There are 44 students in the first batch of SMU's new College of Integrative Studies (CIS) flagship programme – the first of its kind in Singapore that allows students to choose from several hundred courses and customise their major. SMU Dean of CIS and Professor of Political Science Elvin Lim said the college champions interdisciplinary learning, drawing insights from different fields. “The end result of interdisciplinary offerings is individualised education,” he said. “In an ideal world, every individual is unique, and we ought to honour that,” he added. This tailored approach appeals to students like Alexander Tsai, whose interest in artificial intelligence (AI) and human-computer interfaces grew during the pandemic. Alexander values how AI can "alleviate loneliness" through behavioural change, a passion he’s pursuing at CIS. Other students, like Raine Chiew and M.S. Sudikshaa, have also embraced this flexibility, crafting majors in ethical marketing through the arts and environmental diplomacy, respectively.