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POSTGRADUATE STUDENT’S LIFE 1
Building a Vibrant Postgraduate Student Life Environment at SMU
Isaac Kyle Ferdaus Ahmad
Singapore Management University
Author’s Note
This paper does not have the desired analytical data to propose the most effective
recommendations. It is advisable that the Office of Professional Postgraduates Programmes
(PPP) invest appropriate resources (time, money, skill) to gather the necessary information and
use this paper as a guide in planning the postgraduate student social calendar.
POSTGRADUATE STUDENT’S LIFE 2
Building a Vibrant Postgraduate Student Life Environment at SMU
The Postgraduate Professional Programmes (PPP) in SMU has evolved remarkably since its
inception in 2000. Back then, there were just two graduate degree programmes. Now, each of the
six schools in SMU runs its own suite of postgraduates programmes. Currently, a total of 32
postgraduate courses/programmes are available. The students enrolment has had also grown in
leaps and bounds. In 2007, postgraduate student enrolment was merely at 4191. As of 5th
September 2014, the number of enrolment for postgraduate students has jumped to 1,2572.
Surety is the only guarantee that this number will continue to increase in years to come. Each
course or/and program comprises of students from diverse nationalities, languages, beliefs and
religious practices all networking and intertwined in one space. Therefore, SMU needs to
proactively “think holistic, act personal”3 in devising a thorough yet comprehensive marketing
plan to retain its status as the heart of “Asia’s Master Class in Excellence”4. It is also important
that SMU create an environment to improve students experience5 and to allow the coexistence,
growth and expansion of this global village within the campus in the heart of Singapore which
otherwise will face many implications such as conflicts.6
Scope of Work
A holistic education7 approach is adopted during the process of recommendation and evaluation
of suitable activities within SMU environment for a postgraduate student’s life. It encompasses
connection to the community, nature and humanitarian values. The criteria are based on:
1) Ethical & Community Focus
2) Globally Minded Citizenship
3) Dynamic Communications and Presentations
4) Decisive, Action Orientation
POSTGRADUATE STUDENT’S LIFE 3
Situational Analysis8
This requires reviewing and analysing all the factors affecting the current situation on why the
environment at SMU is not the most conducive and not the most vibrant for postgraduate
students. For a start, SMU can refer to the research paper done by The National Postgraduate
Committee (NPC) on “Student Activities for Postgraduates”9.
• Macro environment
I. Economy
II. Legal
III. Government
IV. Technology
V. Ecological
VI. Sociocultural
VII. Supply chain
• Market Analysis
I. Market definition
II. Market size
III. Market Segmentation
IV. Industry structure and structure groupings
V. Porter 5 forces analysis
VI. Competition and market share
VII. Competitor’s strengths and weakness
VIII. Market trends
POSTGRADUATE STUDENT’S LIFE 4
• Consumer / Students Analysis
I. Degree of influence towards decision
II. Participants
It is important to identify the postgraduate students at an early stage just after the
student enrolment period. It is important to define who will be included and who
will not as some are doing their programmes on part time or full time basis.
III. Demographics
The demographics of the postgraduate students are predominantly seasoned
working professionals who hold middle to senior level management positions.
Besides that, it is also important to understand that the all postgraduates students
are already wearing multiple hats and assuming various roles in their professional
and personal spheres. Many will feel under dire stress if they have to constantly
juggle between theirs roles in the office, at home and in class. In fact, for most
working professionals, the attention of span are marginally reduced in class10.
Therefore, for any postgraduate to feel at ease, coming to class should be
considered as an extension of either their office or home.
IV. Psychographics
V. Motivations and Expectations
VI. Loyalty segments
• Internal organization
I. SMU resources
It is vital that SMU management team (administration and academic teams) and
the respective schools are in full support and willing to allocate the resources.
POSTGRADUATE STUDENT’S LIFE 5
a. Financial
b. People
c. Time
d. Skills
II. Objectives
a. Mission statement: To create and disseminate knowledge. SMU aspires to
generate leading-edge research with global impact as well as to produce broad
based creative and entrepreneurial leaders for the knowledge-based economy.
