During the summer of 2019, 11 Singapore Management University (SMU) undergraduates headed to four universities located in the Chinese cities of Chengdu and Changsha for the Sino-Singapore Undergraduate Exchange (SSUE) Programme. They were part of a 50-strong Singapore Universities delegation comprising 44 students and 4 accompanying administrators from SMU, the National University of Singapore (NUS), Nanyang Technological University (NTU) and Singapore University of Technology and Design (SUTD).  The delegation was led by Tan Sook, Head (Greater China), International Office (IO).

Spearheaded by the Ministries of Education of China and Singapore, the 16th annual edition of the SSUE is an excellent platform for selected students from both countries to deepen their understanding of the vast potential for collaboration within the context of a globalised world, with opportunities to grow their network and forge new friendships.

The genesis of the SSUE could be traced back to April 2002, when then-Singapore's Prime Minister, Mr Goh Chok Tong, suggested to then-PRC Vice President, Mr Hu Jintao that a Government-to-Government undergraduate exchange programme be established to bolster and demonstrate close bilateral cooperation in education between Singapore and China. In the same year, an MOU to implement the SSUE was signed between the Ministries of Education of both countries, with the objective of enhancing students’ mutual understanding of Chinese and Singaporean culture and society, giving them a global perspective and a chance to network.

The two-week visit by Singaporean students to Chengdu and Changsha was followed by a reciprocal visit by the Chinese students from four participating Chinese universities, namely Sichuan University (SCU), the University of Electronic Science and Technology of China (UESTC), Hunan University (HU) and Hunan Normal University (HNU). to Singapore from 19 July to 2 August. By promoting interactions among students of both countries, the SSUE contributes to the strengthening of relations between China and Singapore.

The SMU undergraduates who took part in this year’s SSUE found the experience to be immensely rewarding. During the China leg of the programme from 27 May to 10 June, they had the opportunity to experience the unique and vibrant campus atmospheres of the four Chinese universities. The students attended informative lectures on China’s history, politics, culture as well as modern economy, and also engaged their Chinese peers in discussions on wide-ranging topics of interest. Through visits to cultural and historical sites, they witnessed first-hand the rapid developments and impressive transformation of Chinese cities.

“We left China with a deeper understanding of Chinese society, culture, and the state of China’s economy (as well as the main drivers of its growth). It was also instructive to have a rare glimpse into the everyday lives of our Chinese peers – their aspirations, societal expectations, and the challenges they face as they step into the workforce of the world’s fastest-growing economy,” said Lim Kah Lok, 24, a second-year School of Accountancy student with a second major in Data Science and Analytics.

This year, the SMU delegation comprised Year One to Year Four students from LKCSB, SOA, SIS and SOSS. Similar to the IO-administered International Student Exchange Programme (ISEP) - SMU’s default exchange programme, students attending the SSUE are able to clock their global exposure as well. 

In return, the Singapore leg of the programme from 19 July to 2 August 2019, provided an eye-opening experience for the Chinese students in the multi-racial and contemporary Lion City, hosted by their Singaporean counterparts. The SMU segment, which took place from 31 July to 1 August, started with a welcome ceremony hosted by Prof Ong Siow Heng, Dean, International Affairs. This was followed by a rousing performance by Samba Masala, SMU’s resident Brazilian percussion band. 

Other highlights included a visit to SMU’s Business Innovations Generator (BIG) lab on campus, accompanied by a sharing on SMU’s efforts in innovation and entrepreneurship by colleagues from the Institute of Innovation and Entrepreneurship (IIE). The Chinese students enthusiastically posed questions for Assoc Prof Forrest Zhang, Associate Dean (Research) of SMU’s School of Social Sciences, after he gave an insightful presentation on the economic and social implications for countries and regions under China’s Belt and Road initiative, arising from a study trip he organised for 19 SMU students to Kashgar (in China) and Lahore (in Pakistan) in May last year. Asst Prof of Corporate Communication (Practice) Yeo Su Lin, a faculty from SMU Lee Kong Chian School of Business, also delivered an interesting talk on the nuts and bolts of Social Media Communication.

The interactive two-day programme hosted by SMU included a campus tour and a walking tour of Bras Basah and Bugis, where Chinese students gained a firsthand flavour of SMU’s distinctive “University in a City” character. Resulting from the strategic linkages nurtured by SMU with industry partners such as Mediacorp, students had the opportunity to tour the spanking new Mediacorp campus at 1 Stars Avenue to learn how its integrated newsroom deploys state-of-the-art technology for broadcasting, as well as how it produces quality TV, radio and digital content for a multitude of audience. Food and fun featured prominently in the programme of activities, creating shared experiences and forging ties that bind. Through the process, the perspectives of the visiting Chinese students were broadened. 

With today’s technology and connectivity, graduates who have benefitted from cross-cultural learning experiences are well equipped to engage effectively with people who hold different ideologies or ways of working. Quality university partnerships and programmes, such as the SSUE, help to bring together students and faculty for an exchange of ideas and knowledge, and to nurture globally-responsible leaders who are positioned to succeed across borders. Students participating in SSUE benefit from the chance to connect meaningfully with peers from Chinese universities and can leverage the substantial subsidies available under this programme.

[Featured Photo: SMU’s group of 11 students with Tan Sook, Head of the Singapore Universities delegation (sixth from left) and Joyce Tay (sixth from right) - both from the SMU International Office, at the foot of Mount Qingcheng, Chengdu. The mountain, located in the southwest of the Dujiangyan Irrigation System in Sichuan Province, is one of the renowned Taoist mountains in China.]