SMU undergraduates proved their mettle in policy making at the 2009 Public Policy Challenge organised by the Public Service Division, Prime Minister’s Office, coming up champions and first runner-up against over 100 teams from local universities. The top winning team tackled – in 24 hours – two challenges facing Singapore: the country’s economic survival with a declining West and rising China, and the changing demographics of declining fertility and rising immigration causing tension to society. Both teams were awarded cash and trophy prizes as well as internship with the civil service. They were also treated to a lunch and dialogue with Deputy Prime Minister Mr Teo Chee Hean.

For the third straight year, SMU undergraduates have won the Citi Case Challenge since it was established in 2007. Organised by Cognitare – the SMU Business Case Club – and sponsored by Citibank Singapore, the Citi Case Challenge saw close to 100 participating teams from the local universities. Semi-finalists were given 20 hours on SMU campus to solve a business case problem involving Citi’s Private Banking sector in Asia Pacific in the light of the new banking landscape created by the financial crisis. At the final round, the champion SMU team comprising economics student Chan Suan Sim, business management students Bena Yeong, Chen Wei Yuan and Kenneth Chan Chee Yuen convinced the panel of judges with their winning proposals and solutions. They received cash prizes and internship with Citibank.

SMU double degree (economics and business management) graduate Harvey Cheong, now pursuing his Master of Science in Finance, won the Ministry of Trade and Industry (Economist Service) Best Thesis Prize of $2,000. Together with him, third-year economics undergraduate Joel Ng clinched the Ministry of Trade and Industry (Economist Service) Prize, receiving $2,000 cash and internship with MTI. The prizes were given out at the second annual MTI Economic Dialogue with university students held this year at SMU on 13 October 2009. Trade and Industry Minister Mr Lim Hng Kiang, urged some 200 students present to “never be blinded by the mathematics, and always keep a healthy scepticism for pristine economic models”. He added that models are “ultimately tools to train us to make good judgments about the real world”.

A business plan to produce bespoke slippers helped a team of second year SMU economics undergraduates win top spot in the Singapore Indian Chamber of Commerce and Industry’s (SICCI) Youth Enterprise Awards 2009. After two rounds of presentations, Gerald Fok Pui Hung, Umangkumar Milan Parikh and Owen Tan Wah Chen emerged champions with their MeSlippers plan, beating teams from NUS and Global Indian International School, and taking home the top prize of $3,000. The next challenge for the student entrepreneurs would be implementing and commercialising the business plan, working closely with the Institute of Innovation and Entrepreneurship at SMU.