There is a quiet revolution going on among Singapore students. Called enhanced volunteerism or social enterprise, many young innovators are asking how the business world can solve problems rather than create them. At SMU, more than half of its students exceed the 80 hours of community service required for graduation and students are required to complete a course on ethics and social responsibility where theories and case studies from east and west are used to discuss ethical decision-making, and business and professional ethics. SMU Associate Professor of Law Basil Bitas noted that intelligence and high achievement are no bar to ethical blindness, and said that one of the goals is to try to teach students to refine their instincts and to sharpen their ethical antennae so they can recognise and address potentially difficult situations as they develop. Other highlights of this report included SMU information systems major Ivan Chang who co-created the website StartNow.sg, a networking tool designed to be a conduit between volunteering opportunities and people who want to help; SMU students Marcus Wong, Lim Yuhui, Lee Jia Wei, Joanne Hoe and Poh Jiawei who will be opening a café called The Basement at SMU's campus in August to help out in the community by donating 30% of its profits to charity; and SMU student volunteers who are working under the direction of professionals through Conjunct Consulting to provide pro-bono consulting to non-profit, social sector clients, allowing them to get professional advice that would normally cost an arm and a leg.
The Straits Times