SMU Centre for Teaching Excellence has developed a computer game, "Co-Founders of the North" for the Lee Kong Chian School of Business, to enable students to gain a deeper understanding of the volatile business environment. From this term onwards, the strategy game will be used as a teaching tool for several modules, namely ‘Corporate Strategy’, ‘Managing Strategic Change’ as well as a University core course titled ‘Managing Volatility, Uncertainty, Complexity and Ambiguity’ (VUCA). In the game, each student / group starts with allegiances to 2 factions (out of 7). The objective of the game is to accumulate the most allegiance points and become the most influential fraction at the end of the game, through the efficient use of resources and strategies. Students can collaborate with each other to achieve common goals, or make strategic decisions to deny other students of their resources.

SMU Senior Lecturer of Strategic Management Saumya Sindhwani (who oversees VUCA), explained that the game aims to emulate the competitiveness and volatility of the corporate world to build the students’ decision-making and coping skills. SMU Assistant Professor of Strategic Management Geng Xuesong also noted that the objective of using the game is to create open-ended scenarios for students to apply the theories that they have learn and formulate effective strategies. She added that the game as a learning tool combines both entertainment and education.