[20 January 2006]
Singapore Management University celebrates Official Opening of City Campus

Singapore's first and only city campus, SMU ushers in a new era

Singapore (January 20, 2006) – Today marks a milestone in the annals of Singapore as the new $426 million, 4.5-hectare city campus of the Singapore Management University (SMU) is officially opened by Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong. SMU is Singapore's first and only university to occupy a city campus on prime land. With its official opening, a new era in Singapore's educational standing is ushered in as the city-state joins great cities like London, New York and Paris which all have universities within the city environs. Located at the historic Bras Basah district earmarked by the Urban Redevelopment Authority to be the nation's education hub, Singapore 's first autonomous university SMU is also in the unique position of being the only university here with a campus that is purpose-built to its pedagogy.

“I am excited at the prospect that SMU has a chance, together with all the other institutions, professionals, communities, civic and public groups that have been earmarked to be part of this vibrant district, of truly leaving an indelible footprint on the landscape of this city. Perhaps one hundred years from now, a truly defining moment in Singapore's civic district will be commemorated – the day when Singapore's first autonomous university officially opened its city campus and became the pride of the city, centred on the historic origins of this dynamic district,” said Mr Ho Kwon Ping, Chairman, SMU.

Professor Howard Hunter, President of SMU said, “In a short span of five years, SMU has built a strong name not just with our students but within the community at large. We all take pride that today the SMU experience is much talked about and SMU has a distinct personality clearly differentiating us. Independent surveys have shown that SMU is seen to be innovative, agile and dynamic. As we go forth, SMU will focus on delivering our unique pedagogy together with cutting edge research by our faculty. We will also further strengthen our reputation as we seek to become ‘a premier university, internationally recognized for its world class research and distinguished teaching'.”

“Today, with this purpose-built new campus, we are now fully equipped to take SMU to another level. The new campus design and facilities are reflective and true to SMU's pedagogical approach to foster and encourage critical thinking, leadership, innovation and communication. From our seminar-style classrooms to the breakout rooms and the campus-wide wireless network, our university is purpose-built to provide a fertile ground for learning as well as nurturing the creativity that SMU students are known for,” said Professor Hunter.

Occupying about 4.5 hectares, the purpose-built City Campus augments SMU's unique pedagogy of broad-based but focused curriculum. The city campus project commenced as early as 2000 when the Urban Redevelopment Authority accepted the master plan for the design and building of the city campus. The result of the years of planning is a modern contextual campus. Designed to be in harmony with the existing natural landscape and historical cityscape, it responds to the diversity of the historical, cultural and physical landmarks of the area. With open courtyards, porous building structures and the backdrop of natural landscaping, the campus projects the image of ‘a campus in the park'. Behind this ‘green' campus façade is a well-equipped, state-of-the art university infrastructure, boasting seminar rooms, research facilities, art, drama and music studios, learning laboratories and various support facilities such as a fitness centre, library and multi-purpose hall, all of which epitomises SMU's pedagogical approach of active and interactive, broad-based learning. The Campus Green and the underground concourse with cafés, food court, bookshops and retail outlets form the central arena for public activities and encourage interaction and exchange between students, staff and members of the public.

Integral to the Urban Redevelopment Authority's (URA's) plans to enliven and inject vigour into the Bras Basah area, the university, alongside other institutions such as the Nanyang Academy of Fine Arts and LaSalle-SIA College of the Arts, aims to inject a lively student buzz to the city, even after office hours, transforming the district into Singapore's premier student and artist enclave. With shops, cafes, hostels and eateries catering to student life, as well as more sophisticated entertainment aimed at working adults and tourists, the district will be an eclectic mix of thriving commerce and youthful energy.

Professor Howard Hunter, President of SMU added, “Today, SMU has the honour of joining the ranks of leading international cities with downtown university campuses. SMU's city campus brings Singapore 's only management university closer to the heart of commerce and enterprise. By integrating the two worlds of education and business, we look forward to moulding the future of our economy and helping bring Singapore to greater heights as a leading international business and financial hub.”

For SMU, it has been, and will continue to be, a symbiotic and mutually rewarding relationship between university and surrounding businesses, the one drawing from the other internship opportunities, off-campus learning experiences, and business/community collaborations and the other drawing from the university research and training capabilities, innovative, bold ideas and an enthusiastic and highly talented pool of graduates.

SMU's architecturally arresting urban campus was designed by Edward Cullinan Architects (UK) in collaboration with Singapore 's KNTA and took five years of meticulous planning and construction. The new 14-storey Administration Building at Victoria Street, designed by Cox Architects and DEG Architects, houses a 300-seater auditorium, executive seminar rooms and breakout rooms for executive education programmes as well as a Sports Hall and a swimming pool. SMU relocated to the city campus in July last year from its former Bukit Timah Campus.