Executive education spotlight: The SMU EMBA

From the 1980s till early 2000s, most organisations had little funding for staff training and development, lest they become restless and resign upon completion of programmes. Training was normally conducted to comply with government or industry regulatory requirements.

In the later part of the 2000s, intense competitions for top talent pushed many organisations to introduce talent retention schemes by way of sponsoring staff at different levels for specific types of executive education. High potentials started receiving sponsorship for MBA or EMBA programmes, with two-year bonds on average.

Today’s constantly changing global business environment and squeezed training budgets means organisations are more anxious than ever that Executive Education delivers bottom-line improvements and practical benefits. Many are questioning the value of short executive programmes, which participants usually treat as retreats from office work.

There is increasing demand for customised Executive Education programmes and courses (Graduate Diplomas and EMBAs) that lead to certifications instead of general programmes (workshops, seminars and conferences).

EMBA programmes in Singapore

Until the SMU EMBA was launched in Oct 2010, there were essentially two types of EMBA programmes in Singapore.

i)             Foreign EMBA programmes

Universities from the US and Europe set up facilities in Singapore and brought in their EMBA programmes. Their faculty fly into the country to teach at scheduled periods. Over the years, some have established facilities in Middle East or other Asian campuses, to allow for international exposure.

ii)            Local universities

NUS and NTU offer EMBA programmes that have a more Asian focus. However, these programmes have been established for many years, with little changes in curricula in recent years. For example, NUS Asia Pacific EMBA is currently admitting its 20^th intake.

SMU EMBA

The SMU EMBA is crafted with high potentials of organisations, both large and small, in mind.

More than half of the pioneer batch comprises C-level executives from 10 countries. The average student is 43 years old and has 19 years of rich work and industry experience.

The class has successfully completed three segments, two of which were held at the SMU campus while one was conducted at the Wharton School of Business in the US. Students will be heading to Hyderabad in November to attend classes at the Indian School of Business for the fourth segment.

The SMU EMBA advantage

i)             Newest EMBA programme in the market

ii)            Innovative curriculum co-designed by 100 leaders in Asia

iii)           Accelerated programme, 9 weeks over 13 months

iv)           Global perspectives, Asian focus & Singapore experience

v)            Classes held in US (The Wharton School), India (Indian School of Business), China (Peking University) and Singapore (Singapore Management University)

vi)           Passionate international faculty

vii)          Immediate impact to your business

Testimonials

“With the rapidly changing world markets, an EMBA will give me the knowledge and skills to tackle the new challenges ahead. At SMU, we get to interact with leading academic experts, world-class speakers and classmates from different industries. The SMU EMBA has exceeded all my expectations.” – Cindy Lim, GM, Group HR, Keppel Corporation Limited SMU EMBA 2011 Pioneer Class Student

Application for the 2^nd intake is now open. Click here to learn more.

Contributed by: Neo Chia Reei (Director, EMBA, Singapore Management University)