GII 6-month Track Programme Overview
The Global Innovation Immersion Programme offers a 6-month track, providing an attractive internship engagement combined with credit-bearing coursework at an international partner university. This track allows student participants to enhance their careers while earning academic credits towards their degree fulfilment. During this 6-month track, students can earn up to 5 credit units (CUs).
The 6-month track, previously known as GII-OWSE, currently runs in partnership with established universities in Bangkok, Thailand and Shanghai, China.
Application Process
Be a full-time SMU undergraduate and MUST return to SMU after the GII 6-month track for another term of academic study (GII & GII 6-month Track cannot be engaged as your final term)
Have achieved the following number of CUs prior to being dispatched for the 6-month track:
8 CUs (LKCSB, SOA, SOE, SOSS & YPHSL-JD students)
16 CUs (SCIS & YPHSL-LLB students)
Have attained a GPA of 2.0 and above (3.0 and above for YPHSL students)
Have sufficient resources to support themselves financially for the duration of the program
Have a record of good conduct in SMU with no prior disciplinary incidents
Be willing to be an active ambassador for SMU and Singapore abroad
Possess an interest in innovation and/or entrepreneurship
Possess maturity to live and work independently in a foreign and fast-paced environment
While on exchange, you remain fully enrolled at SMU and your tuition and student fees remain status quo. Conversely, you are not liable to pay tuition fees at your host university. However, you are responsible for the ancillaries to your exchange stint, including air tickets, accommodation, personal insurance and other expenses.
Students will alternate between working with a host company and attending courses at a partner university campus for at least six hours each week, for a period of around 4 months. For the remaining two out of the six months, internship engagement will be full-time.
| 2 CUs | 2 CUs** | 1 CU*** |
|---|---|---|
| Courses with Partner University | Course w/LKCSB | SMU Internship Requirement |
* Internships for SCIS, SOL and SOA will take on a specific scope relevant to the degree of study.
** This online SMU course will only be run subject to minimium class size of 10. In the event that the course does not run due to class size,students can still choose to proceed with GII 6 months track without the SMU course, i.e, only earn the 2 CUs from partner university course and 1 CU from internship.
*** Students who already fulfil their internship requirement prior to participation with GII will not earn an additional credit.
- Upon accepting the offer of work-study elective, students may not drop the elective or renege on the offer. Those who do so will receive a fail grade for the course. Similarly, students who perform a simultaneous work-study elective and internship for mandatory degree fulfilment but were awarded a fail grade for disciplinary reasons, DKHMCC would not recognize the duration already performed towards any internship fulfilment.
- Students are required to pay regular tuition fees during the term that overlaps with the work-study, regardless of the number of courses enrolled in during the term.
- Students who fail the work-study elective, either at the mid-point or conclusion of the work stint, and are using the work-study elective to simultaneously fulfil the mandatory internship requirement, will be evaluated on their performance to determine whether they meet the minimum requirements for successful completion of the internship. For avoidance of doubt, failing the work-study elective does not necessarily mean that students will automatically fail the internship. Also, being rated as 'unsatisfactory' by the company supervisor for the internship does not necessarily mean that students will automatically fail the work-study elective, or the internship.
- Student participants may be requested by the faculty advisor to share their final report with subsequent cohorts unless they are prohibited from doing so for confidentiality reasons.
- Students who take on a self-proposed six-month internship (or one that is accepted via OnTRAC) while on leave of absence cannot appeal for it to be accepted towards the 2-CU work-study elective, even though the internship may still count towards the mandatory internship requirement.
Partner Universities
Vietnam National University
VIETNAM NATIONAL UNIVERSITY, HANOI (VNU) is one of two leading multidisciplinary and multi-sectoral national universities, tasked with producing highly qualified human resources for the development of the country. VNU is a pioneer in innovation and is considered the symbol of intellectual life and education in Vietnam. The VNU new management model ensures the principles of interdisciplinarity and multi-disciplinarity are promoted through the VNU members cooperating as a unified entity. At the same time, each member unit has its own unique strengths, which they employ to the advantage of Vietnam National University, Hanoi.
Chulalongkorn School of Integrated Innovation
Chulalongkorn University’s School of Integrated Innovation (CSII) offers a Bachelor of Arts and Science in Integrated Innovation Program (BAScii)—the first of its kind in Asia. Upholding itself as the ‘Global Academy for the Future’, the school plans to, within four years, prepare students for industries of the future and the career launch at the international level. Throughout the program, students will gain soft skills required by the 21st century, obtain knowledge in both the business and technology cores, before honing in on specializations through mentored project-based learning. The school offers four specializations, including Health and Wellbeing, Inclusive Community and Smart City, Sustainable Development, and Applied Digital Intelligence.
Towards the end of the BAScii Program, all students are expected to become competitive entrepreneurs and life-long learners, potentially with own businesses or startups already on the way.
Shanghai University of Finance & Economics
With a rich history dating back to 1917, The Shanghai University of Finance and Economics is a multi-disciplinary key university that focuses on finance and economics and maintains coordinated development in economics, management, law, arts and science. The university covers an area of about 136 acres and consists of three campuses, with the main campus at No. 777 Guoding Road. The university makes every effort to progress and cultivate tens of thousands of talents in financial management and related professions for the economic and social development of China. Shanghai University of Finance and Economics is striving to become an internationally renowned research university specializing in finance and economics.
Faculty Advisor
Professor David Gomulya
Full-time Faculty
Associate Professor of Strategic Management; Academic Director, Master of Science in Innovation; Lee Kong Chian Fellow
As a participant in the GII 6-month track, you will have the opportunity to work with Professor David Gomulya, who serves as the faculty advisor for the MGMT350 Overseas Entrepreneurship Work-Study Elective. In addition to completing internship reports, you will also be required to submit a final overseas Work-Study report, which will be graded on a pass-fail basis by the Faculty Advisor. Your performance appraisal from your internship supervisor will also be taken into consideration.
Completing this course will allow you to clear three attributes, worth a total of 2CUs, which include Strategic Management, Entrepreneurship Management, and Asia Studies.
Frequently Asked Questions
- Do I have to pay any school fees?
- Students are to pay the regular term fees while enrolled in the GII 6-month Track, plus the two CUs permissible during the term. [two modules (2CUs) + 1 GII 6-month Track module (2 CUs) + internship (1 CU).
- IMPORTANT: Students on tuition fees grant/subsidy should plan their study plan carefully so as not to exceed the normal candidature period.
- Are there any consequences for withdrawing from the GII 6-month Track?
- Withdrawals are permissible after submission of one’s application and prior to accepting an offer with an internship. Withdrawal after accepting an offer or during the internship is highly discouraged.
- If at any point during the six months, the company/organization is not satisfied with the student’s attendance, work discipline, or work performance, and wishes to terminate the student’s attachment, the faculty advisor and the IIE programme manager shall meet with the company supervisor and the student for immediate mediation. The Associate Dean (Education) will be notified.
- I am an international student. Can I participate in the GII 6-month Track?
Yes, International Students who are NOT on Exchange will be eligible to apply for the 6-month Track.
- Will I be able to choose the company in which I want to do my internship as part of GII 6-month Track?
Yes, there will be a few companies for you to choose from to apply to.
- Will I receive remuneration for the internship?
Yes, students will receive internship remuneration according to the company's HR policies.