Universities have a role in preparing students for the workplace by providing more than technical skills. Employers are increasingly seeking cultural intelligence, teamwork, communication, problem-solving, and adaptability, as these competencies support graduates' success in various work environments. A university in Singapore introduced an interdisciplinary programme that allows students from different disciplines to participate in overseas industry projects as electives. Throughout an academic term, students – guided by faculty members and industry partners – apply classroom concepts to real-world situations by developing solutions to industry challenges. In addition to technical knowledge, the programme offers international experience and aims to develop a broader range of skills and global perspectives among students. Although there has been progress in this area, no studies currently address how credit-bearing, approximately 10-week live-client consultancies in business and management – especially those with Asia–Pacific clients – affect both cultural intelligence and professional competencies. Existing research primarily examines study-abroad programmes or internships, rather than curriculum-integrated, team-based consultancies with clearly defined client deliverables. This session will present the development of an industry project-based experiential learning model, from its design to implementation, and will investigate whether cultural immersion through client interactions and structured intercultural training during industry projects influences students’ professional competencies. The findings may inform educational institutions considering the integration of such experiences into their curricula for enhanced global preparedness.

Authors:
Kevin Koh, Singapore Management University, Singapore

About the Presenter(s)
Kevin Koh is currently the Head of SMU-X, a flagship project-based experiential learning programme at Singapore Management University.

Connect on Linkedin
https://sg.linkedin.com/in/kevinkoh

See this presentation on the full schedule – Thursday Schedule

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