The Singapore Management University (SMU) has established the Sing Lun Scholarships, Sing Lun Fellowship and Sing Lun Seminar Room with a S$1 million gift from Mr Patrick Lee (李国基), Chairman (董事长) of Sing Lun Investments Pte Limited (星纶投资私人有限公司), and his family. The gifts are named after Sing Lun, in honour of Mr Lee's late father, Mr Lee Chee Hung (李子衡), who founded the business. The gift attracts a 1:1 matching by the Singapore government for SMU's endowment.

Mr Lee and members of his family made the decision to fund the much needed support for the university education of financially needy SMU undergraduates, particularly during current times of economic difficulties. The gift also seeks to advance faculty research and development at SMU.

To thank and recognise Mr Lee and his family for their exemplary support of higher education and research at SMU, Seminar Room 2.8 at the Lee Kong Chian School of Business will be named Sing Lun Seminar Room. At a simple dedication ceremony today, a plaque bearing the name was unveiled and will be displayed prominently at the entrance of the endowed room, in perpetuity.

Mr Patrick Lee, Chairman, Sing Lun Investments, said, “We share SMU's vision to nurture all-rounded ethical business leaders of tomorrow. Through this donation, my family and I hope to contribute towards supporting the aspirations of SMU undergraduates, especially now more than ever, when access to financial resources is much needed. Educational causes have also been of special focus for my family and we hope the gift will also play a part in SMU's long term development as an outstanding institution of higher education and research.”

Professor Howard Hunter, President, SMU, said, “We are grateful to Mr Patrick Lee and his family for their extraordinary generosity in supporting and funding the development of our undergraduates and faculty. Their gift will provide much needed financial assistance to our undergraduates, allowing continued meritocratic access to the full unique SMU experience even in this difficult climate. Their exemplary gift will also have a meaningful impact on the Sing Lun Scholars and the SMU community in inspiring philanthropy and fostering a culture of social responsibility to see beyond their own needs and to give back to society and the community. It is a great encouragement to both our students and faculty to continue to strive for excellence.”

The Sing Lun Scholarships, each valued at S$12,500 and tenable for one year, will be awarded to a total of 40 SMU undergraduates over six years. The bond-free Scholarships will be open to Singaporean or PR undergraduates studying full-time at SMU, with special consideration given to those who demonstrate financial need. Candidates should also possess good academic results and demonstrate leadership potential and an active CCA or community service involvement.

The Scholarship will offer financial support towards annual tuition fees and study-related expenses, such as books and computers, regional Business Study Mission, international student exchange programme as well as community outreach. Scholars will be expected to participate in meaningful community projects in key areas of need. Applications for the Scholarships will commence in April 2009 for the Academic Year 2009/10 cohort.

The Sing Lun Fellowship provides up to S$30,000 of research grants each year in perpetuity for young SMU faculty members to tap into. Besides according professional recognition to promising faculty, the Fellowship will also support successful Fellows in a diverse range of studies and to produce industry-relevant research crucial to improving the understanding of business and the global economy. Besides helping to create an intellectually stimulating and vibrant environment for students, faculty and the wider community, the Fellowship accelerates SMU's efforts in building knowledge leadership in the areas of business, finance, accounting, economics, information systems, social sciences and law in Singapore .

The Sing Lun Seminar Room is specially designed to support SMU's unique pedogogy of a “seminar-style” approach that encourages greater interaction and lively discussions between students and their professors. It seats up to 55 students and is fully equipped with state-of-the-art technology. The Seminar Room is also designed to complement graduate and professional learning, as well as seminars, workshops and training for the public.

About Sing Lun Investments Pte Limited

Sing Lun Investments Pte Limited was originally founded in 1951 as a textile trading and wholesale company. In 1969, the company expanded into apparel manufacturing. Since then, the company has grown to be a renowned apparel contract manufacturer for international brands and retailers, supplying fashion apparels to the North America, EU and Asia markets. The company now possesses production facilities in Singapore, Malaysia, Sri Lanka, Cambodia, Vietnam and China. In 1999, the company transferred the apparel business to a subsidiary Sing Lun Holdings Limited. Sing Lun Holdings was listed on the Singapore Stock Exchange Main Board in Year 2000 and privatised in Year 2008. Besides the apparel business, Sing Lun Investments also invests in real estate, hotels and engineering businesses in Singapore, Malaysia, USA and China.