[30 May 2003]
Singapore Management University’s “First Graduates” secure jobs with top employers well in advance of August graduation

Singapore Management University (SMU) today announced that its early graduates from the first cohort of SMU students have received job offers from leading local and global corporations including UBS, DBS, IBM, OCBC, and Merrill Lynch. These 10 students had accelerated their course work at SMU, completing a four-year degree programme in just three years, and will officially graduate in August of this year.

One of these graduates, Teo Su Phin, who completed her programme in Finance in May 2003, has secured a job with leading global financial services group, UBS. Before graduating, she took part in a four-week attachment with UBS. Su Phin subsequently underwent a rigorous assessment and series of interviews. She was offered a permanent position at UBS in March – two months before completing her degree programme.

Commenting on the new hire, Christine Ong, Managing Director, UBS Private Banking, said: “UBS is committed to investing in the local financial industry and the development of an effective work force required to support the business. We raise local competencies by hiring and providing training to talented graduates from local universities. A high proportion of graduates that have joined us in recent years have come from Singapore's fine academic institutions.”

Su Phin will go through an 18-month entry-level programme at UBS. During the programme, she will gain exposure to various aspects of the wealth management business at UBS. At the same time, Su Phin will participate in a UBS Private Banking Diploma programme.

Su Phin herself remarks, “Making a decision to study at SMU as one of the pioneer batch of SMU students has really paid off. SMU’s teaching proved rigorous and challenging, equipping me with skills I’m confident will allow me to succeed in the business world.”

“We’re very proud of Su Phin and our other early graduates,” says SMU Provost, Prof Tan Chin Tiong. “To have secured such attractive job offers during these difficult times is not only a huge personal achievement, it is also an affirmation of SMU’s unique curriculum that cultivates creative thinkers with strong leadership capabilities.”