Theme: Your next destination

Singapore is located in Southeast Asia, south of Malaysia. I would like to introduce a couple of significant historical incidents. As you know, Singapore was previously colonized by the British and later on, Japan. British influence can still be experienced in modern Singapore, as the layout of this city, place names, political structures and architecture still bear a close resemblance to British forms. On top of that, Singapore has remarkably positioned itself as one of the biggest financial hubs.

Much of Singapore's success today can be linked to the Singaporean government led by Lee Kuan Yew, who is thought of as a legendary nation builder. He revolutionized the education system which requires all students to acquire both English and their own mother tongue in Singapore where education is compulsory. This educational policy enables the average Singaporean to be conversant in at least two languages. He also directed the country's development in the direction of being a financial hub modeled after London and New York. At the present time there are a great number of financial institutions and firms operating in Singapore.

In addition, the Singaporean government accepts foreign immigrants without discrimination. Unlike Japan, Singapore did not have many natural resources, thus it chose to focus on the strategy of cultivating human resources and creating an immigrant-friendly environment. As a result, Singapore has overtaken Japan in terms of GDP per capita in recent years. While Japan is suffering from a stagnant economy after the bubble burst, Singapore has managed to maintain stable growth over time.

I really encourage students to come to the Singapore Management University on the exchange program. Indeed, each module is demanding and intellectually-stimulating with the many assignments and projects. However, the learning environment allows you to work with fellow students, interact with professors and the materials are relevant and up-to-date. All in all, I highly recommend that you choose Singapore as a destination for you to consider as an exchange location!