SMU, Singapore's third university, began taking in students in 2000. Faced with the challenge of establishing its own identity from the start, SMU chose to differentiate itself from NUS and NTU. It introduced American-style admission, curriculum and teaching in Singapore. Four years later, employers receiving its first graduates noted an "SMU difference" – they were more polished and well-spoken. With SMU posing a challenge, NUS and NTU dons were also forced to think about how they could differentiate themselves.