About
The ECA provides outstanding Singaporeans who have recently completed their PhD or postdoctoral training an opportunity to enhance their teaching capabilities as well as establish a strong research portfolio before they are considered for a tenure track appointment at SMU. Awardees will hold appointment as Lecturer for a period of up to three years during which they will receive a research grant, reduced teaching load and guidance of an academic mentor.
Upon completion of the award, awardees will be considered to join SMU’s faculty as an Assistant Professor on the tenure track.
Eligibility & Selection Criteria
- Singapore citizens
- Graduates with good Bachelor’s or Master Degrees in, but not limited to accountancy, business, computer science, economics, law, statistics and/or social sciences
- Excellent academic record plus a high degree of proficiency and motivation for a research area that is strongly aligned with SMU’s core areas of excellence
- A keen interest in an academic career at SMU
Supported Fields of Study
The following fields of study will be supported for ECA:
- Accountancy
- Computer Science
- Economics
- Finance
- Geography
- History
- Information Systems
- Law
- Literature
- Marketing
- Operations Management
- Organisational Behaviour and Human Resources
- Political Science
- Psychology
- Religious Studies
- Sociology
- Strategy & Organisation
Explore here to find out more about SMU's research strategies and areas of excellence.
Explore here to find out more about schools’ and College of Integrative Studies’ research areas.
Application Process
Application for Intake 2026 commences on 14 Nov 2025.
Only shortlisted applicants (those selected for March 2026 Final Interview) will be notified of the outcome of their applications.
Timeline for Intake 2026
- Application Submission - 14 November 2025 to 14 January 2026
- Interview by Respective Schools (shortlisted applicants only) - January to February 2026
- Final Interview by SMU Selection Panel (shortlisted applicants only) - Mid to End March 2026
- Start of Award - July 2026 (depending on the programme)
Contact Information
For more details on START, please visit our START website.
Should you require further assistance, you may wish to contact our START Coordinator at: START_Coordinator@smu.edu.sg.
