SMU has teamed up with University of Oregon (UO) in an agreement which promises to be a winner for students who are interested in a career in the rapidly growing sports industry.

On 27 June 2014, just before the weekend on which the Singapore Sports Hub hosted its official opening ceremony, SMU President Professor Arnoud De Meyer signed a five-year agreement with UO in the United States for an international student-exchange programme to enable students from both institutions to learn from the academic and sporting cultures of the two countries.

Professor De Meyer said, “This collaboration with the University of Oregon is significant because UO will offer our students added opportunities to take up specialised courses in sports management and marketing, which are a first for SMU students. Through this new partnership, we hope to offer our students opportunities to take up relevant subjects during their exchange so that they are able to differentiate themselves even more.”

UO Vice President for University Advancement Mr Michael Andreasen represented UO President Professor Michael Gottfredson who said in advance of the signing, “This partnership offers a unique opportunity for the UO to further expand our student’s international learning experiences. Singapore is a growing and vibrant market where UO students will become even better prepared to thrive in the global economy.”

With UO’s Warsaw Sports Marketing Centre offering specialised courses in sports management and marketing, SMU exchange students will have the opportunity to study the best practices of the mature sports business market in the US, with possibilities of internships with renowned sports organisations such as Nike and ESPN, explained Mr Andreasen.

Sport Singapore is a party to the agreement and its Chief Executive Officer Mr Lim Teck Yin, who witnessed the signing said, “In addition to the learning opportunities from the universities, students on the exchange programme between SMU and UO can benefit from the exposure to national initiatives such as Vision 2030 and opportunities created by the presence of world-class events in Singapore such as the Women’s Tennis Association Finals.”

Four of SMU’s students passionate about sports also attended the event, including former national dragonboat team member Stella Tay Xinyin. Stella, a Year 3 undergraduate in the Lee Kong Chian School of Business, is very keen to pursue a career in the sports industry. She said she would definitely have applied for an exchange placement at UO had it been available earlier.

Applications for the student-exchange programme open next February, with two students from SMU and OU heading to each other’s campuses for an academic year starting in August.