The SMU School of Computing and Information Systems (SCIS) will launch the University's first work-study degree in software engineering to train a pipeline of talent with the necessary knowledge and skills to meet the demand for such talent. Commencing in August 2022, the four-year undergraduate degree programme combines classroom-learning with structured on-the-job training, and features a rigorous 52-week apprenticeship. The School has signed an MOU to collaborate with the programme’s first anchor partner – Government Technology Agency of Singapore (GovTech). Dean of SCIS Professor Pang Hwee Hwa pointed out that as the digitalisation of industries, economies and societies accelerate, the School has seen strong interest from prospective students to study computing, as well as strong demand from industry and Singapore for computing talent. In response, the School has been increasing its student intake over the years, and has launched and refreshed its education programmes.