Singapore Management University opens China centre in Shenzhen to build Asia-ready talent

Singapore Management University (SMU) has launched its first centre in China in Shenzhen, aiming to strengthen education and research partnerships, develop talent equipped to work across Asian markets and help businesses expand between China and Southeast Asia.

The centre, SMU China, was inaugurated recently in the presence of Singapore Senior Minister of State for Energy, Trade and Industry, and Culture, Community and Youth, Low Yen Ling. The launch also saw the announcement of four memoranda of understanding (MOUs) to promote collaboration in research, talent development and enterprise engagement.

Located in Shenzhen’s Nanshan District, a major technology and business hub, SMU China will serve as the university’s principal point of contact in China. It will complement SMU’s existing regional centres in Indonesia, Thailand and Vietnam, extending its presence beyond Southeast Asia.

The four agreements were signed with ‘Go Global’ Global Service Centre, the Shenzhen Foundation for International Exchange and Cooperation, CIIC International Business Development Co. Ltd., and The Chinese University of Hong Kong (CUHK), Shenzhen.

Bridging China and Southeast Asia

The launch comes as Chinese companies increasingly explore opportunities in Southeast Asia, while businesses in the region seek stronger access to China and the Greater Bay Area.

SMU Chairman Piyush Gupta said Shenzhen’s concentration of technology companies, research institutions and entrepreneurs made it a strategic location for the university to deepen its engagement with China.

“SMU China will be a gateway into China and a bridge to Southeast Asia,” Gupta said, stressing that universities need a physical presence in key markets to understand changing economies and societies more closely.

He said being on the ground would allow SMU to listen to local stakeholders, gain deeper insights and contribute more meaningfully to regional development.

The centre is expected to help organisations on both sides navigate differences in markets, business systems and working cultures, while creating opportunities for cross-border partnerships.

Developing talent for a connected Asia

SMU President Lily Kong said the centre would focus on three priorities: connecting organisations, creating learning opportunities and contributing to research and education.

The aim is to turn institutional partnerships into practical outcomes, including internships, employment opportunities, executive development and stronger business relationships. The centre will also enable students to gain a deeper understanding of China through direct engagement with its economy and society.

“SMU brings together management, the social sciences and technology. What we care about most is preparing people who are Asia-ready: who do not simply know about Asia, but can work across it, understanding its markets, its systems and its people,” Kong said.

She added that such talent was needed in both the Greater Bay Area and Southeast Asia, underscoring the university’s intention to establish a long-term presence in Shenzhen.

SMU already teaches more than 30 case studies on Chinese enterprises. Insights gathered through the new centre are expected to feed into its classrooms, research and teaching materials, strengthening students’ understanding of business and economic developments across the region.

Building on established China partnerships

The new centre builds on SMU’s longstanding academic and professional links with China. The university collaborates with 60 Chinese universities and has around 7,000 alumni in the country. Fudan University and Zhejiang University are among its strategic partners.

In Shenzhen, SMU operates joint Doctor of Business Administration programmes with Peking University HSBC Business School and CUHK, Shenzhen. Its other joint DBA partners in China include Fudan University, Zhejiang University, Shanghai Jiao Tong University and Cheung Kong Graduate School of Business.

Since 2011, more than 850 SMU students have completed internships with over 350 companies in China. China also accounts for about one-fifth of the university’s Asia-focused research.

Led by Country Director Victor Huang, SMU China forms part of the university’s broader international strategy under SMU2030, its five-year strategic plan to deepen engagement in key Asian cities.

Business, policy and academia come together

The launch programme at Raffles Shenzhen Hotel brought together around 250 participants, including university and industry partners, donors, alumni, staff and students. Singapore Consul-General in Guangzhou Cindy Wee also attended the ceremony.

A panel discussion titled Connecting China and ASEAN: Building a Double Gateway for Innovation, Talent and Opportunity examined how Singapore could help Chinese enterprises expand into Southeast Asia and how universities could support cross-border cooperation.

The discussion featured Low, Geely Technology Group CEO Xu Zhihao, an SMU alumnus and member of the university’s International Advisory Council China, and SMU Provost Alan Chan. Associate Professor of Strategic Management Cyndi Zhang, who is also academic director of SMU’s Chinese EMBA programme, moderated the session.

Based at China Resources Tower, also known as Spring Bamboo or Chunsun, in Shenzhen’s Nanshan District, SMU China will work with prospective students, universities and organisations while connecting businesses seeking to enter Southeast Asia with SMU’s centres in Indonesia, Thailand and Vietnam.

Through the new hub, SMU aims to turn established academic relationships into wider opportunities for education, research, talent mobility and business cooperation, reinforcing Singapore’s role as a link between China and Southeast Asia.