[21 July 2006]
SMU welcomes its third intake of Wealth Management students

Singapore, 21 July 2006 - The Singapore Management University (SMU) this evening formally welcomed its third and largest intake of students for its Master of Science in Wealth Management programme. The rigorous, one-year modular course is the first and only programme of its kind in the world. Since its inception three years ago, the specialised programme has attracted students from Singapore, the region and beyond. 77 students have graduated from the first two cohorts of the programme, which saw its first intake in 2004.

Significant about this year's cohort of 53 students is that over half of them are foreign, coming from 12 different countries beyond Singapore. New nationalities represented this year include Danish and Pakistani. This year also sees a marked increase in the percentage of female students, who make up nearly 30% of the cohort.

With rapid product development and increasing demands by clients, coupled by the government's drive for Singapore to become the wealth management hub for Asia, the MSc in Wealth Management specifically addresses the need for training to enhance the level of knowledge and skills needed for investment and private banking professionals in the Asia Pacific region. The programme brings together reputed industry practitioners and eminent SMU faculty to equip students with requisite skills for the industry and profession. Students can also leverage on internship opportunities and ensuing employment opportunities with the programme's industry partners.

Said Practice Professor Francis Koh, Associate Dean of the Lee Kong Chian School of Business at SMU and Programme Director for the MSc in Wealth Management, "We are very encouraged by the growing popularity of this specialised master's degree programme. Even as Singapore is fast becoming a centre for wealth management, the need for more trained professionals here, and in the region, will only increase."

The MSc in Wealth Management degree is awarded by SMU. The programme is offered in conjunction with the Wealth Management Institute (WMI) and the Swiss Finance Institute (SFI), and the curriculum has been designed collectively by academic professors and industry professionals to ensure students are exposed to a balanced mix of theory and practice. Beyond the seminar-style learning environment at SMU and Singapore industry-related events, students also visit Switzerland as part of a special arrangement by SFI. This module provides students with the invaluable opportunity to gain first hand insights into how wealth management is practiced in the mature European sector.

The MSc in Wealth Management programme is ideal for practising wealth managers who provide investment advice to high net worth individuals and institutions. It is especially useful to private bankers, priority-banking officers, and independent financial advisors who wish to deepen their investment and marketing knowledge or strategic developments in the industry. Graduates who aspire to be wealth managers will also find this an excellent postgraduate degree to hone their skills and enhance their knowledge of wealth management.

For information on the MSc in Wealth Management, visit www.smu.edu.sg/MWM
For information on the Wealth Management Institute, visit www.wmi.com.sg
For information on the Swiss Finance Institute, visit www.swissfinanceinstitute.ch