[19 August 2006]
Academic Year 2006 welcomes SMU's largest intake of students

Singapore, 19 August 2006 – Singapore Management University (SMU) welcomes its seventh batch of freshmen at its Convocation Ceremony today. SMU's 2006 intake of over 1,350 students is the university's largest to date. They are selected from a record of 10,680 applications received this year, making SMU eight times oversubscribed. The new batch of undergraduates will also be the second to spend the full four years of their university education at SMU's new city campus in Bras Basah. The students will pursue undergraduate degree programmes in business management, accountancy, economics, social sciences and information system management.

SMU's holistic admissions criteria ensures an annual intake of freshmen who displays not only academic excellence but are also multi-talented with a wide range of skills, aptitude and leadership qualities. Many amongst the present intake are national sportsmen, accomplished musicians, young entrepreneurs and passionate community service volunteers. The academic credentials of the new intake are also impressive, with 2 in 3 scoring ABB or above in their ‘A' levels and 1 in 3 scoring AAA or above. For the second time in the history of SMU, there are more male freshmen (55%) than female freshmen (45%) in the new intake, attesting to the growing popularity of SMU as a university of choice among male applicants.

Amongst the international students, who makes up about 20 % of the intake, close to 90% comes from India, China, Indonesia, Malaysia, Vietnam, Myanmar and the Philippines. For the first time, SMU has also accepted students from France , Sweden , Switzerland and the Maldives. Singapore students will benefit from the richness of the international diversity and cultural vibrancy with the opportunity to study, network and bond with overseas students from over 20 countries. This is one of the hallmarks of the global-oriented education which SMU provides as a premier university. By admitting many bright, promising talents from the growing economies of India, China, Middle East and fast developing ASEAN countries, SMU is paving the way to groom Asia's visionary entrepreneurs and business leaders of tomorrow.

The university has also produced its first ever SMU Passport – a one-stop handbook and journey planner on what it means to be a citizen of SMU. Specially developed for freshmen and senior students, the pocket-size 101 survival guide contains useful tips and pointers on living the SMU experience to the fullest. It resembles an actual travel passport down to the very touch and feel, and is presented in a colourful and arresting format to engage the minds of the young. Students can obtain quick information on opportunities for community service and student life, the right attitudes during internships, social etiquette to observe and how to plan for an overseas exchange programme.

In SMU tradition, all freshmen attended the university's unique team building camp in August led by senior student facilitators with the objective of inculcating the important SMU ‘CIRCLE' values of Commitment, Integrity, Responsibility, Collegiality, Leadership and Excellence.