On 12 January 2017, SMU announced the offering of the Mapletree Real Estate Programme, a result of a gift of S$3 million from Mapletree investments. The course – which offers a specialisation in real estate investment and finance – aims to equip students with the knowledge and cross-disciplinary skills to navigate the growing real estate sector in Singapore and around the world. With a one-to-one matching grant from the government, the total of S$6 million will go towards the setting up of a professorship, awards, grants and speaker events supported by Mapletree.

SMU has also recently set up an 11-member Advisory Board – comprising leaders in the fields of real estate, tax, investments, finance and law – for the Real Estate Programme. The Board is chaired by Mapletree’s Group Chief Financial Officer Wong Mun Hoong and co-chaired by SMU’s Dean of Lee Kong Chian School of Business Professor Gerard George.

Prof George said, “We are delighted to co-create a real estate finance specialisation with industry partners, which caters to the industry’s talent needs.” SMU Provost Lily Kong described the partnership as an “affirmation” of the research excellence of the University as it strengthens the effort to generate thought leadership around real estate investment and finance. Professor of Finance Francis Koh from SMU Lee Kong Chian School of Business has been named the first Mapletree Professor of Real Estate. He will work closely with the advisory board and industry leaders to develop and implement the Real Estate Track, as well as lead real estate researchers. He will also deliver the inaugural Mapletree Lecture in Real Estate scheduled to take place in the last quarter of 2018.