SINGAPORE – The Mapletree Real Estate Programme (“Programme”) at Singapore Management University (“SMU”) has been enhanced by a contribution of S$2.5 million from Mapletree Investments (“Mapletree” or “the Group”). The additional funding will go towards the expansion of the Programme which will now include the undergraduate scholarships, postgraduate scholarships, postgraduate overseas study trip, and support for Research Fellows at SMU over a period of 10 years.
Following the success of the programme which was launched in the year 2018, the expanded programme aims to equip a wider group of students with the necessary knowledge and cross-disciplinary skills to build a bigger pool of talent for leadership roles in the real estate sector in Singapore and globally. It also establishes thought leadership in real estate finance and investment, as well as develops increased capacity for knowledge creation, dissemination and application.
Mapletree Scholarship
Two undergraduate scholarships will be awarded each year to deserving students enrolled in the Real Estate track at SMU. The scholarship aims to motivate outstanding undergraduates to achieve academic excellence and accomplishments. Each scholarship is valued at S$10,000 annually (S$20,000 in total for two undergraduates) and will support the recipient’s third and fourth years of study. A total of 20 Mapletree Scholarships are expected to be disbursed over a period of ten years.
Mapletree Postgraduate Scholarship
Three postgraduate scholarships will be awarded each year to deserving students pursuing the Real Estate track within the SMU Master of Science in Applied Finance programme. Each scholarship is valued at S$25,000. A total of 30 Mapletree Postgraduate Scholarships are expected to be disbursed over the agreed funding period.
Mapletree Overseas Study Trip Fund
The Mapletree Overseas Study Trip Fund aims to enable students to visit major players, as well as garner regional and global exposure within the real estate sector and related government bodies in the international markets. They will have opportunity to gain project-based learning experiences, understand international real estate investing, and develop an appreciation of the macro factors that influence the performance of real estate markets across countries. The Mapletree Overseas Study Trip Fund is open to students enrolled in the Master of Science in Applied Finance, Real Estate Track and is an expansion of the well-received Mapletree Real Estate Business Study Trip Grant for students enrolled in the undergraduate Real Estate Track.
Mapletree Research Fellows
Outstanding postdoctoral researchers within the real estate sector will be appointed Mapletree Research Fellows. The Fellows will contribute to academic and industry relevant research, curriculum development, teaching and public seminars.
SMU President, Professor Lily Kong said, “SMU regularly engages key industry players such as Mapletree, in Singapore and the region, so our researchers can leverage a first-hand understanding of the needs of the industry and innovate in our approach. This significant gift from Mapletree Investments affirms the quality and rigour of SMU’s education and research within the sector, and the impact that it creates.
Recognising also the need to develop talent that deliver both strategic and economic value, our close collaboration with Mapletree ensures that our curriculum remains industry relevant and we continue to establish a strong position of leadership in real estate education and knowledge creation.
Together, SMU aims to work closely with Mapletree Investments to explore further opportunities for development and expansion of both academic and research activities in the real estate sector. We are grateful for the continued support and partnership of Mapletree Investments and we continue to look ahead towards our collective vision of growth.”
Mr Hiew Yoon Khong, Mapletree’s Group Chief Executive Officer said, “The real estate sector today requires its executives and leaders to possess a well-rounded, global understanding of the industry. Thus, providing this enhanced gift is a gesture of Mapletree’s commitment to expand the real estate programme which will provide students with skills that speak to the industry’s current needs. Ultimately, we hope the programme will equip the students with leadership skills and real estate knowledge to eventually manage, lead and grow the real estate sector in Singapore.”
“We are also happy to celebrate the commencement of the new Real Estate Track under SMU’s Master of Science in Applied Finance. It is our hope that this will grow into a Master’s programme of its own in the near future,” Mr Hiew added.
In September 2021, the maiden Mapletree Scholarships were awarded to two undergraduate students, Teo Jia Rui, Jerry and Donovan Teo Kai Siang, enrolled in the Bachelor of Science (Economics) and Bachelor of Business Management (Finance) respectively. The first Mapletree Postgraduate Scholarships were given out to three students – Jerrod Tan, Brandon Yeo Wen Yuan and Lee Hong Hui.
The enhanced contribution follows an amount of S$3 million previously endowed to SMU when the Programme was established in 2018. The existing programme comprises the Mapletree Professorship in Real Estate, Mapletree Awards, Mapletree Real Estate Business Study Trip Grant for undergraduates and Mapletree Speaker Events.
A ceremony was held at SMU on 22 November, in appreciation of the enhanced funding from Mapletree. It also provided scholarship recipients an opportunity to meet and get to know the leadership teams from SMU and Mapletree.
Enclosures:
Photos of Appreciation Ceremony
Cheque presentation by Mr Edmund Cheng, Chairman, Mapletree, to Professor Lily Kong, President, SMU.
Mapletree Investments and SMU leadership with SMU Advisory Board for Real Estate Programme. (Left to right) Front Row: Mr Wan Kwong Weng, Group Chief Corporate Officer, Mapletree; Professor Francis Koh, Professor Emeritus of Finance (Practice), Lee Kong Chian School of Business; Mr Edmund Cheng, Chairman, Mapletree; Professor Lily Kong, President, SMU; Mrs Penny Goh, Senior Adviser of Allen & Gledhill Singapore, Independent Director of Keppel Corporation. Back Row: Ms Priya Kini, Managing Director and Head of Global Banking, Singapore, HSBC; Ms Lock Yin Mei, Partner, Allen & Overy Singapore, Former Board Member, Singapore Land Authority; Professor Bert De Reyck, Dean, Lee Kong Chian School of Business; Mr Hiew Yoon Khong, Group Chief Executive Officer, Mapletree; Mr Michael Ngu, Chief Executive Officer, Architects 61.
