[17 January 2007]
Singapore Management University and Xiamen University collaborate in teaching and research

Memorandum of understanding marks a major cooperation for SMU with a leading comprehensive university in China

Singapore, 17 January 2007 – The Singapore Management University (SMU) and China's Xiamen University (????) today signed a Memorandum of Understanding to develop and enhance academic exchange and co-operation in teaching and research at the undergraduate, postgraduate and executive education levels. This marks a major collaboration for SMU with a leading comprehensive university in China on a broad framework of partnership ranging from undergraduate student exchange, postgraduate study and research, joint graduate degree programmes to executive management programmes.

Signed between Professor Howard Hunter, President of SMU and Professor Zhu Chongshi (???), President of Xiamen University, the Memorandum of Understanding covers the following areas of co-operation:

• International Student Exchange Programme

Both universities will work together to further expand on the existing international student exchange agreement for undergraduate studies where Xiamen University is currently a partner university for student exchange between the two institutions. Currently, SMU has exchange agreements with 120 foreign universities around the world where SMU students get to spend a semester or two (of 15 weeks each) in one of the overseas partner universities.

• Summer Study Programme

SMU will launch an annual tuition-free summer studies programme where up to 30 undergraduates of related disciplines of study from Xiamen University can come to SMU during the May to July summer vacation. Xiamen University students will attend classes and undertake projects together with SMU students, allowing both sides to experience an intellectual and cross-cultural exchange of ideas. Likewise, Xiamen University will launch an annual tuition-free summer studies programme where up to 30 SMU undergraduates will spend their summer term in Xiamen University, enrolling in the same classes and participating in group projects with their Chinese counterparts.

• Postgraduate Research

Both universities will explore avenues to increase the flow of graduate students between them for postgraduate study and research to build up top quality research with relevance in Asia. In particular, the Lee Kong Chian School of Business and the School of Economics and Social Sciences in SMU, and the Wang Yanan Institute for Studies in Economics (????????) and the School of Management (????) in Xiamen University will be the key institutions who will drive the exchange of graduate students.

• Development of Joint Graduate Degree Programmes

Both universities will explore developing joint graduate programmes in different fields. For example, the Lee Kong Chian School of Business in SMU will work with the Wang Yanan Institute for Studies in Economics to develop joint graduate programmes or shorter executive courses in Applied Finance; and with the School of Management in Xiamen University for programmes and courses for executive business education.

The Lee Kong Chian School of Business in SMU and the Wang Yanan Institute for Studies in Economics will also explore offering a new SMU Chartered Financial Analysts Executive Programme at XMU which will prepare participants for the Chartered Financial Analysts (CFA) examination. The programme will be jointly managed by SMU and Xiamen University, building on the existing curriculum already in place in SMU under its Master of Science in Applied Finance programme.

• Management Executive Programmes

The Lee Kong Chian School of Business in SMU will collaborate with the School of Management at Xiamen University to offer executive education programmes for business professionals and executives with emphasis in the area of finance and marketing.

• Faculty Exchange and Research Cooperation

Both universities will increase opportunities for faculty exchanges and research cooperation. The Lee Kong Chian School of Business and the School of Economics and Social Sciences in SMU, and the Wang Yanan Institute for Studies in Economics and the School of Management in Xiamen University will facilitate more faculty visits and exchanges.

Both universities have identified the areas of applied finance and applied economics for research collaboration, leveraging on their existing strengths and mutual research expertise in these two fields. A new university-level Research Centre for China's capital markets will be set up, managed by both SMU and Xiamen University.

“SMU looks forward to the new partnership forged with China's renowned Xiamen University, one which was founded by Mr Tan Kah Kee, a well-known entrepreneur, educational philanthropist and prominent community leader in colonial Singapore. The collaboration is timely especially in the area of finance and economics with China's fast-growing economy and booming capital markets. Students and faculty of SMU will benefit greatly from the intellectual exchange with the top minds from Xiamen University,” said Professor Howard Hunter, President, Singapore Management University.

“Xiamen University is honoured to have found a partner in SMU, a leading management university in Asia that champions the American style pedagogy with a strong grounding in quality research relevant to the region. The cooperation is another step forward in sharing and tapping on each university's rich intellectual resource in the area of finance, management and economics studies. It is also another milestone in Singapore's strategic partnership with China,” said Professor Zhu Chongshi, President of Xiamen University.