Media Release

SMU marks the opening of its new 2018 Academic Year with a full day of celebrations

The Singapore Management University (SMU) welcomed its 19th cohort of 2186 freshmen on Friday, 17 August 2018 at the SMU Hall, School of Law.

The day’s celebrations began with freshmen being welcomed at their individual schools, followed by the annual mega co-curricular activities fair VIVACE at the Campus Green and Concourse, and ended with the Academic Year Opening Ceremony in the evening at the SMU Hall.

Themed “Imagine Better”, about 500 guests comprising SMU Board of Trustees, senior management, faculty, staff, donors, alumni, freshmen and student leaders were treated to a sit-down dinner, interspersed with student performances, including a small tribute segment to outgoing SMU President Arnoud De Meyer who steps down in December.

At the ceremony, SMU Chairman Ho Kwon Ping paid tribute to SMU President Professor Arnoud De Meyer for his eight years of leadership where he helped the University forge strong linkages, collaboration and partnerships with academia, industry, government, social organisations and the community at large. In addition, Mr Ho also paid tribute to Professor John Niland – a founding member of SMU’s Board of Trustees who served as an architect of the foundations of SMU’s university administration for a good 12 years from 2000 to 2012. For his enormous contributions to the University, SMU conferred Professor Niland with an SMU Honorary Degree at the Dinner.

In his remarks, SMU President Professor Arnoud De Meyer spoke about the traditional role universities played and its positive socio-economic impact on society in terms of supplying a well-educated workforce and carrying out research that would ultimately aid a higher quality of life. He added that SMU will have to reflect more on how it could enhance impact on society, and touched on how the SMU brand of being a “Different U” has been complemented to be a “University with Meaningful Impact”.

Enclosures:

1. Media Release 
2. Speech by SMU Chairman Ho Kwon Ping (Annex A)
3. Speech by SMU President Professor Arnoud De Meyer (Annex B)
4. Nomination for Professor John R. Niland (Annex C)