SMU is committed to an interactive, participative and technologically enabled
learning experience. Towards this end, it will provide a rewarding and challenging
environment for faculty, staff and students to kindle and sustain a passion for
excellence.
b. Vision Statement: To be a premier university, internationally recognised for its
world-class research and distinguished teaching.
c. Vision 2025: To be a great and iconic global-city university in Asia that excels in
tackling the world’s complexities and impacting humanity positively and
producing leaders of tomorrow through its transformative education and multi-
disciplinary research to provide insights in solving these problems.
d. Corporate Objectives
e. Financial Objectives
f. Marketing Objectives
g. Long Term Objectives
h. Description of the basic business philosophy
POSTGRADUATE STUDENT’S LIFE 6
III. Corporate Culture
• Summary of Situational Analysis
I. External Threats
II. External Opportunities
III. Internal Strengths
IV. Internal Weakness
V. Critical success factors in the industry
VI. Sustainable competitive advantage
POSTGRADUATE STUDENT’S LIFE 7
Marketing Research and Strategies.
• Marketing Research
A systematic approach on collecting, documenting and analysing of qualitative and
quantitative data about the issue relating to the current student life environment for
postgraduates at SMU. The goal is to identify and access how changing elements of the
7C of the marketing mix for marketing services impacts postgraduate students’
behaviours in participation and involvement.
I. Information requirement: Data can be obtained through survey conducted during
enrolment period. Such data would include basic profiles data such as age,
occupation, course of study/school, area of interests, commitment of resources
(time, money, skill) and level of involvement.
II. Research Methodology Approach
a. Qualitative Marketing Research
b. Quantitative Marketing Research
III. Research results: The research results will help to determine the various type of
activities and given priorities needed that will be included in the postgraduate
student’s social calendar. It result can be tabulated as an overall data for SMU or
segmented into various schools.
• Marketing Strategy
With the marketing research findings, suitable marketing strategy(s) need to be devise so
that activities that are finalised in the social calendar will have a full participation rate or
a designated allowable joining number. It is also advisable that this social calendar is
released concurrently with the academic calendar. It is also important to adopt the most
POSTGRADUATE STUDENT’S LIFE 8
suitable campaign and communication strategies to gain the buy-in, involvement and
engagement from postgraduate students for the organised social activities.11 The two
calendars should fit in perfectly so that no activities overlapped. The entire marketing
campaign in getting participation should also be planned in advance. Methodologies in
planning a proper campaign to broadcast the various activities should have the following
factors in consideration.
I. Product Unique Selling Proposition
II. Segmented Marketing Action
III. Price
IV. Promotion
V. Distribution
POSTGRADUATE STUDENT’S LIFE 9
Implementation.
• Students requirements
I. Assign Responsibilities
It is important to tap on the current activities already planned in SMU university
wide events calendar. Postgraduate students should be encouraged to actively
participate in Commencement (July), Convocation (August), SMU Peace Day
(September) and Patron’s Day (January). Besides that, to celebrate the diversity of
the background among the postgraduate students, it is important to demonstrate
inclusivity by celebrating or acknowledging the presence of these nationalities.
One way is to celebrate the national days of the countries. This could be
encouraging the postgraduate students to wear their national costumes on that
specific day and also send out communications with information about that
specific country (national flag, population, primary source of economy, favourite
local foods and places to visit).
II. Give Incentives
On the professional development front, organise monthly radio talk shows or
lecture series via webinar or skypes. These sessions will showcase international
and local Crème de la crème speakers such as Management Gurus, Top 20/50/100
CEOs, Celebrities, Politicians or Religious leaders. This will make the SMU
Postgraduate Professional Programs (PPP) an exclusive by invite only.
III. Training
New proposals include organising a structured and combined all graduate schools
Get Together Team Building (GTB) Camp or Volunteering Opportunity with a
POSTGRADUATE STUDENT’S LIFE 10
CSR component embedded towards contributing and giving back to the
community. This could be a Charity Gala Dinner or Charity Ball or Charity Walk-
a-ton. Activities can be tailored depending on available capacity and resources of
the incumbent cohorts of postgraduate students.
All these tactics will form an integral part of the overall strategic planning in improving
the overall postgraduate student’s experience. There should be ample opportunities for
postgraduate students to organise activities for other postgraduate students. One of which
is setting up a Postgraduate Committee/ Society. Postgraduate Society will provide a
good training ground for the postgraduate students to apply the academic knowledge
learn during the programme and simultaneously hone their leadership skills in the
business environments.
Closer to home, the National University of Singapore (NUS) has the NUS Graduate
Students’ Society (GSS) which caters to the postgraduate needs for 29 years. Every year
GSS organizes about 30 events with active participations of over 3,000 postgraduate
students.12 Some of the activities organised include overseas trip, sports carnival and
movie nights. The aim of these activities is to take stress away from studying.
