SMU welcomes largest intake of students for Academic Year 2007

Singapore, 18 August 2007 –
Singapore Management University (SMU) welcomes its eighth batch of freshmen at its Convocation Ceremony today. SMU's 2007 intake of over 1,550 students is the university's largest to date. They are selected from a record of 12,911 applications received this year, making SMU eight times oversubscribed. The first batch of 117 law students will join the other freshmen who will pursue existing 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 artists, young entrepreneurs and passionate community service volunteers. The academic credentials of the new intake are also impressive. More students with better ‘A' level qualifications are admitted this year - 3 in 4 scoring ABB or above and 36% scoring AAA or above. This attests to the growing popularity of SMU as a university of choice among well-rounded and academically accomplished students.

Incoming students can tap on 15 scholarships programmes in SMU, including the SMU Study Awards introduced this year, which offer a wide range of financial assistance for their studies. Some 200, or 1 in 7, freshmen have been awarded scholarships under these programmes.

Amongst the international students, who make up about 20 % of the intake, over 90% come from India, China and ASEAN countries. For the first time, SMU has also accepted students from South Africa, Netherlands, New Zealand. 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 25 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 published a quirky yet informative handbook to help new international students adjust to life in Singapore and assimilate with local students in SMU. The 80-page handbook, titled Not the Stuffy Guide, is written by SMU international students of 7 different nationalities for their new counterparts. The handbook is written and designed in a fun, easy-to-read way. It acts as a guidebook to Singapore, introducing international freshmen to quirks of Singapore, including Singlish, local food, cultural festivals and practices, as well as information on public transport, accommodation and medical services in Singapore. At the same time, it also welcomes foreign students and acquaints with university life, providing SMU-specific information, such as campus activities, course selection and academic schedule. The book is given free to all new foreign students in SMU.

In addition to the handbook for new international students, all freshmen will be given the SMU Passport, a one-stop handbook and journey planner on the SMU identity and living the SMU experience to the fullest. Students can obtain quick information on opportunities for community service and student life, social etiquette and right attitudes during internships, and how to plan for an overseas exchange programme.

In SMU tradition, all freshmen attended the university's unique team building camp in July-August. The camp is led by senior student facilitators with the objective of introducing freshmen to SMU's collegial environment and inculcating the important SMU ‘CIRCLE' values of Commitment, Integrity, Responsibility, Collegiality, Leadership and Excellence, adopted as the clarion call for newcomers.