[10 June 1999]
SMU To Award Own Degree
1. The Singapore Management University
(SMU) will award its own degree from the first batch
of graduates. In 2000, the first intake for its Bachelor
of Business Management (BBM) degree will be 300.
2. Deputy Prime Minister and Minister
for Defence Dr Tony Tan made this announcement on
10 June 1999 at the signing ceremony of the Wharton-SMU
Research Center Collaboration Agreement. He explained
that this decision was made by MOE in view of the
strong involvement of the Wharton School in the academic
and institutional development of SMU. Two recent
developments are evidence of Wharton's commitment
in the development of SMU - the appointment of a
senior Wharton academic as SMU's first President,
and the establishment of the Wharton-SMU Research
Center.
SMU's President
3. SMU's first President will be Professor Janice
Bellace, currently the Deputy Dean of the Wharton
School, University of Pennsylvania. She has accepted
the appointment of President of SMU for a two-year
term with effect from 1 July 1999. 4. Professor
Bellace is the Samuel A. Blank Professor of Legal
Studies and a Professor of Management at the Wharton
School. Professor Bellace is Chairman of the SMU
Academic Committee that is developing the curriculum
for SMU's undergraduate degree programme. As President,
Professor Bellace will chair SMU's Academic Committee
and the Selection Committee for Academic Staff.
When she assumes her new duties as President of
SMU, Professor Bellace will relinquish her appointment
as Deputy Dean of the Wharton School but will continue
to be a tenured member of the Wharton faculty.
A brief curriculum vitae of Professor Bellace is
enclosed.
Wharton-SMU Research Center
5. SMU will be collaborating with the Wharton School
to set up the Wharton-SMU Research Center. The
main objective of the Center is to establish a
strong Wharton-SMU presence in the arena of international
business research, with specific focus on the Asian
region. This will include research on regional
issues and the impact of global issues on the region.
The Center will mount joint research projects either
singly or jointly amongst SMU and Wharton faculty.
The Center will also offer postgraduate programmes
by research. Funding for the Center will come from
industry and the Government. The first Director
of the Center will be Professor Janice Bellace |