At Imperial College London, postgraduate students are offered a suite of professional
development programmes. The Postgraduate Development Unit (PDU) ensures that the
programmes are tailored to the needs of the students and also allowing them to learn new
skills for their future needs.13 It is important to provide other soft skills trainings so that
the postgraduate student’s life can be more enriching.
In University of Exeter, the Postgraduate Society is dedicated to represent postgraduate
students’ social and recreational needs14. This will allow postgraduate students from
POSTGRADUATE STUDENT’S LIFE 11
different schools to network, interact and extend their social circle. One of the highlights
of the activities in the calendar is The Postgraduate Summer Ball.
Similarly in University of Western Australia (UWA), the Postgraduate Students
Association (PSA) is the representative body for postgraduate students at UWA. It runs
events and a weekly opt-in newsletter.15 PSA organises social activities such as informal
Connect on the first Thursday of every month, Board games sessions and Quiz Night.
• Financial requirements
Adequate budget must be allocated for successful program implementation
• Management Information System requirements
• Develop Month-by-month agenda
I. Gantt chart using PERT
II. Critical path analysis systems
• Monitor Results and benchmarks
• Adjustment of campaign mechanism
• Availability of Emergencies / Contingencies Plans
Financial Summary / Budget.
• Assumptions
• Pro-forma monthly income statement
• Cost Volume Profit /Contribution Margin Analysis
• Breakeven analysis
• Monte Carlo method
• Internet Strategic Intelligence
POSTGRADUATE STUDENT’S LIFE 12
Scenarios.
• Prediction of future scenarios
• Plan of action for each scenario
Controls.
• Performance Indicator
• Provide feedback mechanism
Measurement of progress.
The success of the social activities are dependent on the satisfaction of participants. It is
therefore important to perform a simple yet impactful survey to capture the response and
feedback prior to joining and post activity. These data will determine and impact future
planning of the social calendar and the continuity cycle of the activities. It is also
important that the calendar offers a balanced of social and professional development
opportunities.
Conclusion.
The life of a postgraduate student is the current socio-economical environment is very
much different from the one 10 or 15 years ago. A postgraduate student must think what
will be useful for him or her beyond the course of programme itself. Therefore, for a
reputable university like SMU, it must prepare its postgraduate students to all tackle and
handle all situations especially in a robust and inter-cultural environment. The entire end
to end postgraduate student’s experience journey should generate a return of investments
for the amount of dollar spent in the programme. Every touch-points within the
University creates the opportunity to leave a lasting impression. Therefore, it is important
that during any interaction between the postgraduate students and the University; either
POSTGRADUATE STUDENT’S LIFE 13
via academic or social calendar activities, the University should constantly portray an
image that it talks about and uphold. Social activities should not be used to cushion off
and defray bad experience. That is the hard truth about customer experience that every
business needs to understand.16
POSTGRADUATE STUDENT’S LIFE 14
References
1 http://www2.smu.edu.sg/about_smu/pdf/Statistical_Highlights_2007.pdf 2 http://www.smu.edu.sg/sites/default/files/smu/statistical_highlights_20140905.pdf 3 http://www.thinkholisticactpersonal.com/en/ 4 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jWOWgcoSyxI 5 http://www.improvingthestudentexperience.com/why-improve-student-experience/ 6 http://www.studentpulse.com/articles/61/understanding-the-implications-of-a-global-
village 7 http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Holistic_education 8 http://www.usfca.edu/fac_staff/weihrichh/docs/tows.pdf 9http://www.npc.org.uk/postgraduatefactsandissues/postgraduatepublications/leftbehindst
udentactivitiesforpostgraduates2006.pdf 10 http://www.academia.edu/8749503/Attention_Span_in_Adults 11 http://www.nusconnect.org.uk/pageassets/campaigns/highereducation/student-
engagement/toolkit/enhancingstudentengagement/avenues/EngagingPostgrads_lr-spreads.pdf
12 http://www.nusgss.org/index.php?option=com_content&view=featured&Itemid=101 13 https://www.imperial.ac.uk/study/pg/graduate-school/professional-skills/ 14 http://www.exeter.ac.uk/postgraduate/life/pgsoc/ 15 http://www.psa.guild.uwa.edu.au/ 16 https://hbr.org/2013/09/the-truth-about-customer-experience