location.
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                        Celebrating 25 Years of Impact: An Inspired Journey
                        From an ambitious idea to a trailblazer in education, research, and innovation—SMU has spent 25 years pushing boundaries, creating impact, and empowering future-ready changemakers. Celebrating the evolution of Singapore Management University since its inception in 2000, this video features interviews with founders, pioneers, students, alumni and partners who have fuelled our journey as they reminisce their unique experiences with the University.
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                          Leading Global Institutions launch alliance to advance human-centric urban research
                          The founding members of the Global Alliance on Sustainable Urban Societies are (R-L) Prof Orlando Woods, Director, Urban Institute, Singapore Management University, Prof Karen Chapple, Director, The School of Cities, University of Toronto, Prof Cathy Oke, Director, Melbourne Centre for Cities, Prof Loretta Lees, Director, The Initiative on Cities, Boston University, Prof Hyun Bang Shin, Head of Department, Department of Geography and Environment, The London School of Economics and Political Science. Five globally respected academic institutions have come together to launch the Global Alliance on Sustainable Urban Societies – a pioneering initiative that places people at the heart of urban research and policymaking. The partnership was announced on 1st July 2025 at the Singapore Management University (SMU) City Dialogues held in Vienna, taking place as part of the Mayors Forum of the World Cities Summit 2025. The alliance aims to deepen understanding of how city dwellers sense, navigate and shape the urban environments they inhabit. This includes examination of the social and cultural norms, social networks and economic linkages – the “soft infrastructures” – that underpin resilient and sustainable cities.
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                            SMU and Tax Academy of Singapore established the Singapore Tax Academy Research Initiative on 11 Aug 2025
                            (From left to right) Assistant Professor Vincent Ooi, Professor Lee Pey Woan, both from Yong Pung How School of Law (YPHSL), Singapore Management University ; Mr Dennis Lui, CEO and Ms Eunice Toh from the Tax Academy of Singapore. Singapore Management University (SMU) Yong Pung How School of Law (YPHSL) and Tax Academy of Singapore announced the establishment of the Singapore Tax Academy Research Initiative (STARI) which will be undertaken by YPHSL’s Centre for Commercial Law in Asia. Supported by a grant from the Tax Academy of Singapore, this initiative aims to both contribute to the international tax academic community and serve the body of tax professionals in Singapore through three main streams of work: 1) conduct world-class international tax research; 2) develop local academic capacity in taxation; and 3) build links with international thought-leaders in taxation.
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                              Students showcasing their recommendations on improving the management of intergenerational diversity in the operation of Nestle Singapore
                              During the 2019 showcase of students' final presentations for the SMU-X course Managing Diversity in Asia, Assistant Professors Aidan Wong (left) and Charlotte Setijadi (second from left) from the School of Social Sciences reviewed the work of a group of students. The students worked with Nestle Singapore and recommends various solutions in enhancing gender diversity and inclusion in its workplace. The course, in collaboration with the School of Social Sciences, aims to equip students with the necessary skills to become effective and empathetic managers of people in dynamic multicultural environments. In the course, students will learn analytical frameworks that will enable them to gain deeper understanding of existing problems to do with inequality and diversity in contemporary Asian societies.
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                                Guest-of-Honour Dr Janil Puthucheary, Senior Minister of State for Education, and Sustainability and the Environment, speaking at the launch of Resilient Workfirces Institute
                                Dr Janil Puthucheary, Senior Minister of State, Ministry of Education and Ministry of Sustainability and the Environment, graced the launch of the Resilient Workforces Institute (ResWORK) in Singapore Management University as Guest-of-Honour. In his remarks, Dr Janil highlighted the importance of partnerships with industry, enabled by research, in overcoming workforce disruptions brought about by artificial intelligence (AI) and digital technologies.
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                                  SMU received contribution from Equinix to advance applied research under ResWORK
                                  At the launch of the SMU Resilient Workforces Institute (ResWORK) in January 2026, SMU received a contribution of S$450,000 from Equinix to advance applied research under ResWORK. The funding will support a flagship systemic research project on occupational exposure to AI within Singapore’s labour market. The photo captures the presentation of research contribution from Equinix to ResWORK, represented by Ms Leong Yee May, Managing Director of Equinix (left), and Professor Archan Misra, Vice Provost of Research and Interim Director of ResWORK (right).
