[31 July 2005]
The City to Pulse with a New Heartbeat as SMU arrives!
– Bukit Timah Campus vacated after a solemn flag lowering ceremony

Singapore (July 31, 2005) – In a solemn and emotional flag lowering ceremony, Singapore Management University (SMU) marked the end of its tenure at the historical Bukit Timah Campus which it had occupied since 2001, while its City Campus was being built. Earlier last month, SMU was officially ‘handed' its new 4.5 hectare, state-of-the-art City Campus, giving it the unique status of being Singapore 's only university campus in the civic centre.

Following a final farewell which SMU's Chairman, Mr Ho Kwon Ping, President, Professor Howard Hunter and Provost, Professor Tan Chin Tiong together with SMU faculty, staff and students bade to the Bukit Timah Campus, the entourage left for a totally contrasting celebratory parade. The parade wound its way down Orchard, through Bras Basah and Stamford Roads to finally end at SMU's spanking new City Campus, where SMU's Chairman, carrying the SMU flag high, led the SMU community onto the campus.

Said Mr Ho Kwon Ping, Chairman , Singapore Management University, “It has been a long wait for this moment but the moment is worth the wait. Today marks a new chapter in this journey of success that SMU has enjoyed since it opened its doors to its very first undergraduates. While the university's physical façade has changed, from humble beginnings in Evans Road, to the colonial inspired Bukit Timah Campus, the essence of our university beliefs, our pedagogy and approach to teaching and research have remained consistent. We have seen two batches of proud graduates walk into the world, armed with the knowledge, skills sets and a world view and winning attitude that today's global economy demands. Today, our current students step into a new campus, knowing that while the principles and hallmarks of an SMU education remain unchanged, they are being given a unique opportunity that no other local graduate has ever had before – that of enjoying a university campus in the heart of Singapore 's most important historical district. This is a different kind of campus for a different kind of university – a place which will produce a new generation of graduates with the passion to make a difference and to shape the global business landscape.”

To mark the occasion, the SMU University flag was raised to a stirring rendition by the SMU Symphonia of Those First Steps , a piece specially composed by Assistant Professor Saw Cheng Lim of the Lee Kong Chian School of Business, for SMU's convocation ceremony in 2001. For this morning's celebration, it was given a new arrangement by SMU student and President of the Symphonia, Sebastian Sim.

Said Professor Howard Hunter, President, Singapore Management University , “This morning is also an historic occasion for the civic district. With SMU and other educational institutions coming back into the city, new life is being injected into the area. It will only be a matter of time before the manifestations of youth will be evidenced here, in the type of commerce and retail space, in the myriad of events, many of which will involve the public, and in the simple hum of activity that will be felt as students, faculty, staff, immerse themselves into city living. The landscape of the city is set to undergo a metamorphosis, of sobriety to colour and stateliness to excitement. SMU is proud to set our home here and honoured to be an integral part henceforth of this very special district.”

The sprawling urban campus, carefully integrated into the cityscape, took five years of planning and construction. SMU's current students commence their new academic term in the City Campus in August. A year-long celebration with an official grand opening in January 2006 is set to follow in the coming months. SMU's faculty, staff and administration personnel are already operating from the new campus.