SMU and MPA partner to enhance the Maritime Economics Concentration at SMU

Singapore Management University (SMU) students pursuing the Maritime Economics Concentration (MEC) can now look forward to an enhanced experiential learning outside the classroom and more opportunities to interact with practitioners from the maritime industry. This is made possible through a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) signed between the Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore (MPA) and SMU to co-fund and support the MEC programme.

Under the partnership, MPA and SMU's International Trading Institute (or ITI@SMU) and School of Economics will collaborate in the continued development, delivery and promotion of the MEC, which welcomed its first cohort of 24 students at the start of the new academic year in August 2013. The Concentration, which allows undergraduates with a first degree in economics to specialise in maritime disciplines, aims to groom local talent for the maritime and related sectors in Singapore.

The MEC boasts an effective mix of classroom sessions taught by industry experts, local and overseas industry study missions, site visits, exchanges to international maritime academic centres of excellence, as well as practiced learning through internships with maritime companies. Under the collaboration, MPA will provide an invaluable connection to Singapore's maritime industry players, who play a critical role in the success of the MEC. To date, ITI@SMU has brought on board seven industry partners, namely Aries Shipbroking (Asia) Ptd Ltd, BW Maritime Pte Ltd, Pacific International Lines (Pte) Ltd, Swire Pacific Offshore Operations (Pte) Ltd, PSA International Pte Ltd, Singapore Shipping Association and WOMAR Logistics Pte Ltd.

Additionally, ITI@SMU is currently working closely with the Copenhagen Business School to include an overseas exchange programme where MEC students will have the opportunity to be exposed to the thriving maritime sector in Denmark, which has a rich maritime history and is a leader in advanced technology. A two-week exchange programme at the Copenhagen Business School is also being proposed for the first cohort of MEC students, which will be progressively extended to one full term in the next one to two years.

With the MOU, scholarships for MEC students will also be introduced to spur them on to achieve their academic goals and career aspirations in the maritime sector. The scholarships, worth S$10,000 each, are made possible through the partnership between the maritime industry and SMU, and are offered under the MaritimeONE Scholarship Programme.

The signatories at the signing ceremony, which took place at SMU this afternoon, were Mr Lam Yi Young, Chief Executive of MPA and Associate Professor Annie Koh, SMU's Vice President, Business Development and External Relations, and Academic Director of ITI@SMU.

Mr Lam Yi Young, MPA's Chief Executive said "This MOU signifies another milestone in Singapore's maritime manpower development and demonstrates both MPA's and SMU's commitment to strengthening our partnership in building a sustainable skilled talent pool for Maritime Singapore. This collaboration enhances the maritime education landscape and would not have been possible without the strong support from the maritime industry and we look forward to more programmes such as this. We hope the students will be able to benefit from the wide range of activities under the MEC as well as the closer interaction with the maritime industry."

"The Maritime Economics Concentration was introduced as a result of feedback from the industry on the need for local talent to support Singapore's vibrant maritime sector. They include shipping companies, shipyards, rig builders, ports and maritime logistics companies operating in Singapore who require skilled maritime talent. Together with MPA and our industry partners, I am confident that the MEC will deliver the talent that they are looking for,"said Associate Professor Annie Koh, Vice President, Business Development & External Relations, and Academic Director of ITI@SMU."

Professor Annie Koh and Mr Lam Yi Young at the MOU signing ceremony

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Jointly issued by the Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore and the Singapore Management University.

About the Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore (MPA)

The Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore (MPA) was established on 2 February 1996, with the mission to develop Singapore as a premier global hub port and international maritime centre (IMC), and to advance and safeguard Singapore's strategic maritime interests. MPA is the driving force behind Singapore's port and maritime development, taking on the roles of Port Authority, Port Regulator, Port Planner, IMC Champion, and National Maritime Representative. MPA partners the industry and other agencies to enhance safety, security and environmental protection in our port waters, facilitate port operations and growth, expand the cluster of maritime ancillary services, and promote maritime R&D and manpower development.

About the Singapore Management University (SMU)

A premier university in Asia, the Singapore Management University (SMU) is internationally recognised for its world class research and distinguished teaching. Established in 2000, SMU's mission is to generate leading edge research with global impact and produce broad-based, creative and entrepreneurial leaders for the knowledge-based economy. It is known for its interactive and technologically-enabled pedagogy of seminar-style teaching in small class sizes.

Home to about 8,000 students, SMU comprises six schools: School of Accountancy, Lee Kong Chian School of Business, School of Economics, School of Information Systems, School of Law and School of Social Sciences, offering a wide range of bachelor's, master's and PhD degree programmes in various disciplines.

With an emphasis on generating rigorous, high impact cross-disciplinary research that addresses Asian issues of global relevance, SMU faculty collaborates with leading foreign researchers as well as partners in the business community and public sector through its research institutes and centres. The University also conducts executive education programmes for working professionals. Close relationships with leading universities, including The Wharton School, Carnegie Mellon, the University of Pennsylvania and the University of Chicago's Booth School of Business, allow SMU to draw on their academic and research strengths in various collaborations. www.smu.edu.sg