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                                    SMU’s Co-Curricular Transcript wins Gold at QS Reimagine Education Awards 2025
                                    Singapore Management University (SMU) has been awarded the Gold Award in the Nurturing Employability category at the QS Reimagine Education Awards 2025, in recognition of its groundbreaking Co-Curricular Transcript (CCT), a pioneering University-wide initiative that makes visible the skills and competencies students develop through experiential, out-of-classroom learning. The win underscores the CCT’s innovation, real-world impact, and scalability. Developed by the Office of the Dean of Students (ODOS), the Co-Curricular Transcript is a first-of-its-kind initiative in Singapore that complements the academic transcript by formally documenting students’ engagement in co-curricular activities and the skills developed through these experiences. At the heart of the initiative is the Integrated Co-Curricular Management System (ICMS), a digital platform that supports participation tracking, guided reflection and mentor feedback. Through this system, students are guided to make intentional co-curricular choices, reflect meaningfully on their experiences, and translate learning into demonstrable competencies. The photo featured the core team from ODOS and Integrated Information Technology Services behind the CCT and the ICMS. (From R - L) : Mr Tan Gak Khiam, Senior Deputy Director, Digital Enterprise Services, IITS ; Mr Lau Kai Cheong, Chief Information Officer and Vice President, IITS ; Ms Yvonne Yong, IITS ; Professor Paulin Straughan, former Dean of Students ; Mr Alvin Sim, Head, Co-Curriculum Development and Student Care & Support Services, ODOS ; Mr Toh Xiao Wee, ODOS and Mr Hendry Wangsa, IITS.
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                                      How Co-Curricular Transcript is transforming the way SMU students document and articulate their learning
                                      Singapore Management University (SMU) has been awarded the Gold Award in the Nurturing Employability category at the QS Reimagine Education Awards 2025, in recognition of its groundbreaking Co-Curricular Transcript (CCT), a pioneering University-wide initiative that makes visible the skills and competencies students develop through experiential, out-of-classroom learning. The win underscores the CCT’s innovation, real-world impact, and scalability. Developed by the Office of the Dean of Students (ODOS), the Co-Curricular Transcript is a first-of-its-kind initiative in Singapore that complements the academic transcript by formally documenting students’ engagement in co-curricular activities and the skills developed through these experiences. First awarded to the graduating Class of 2025, the CCT reflects SMU’s long-standing philosophy that meaningful learning occurs not only in the classroom, but also through leadership roles, community service, internships, student organisations and other experiential opportunities. This video presents how the Co-Curricular Transcript is transforming the way SMU students document and articulate their learning with the support of the Integrated Co-Curricular Management System (ICMS).
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                                        SMU launches Urban Institute focused on the study of Asian cities
                                        New institute will craft a multi- and interdisciplinary research agenda organised around the key themes of Urban Infrastructure, Urban Growth and Urban Life. From L-R: Assoc Prof Orlando Woods, Director of SMU Urban Institute; Prof Timothy Clark, Provost of SMU; Mr Piyush Gupta, SMU Chairman; Ms Sim Ann, Senior Minister of State for Foreign Affairs and National Development; Prof Lily Kong, President of SMU; Prof Archan Misra, Vice Provost (Research) of SMU.
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                                          Professor Tan Chin Tiong (in red), Provost of SMU, cycling with staff and students in the inaugural SMU Challenge
                                          SMU Challenge is the university's annual community outreach event that provides students with opportunities to interact with beneficiaries on a personal level, understand underlying societal issues and needs, and gain deeper insights to support these beneficiaries throught their community service projects. The first SMU Challenge in 2008, organized by SMU Students' Association, is a cyclethon held in the Atrium of Plaza Singapura. Its goal was to pedal 50,000km collectively in 30 hours on 120 stationery bikes to raise funds for the Muscular Dystrophy Association of Singapore.
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                                            Launch of the Dato' Kho Hui Meng Career Centre in 2012
                                            SMU President Arnoud De Meyer (left) and SMU Board of Trustee Dato' Kho Hui Meng (right) at the launch of the Career Centre named in honor of Dato' Kho Hui Meng's generous contribution to the University. The Dato' Kho Hui Meng Career Centre (DKHMCC) collaborates with employers to empower students in shaping their career paths through personalized support, workshops, and networking opportunities, enhancing their skills and confidence for the workforce.
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                                              Professor Lily Kong and Mr Jack Dorsey at the SMU Presidential Distinguished Lecture Series 2019
                                              SMU President Professor Lily Kong and Twitter Co-founder Mr Jack Dorsey at the SMU Presidential Distinguished Lecturer Series 2019.
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                                                Enterprise & Entrepreneur Series by SMU and The EDB Society Part 1
                                                Finance Minister Mr Heng Swee Keat at the launch of the Enterprise & Entrepreneur Series by SMU and The EDB Society.
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                                                  Professor Lily Kong at SMU City Dialogues inaugural edition 2019
                                                  SMU President Professor Lily Kong at SMU City Dialogues inaugural edition 2019.
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