SMU signed an agreement on Monday with SUTD to jointly develop a Trading Associate Programme for students of SUTD. This will allow SUTD students to participate in study missions, site visits and internship opportunities driven by the International Trading Institute at SMU (ITI@SMU). SMU also announced an eight-day advanced certificate in trading programme that will give graduate students a basic knowledge of the trading sector, easing their transition into the commodities sector. Currently, SMU is developing a Masters programme for this course. Since it was established in 2007, close to 200 local graduates from ITI@SMU have joined the trading sector. SMU President Professor Arnoud De Meyer said that ITI@SMU will endeavour to cooperate with IE Singapore to expand Singapore’s talent pool. ITI@SMU will also improve the skills of people in this field in order to further strengthen Singapore's position as a global trading hub, as well as to make Singapore the first choice for Asian headquarters of MNCs.