In the past decade, SMU, NUS, and NTU have independently rolled out mentorship programmes under which alumni return to mentor juniors. SMU conducts two three-month mentorship programmes each year; this year, 350 mentors came forward. Director of the SMU Office of Advancement and Alumni Ms Sharon Tan said that they do not interfere much because these are volunteer platforms. Ms Tan believed that the newer generations of alumni have a stronger attachment to their alma maters, and that among the alumni of SMU were pioneers of SMU’s societies who helped to shape policies, thus they had an especially strong sense of ownership.