Students joining SMU from August will need overseas experience to graduate. This experience could include exchange programmes, internships, study missions, cultural exchanges and immersions, among other kinds of programmes. To ensure that no one misses out on such opportunities due to financial constraints, SMU said it has a range of University-funded and donor-supported assistance schemes that needy students can tap.

SMU Vice Provost (Undergraduate Matters) and OUB Chair Professor of Finance Lim Kian Guan said: "Global traction and understanding underpins success in careers in today's globally connected environment.” Adding that the experience is not just “invaluable for international networking and global vision”, but also “opens doors to bigger opportunities”, Prof Lim said going forward, the University “wants to make sure no SMU student graduates without this precious global experience”.

Prof Lim also said the University will leverage on its SMU-X pedagogy, where students work in team projects to tackle real challenges faced by organisations, to offer undergraduates more overseas exposure. SMU has expanded its partnerships to give undergraduates the opportunity to engage in SMU-X projects with companies, non-governmental organisations and partner universities out of Singapore.

Darius Tan — who will be reading law at SMU later this year — said he is “excited” by the new requirement. “I’ve never had the opportunity to travel when I was in primary and secondary school or in junior college, even though there were certain opportunities, due to financial reasons,” said Mr Tan. “SMU will be providing financial help or assistance in terms of loans or subsidies, which is necessary and ideal for students in my situation.”

SMU final-year undergraduate Terri Tan, who went for three overseas stints, said the experience has helped her in her learning. “I have developed critical thinking in terms of learning as I got to learn from other people (from various nationalities) when I studied abroad,” said Ms Tan who is studying at SMU School of Economics. “I also got to interact and hear their opinions which helped me to broaden my mindset in learning.”

Among the 1,775 who graduated in 2017, 87 per cent had at least one form of global exposure activity during their time at the university, and 55 per cent had two.