Mapletree Investments and SMU leadership with recipients of the Mapletree Scholarship and the Mapletree Postgraduate Scholarship. (Left to right) Front Row: Mr Wan Kwong Weng, Group Chief Corporate Officer, Mapletree; Professor Bert De Reyck, Dean, Lee Kong Chian School of Business; Mr Edmund Cheng, Chairman, Mapletree; Professor Lily Kong, President, SMU; Mr Hiew Yoon Khong, Group Chief Executive Officer, Mapletree. Back Row: Jerry Teo Jia Rui, Mapletree Undergraduate Scholarship Recipient; Jerrod Tan, Lee Hong Hui and Brandon Yeo Wen Yuan, Mapletree Postgraduate Recipients.
Mapletree Investments and SMU leadership with recipients of the Mapletree Bursary. (Left to right) Front Row: Mr Wan Kwong Weng, Group Chief Corporate Officer, Mapletree; Professor Bert De Reyck, Dean, Lee Kong Chian School of Business; Mr Edmund Cheng, Chairman, Mapletree; Professor Lily Kong, President, SMU; Mr Hiew Yoon Khong, Group Chief Executive Officer, Mapletree. Back Row: Desmond Ho Jun Wei, Ong Ju Boon, Chung Weng Qi, Soh Ze Yu, Mapletree Bursary Recipients.
Quotes from Scholarship Recipients
“The Mapletree Scholarship is truly a very impactful and meaningful investment in the lives of the students enrolled in the Real Estate Track at SMU. I am grateful to be a recipient of the scholarship from Mapletree Investments as it has allowed me to deepen my expertise in the real estate industry both locally and globally through the internship opportunities and the curriculums curated to prepare students like myself to be equipped with the skills necessary to break into the world of real estate.”
Donovan Teo Kai Siang, Mapletree Scholarship Recipient AY2021
“It has been my dream to build a career in the real estate investment industry. Being awarded this scholarship is a unique opportunity from Mapletree Investments, a respectable real estate investment company with a global presence. This is a confidence booster for me to continue pursuing my dream of developing a career in the real estate investment industry.”
Lee Hong Hui, Mapletree Postgraduate Scholarship Recipient AY2021
“I look forward to elevating my financial skillsets and will persevere towards my aspiration of creating value by financing and developing quality assets, particularly for new economy sectors such as data centres and logistics.”
Jerrod Tan, Mapletree Postgraduate Scholarship Recipient AY2021
“Upon graduation from the undergraduate programme in BSc (Real Estate), I chose to further my studies in the Masters in Applied Finance (MAF) programme to develop a strong grounding in the area of Real Estate Investment and Finance, as well as to expand my professional network with like-minded individuals who are interested in setting foot into this burgeoning real estate sector.”
Brandon Yeo, Mapletree Postgraduate Scholarship Recipient AY2021
“I feel blessed to receive the Mapletree Scholarship and I would like to express my heartfelt gratitude towards Mapletree Investments for their kind generosity. Receiving the award will definitely push me to further expand my horizons and I am excited for the rest of my journey in SMU. I will remember the opportunities given to me that supported my development and I look forward to contributing back to the community.”
Jerry Teo Jia Rui, Mapletree Scholarship Recipient AY2021
About SMU Undergraduate Real Estate Track
Launched in Academic Year 2018, the undergraduate Real Estate Track is open to all SMU undergraduates who are majoring (first or second major) in Finance or Economics. Designed with industrial inputs, the course content leverages their firm foundation in finance and economics, and further equips undergraduates with specialised knowledge and multi-disciplinary expertise which are essential to tap the real estate market for investments in the region and beyond. The curriculum is cross-disciplinary, comprising compulsory modules such as real estate economics, real estate investments & finance and real estate law; and other modules such as valuation and taxation, project financing, analytics in finance and real estate, urban economics and policy, and real estate development. Academic courses are complemented with exposure to real-world business practices, case studies and experiential learning opportunities, such as speaker events, local and overseas internships, as well as local and overseas study trips, giving them the opportunity to apply their classroom knowledge in real life corporate case studies and access to mentors and resources. The Real Estate Track will prepare students for diverse roles including real estate investment and development, advisory, leasing, financing; real estate investment trusts (REITs) management; investment banking; consulting and agency management. Graduates will be well-placed to take up positions in commercial and private banks, real estate consulting companies, real estate developers and REITs.
About SMU Post Graduate Real Estate Track
A new Real Estate Track will be established within SMU’s accredited Master of Science in Applied Finance (“MAF”) programme this year, to encourage continuity in the development of a talent pipeline for the industry.
The SMU MAF provides a strong foundation in the principles, practices and operations of international and domestic financial markets focusing on applying updated and relevant knowledge in real world situations. The curriculum also prepares students to pursue the Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) designation. The SMU MAF aims to raise the standard of practitioners’ knowledge and skills in applied finance which has been identified as an area of critical training by the Economic Review Committee and the finance industry. MAF graduates can expect to be equipped with the ‘hard’ critical analytical and problem-solving skills and the ‘soft’ people and communication skills necessary to advance their careers in the fund management, banking and finance industries.
With the introduction of Real Estate as a Specialisation-specific Elective Module in the MAF programme, it now offers three elective modules which also includes Fintech and Analytics on top of 13 Core Modules.
