The Singapore Management University (SMU), together with five other Autonomous Universities in Singapore, has formalised a collaboration with the Singapore Sports School (SSP) to strengthen support for student-athletes and empower them to excel both in sports and in their academic pursuits.
SMU Provost, Professor Alan Chan, signed a Memorandum of Understanding on 15 April with SSP Principal, Mr Ong Kim Soon, at a ceremony graced by Mr Edwin Tong, Minister for Culture, Community and Youth & Second Minister for Law.
Prof Chan, who is also the Kwan Im Thong Hood Cho Temple Chair Professor of Inter-Religious Studies and Harmony Education of SMU’s College of Integration Studies, noted that between 2020 and 2024, close to 50 carded student-athletes have benefitted from the University’s athlete-supportive environments through SMU’s dedicated efforts to accommodate their training and competition schedules, while exercising flexibility in curriculum planning where appropriate. Such carded student-athletes would have been nominated by their National Sports Association (NSA) and have agreed to meet performance and development requirements.
“SMU is proud that all have completed their undergraduate studies within the standard duration of eight semesters,” he said. “SMU remains committed to supporting our student-athletes in their sporting journey, while nurturing them as they embark on their professional careers and create greater impact beyond the sporting arena.”
“SMU recognises the unique aspirations and commitments of our high-performance student-athletes and is keen to ensure that they can achieve their personal bests as they juggle their school commitments”, he added.
The Inaugural Batch of spexEducation Undergraduate Scholarship
Mr Tong also awarded the inaugural batch of 12 athletes with the new spexEducation Undergraduate Scholarship from Sports Singapore, the national sports agency, to support their academic aspirations.
The scholarship aims to support athletes who are pursuing their education in universities while they train and compete, as well as those who are seeking sponsorship for their undergraduate studies after retiring from their sporting careers.
These athletes included national shooter Fernel Tan, who is a third-year student in the Bachelor in Business Management programme at SMU, Zeanne Law, the women’s taijiquan world champion at the 2023 World Wushu Championships, as well as Jessica Tan, who recently retired from a star-studded badminton career to pursue her unfinished studies in sport management, and
Fernel, who has been in the sport for over 10 years, said, “This award is a strong vote of confidence not just in my sporting potential, but also in my ability to balance high-performance commitment to my sport with my academic pursuits. It fuels my ambition to represent on the world stage, with the ultimate goal of competing at the Olympic Games.”
“With support of spexEducation, I’m empowered to chase the dream wholeheartedly, knowing that I have a solid foundation both within and outside of sports,” added the SSP alumna.
Building An Athletic-Friendly Ecosystem
Under the MOU, student-athletes will benefit from a range of athlete-friendly practices to offer better integrated support to enhance their employability, making sports a viable career pathway for Singaporeans. These include aptitude-based admissions, priority selection of course modules or support to swap class groups to accommodate their sport training and competitions. Where appropriate, student-athletes will have the flexibility in planning their curriculum load to complete their degree programme and assessment arrangements, such as deferment of exams or provision of alternative assessment.
In addition, student-athletes receiving the spexEducation Undergraduate Scholarship can look forward to dedicated support through structured meetings with their universities and SSP to monitor and support their development. University mentors will also facilitate academic, social-emotional and other forms of support to enhance the well-being of the student-athletes.
This also applies to recipients of the spexScholarship, which provides enhanced support to athletes with the potential to excel at Asian and World levels, as well as recipients of spexPotential, which prepares younger athletes for sporting excellence at the Southeast Asian Games level.
Peace of Mind for Student-Athletes at SMU
At SMU, supporting Singapore’s national athletes has always received support. The Registrar’s Office (RO) has been helping athletes to enrol in courses that do not conflict with their training schedules. The University also demonstrates flexibility in tackling athletes’ assessments. For example, athletes are allowed to take make-up exams if their exams clash with competitions, and instructors also make accommodations if provided with a supporting letter.
In addition, the Head of Sports & Student Leadership at the Office of Student Life, Mr Wong Yew Tong, said OSL practices an open-door policy whereby student-athletes can reach out to OSL during their studies at SMU. As the athletes’ first port of call for guidance and mentorship, OSL is also connected to the respective NSAs, the High Performance Sport Institute (HPSI) as well as SSP to provide a holistic approach in supporting them beyond the classroom.
In his speech, the MCCY Minister acknowledged the role of the six universities in nurturing future champions in sports and education to help the Government realise its bold vision for nurturing sporting excellence in Singapore.
He said, “It takes a village to make this work. And I want to thank you for your openness and your flexibility. And more importantly, for your belief in your students, who are also our athletes.”
Addressing the student-athletes, he said: “We hope that with each passing generation of spexScholars, spexPotential and spexEducation, this support gives you clarity and peace of mind to fully focus on your training and on your performance. We want you to know that you are valued members of the sporting fraternity and valued members of the Singaporean society.”
