By Amelia Tan

FOR the first time, students of a private institution will be able to enjoy residential and recreational facilities comparable to those at Singapore's three public universities.

The Singapore Institute of Management's (SIM) new 4.5ha campus in Ulu Pandan Road was officially opened by Finance Minister Tharman Shanmugaratnam yesterday.

The size of six football fields, it provides housing for 428 local and international students enrolled in programmes being offered by SIM Global Education (SIM GE) - one of the institution's three arms that offer undergraduate and graduate programmes with partner universities overseas. Students will also be able to use facilities like tennis and futsal courts, a gym, a dance studio, barbecue pits and a cafeteria.

The campus cost about $8 million to develop.

SIM chief executive Lee Kwok Cheong said the opening of the new campus was timely, as a rapid growth in student population had 'burst the seams' of the institution's two other campuses in Clementi Road and Namly Avenue. In the last five years, SIM's student population has grown from 10,000 to about 16,000. Its international student population has also grown from 390 to 2,500.

Mr Tharman applauded the effort by SIM and property management company EM Services to develop a campus that would allow for both recreation and social interaction among students.

He said: 'It (social interaction) is a very important part of education wherever you go in the world. You not only study hard, but you play hard. You make good friends and you learn about each other.'

About 50 of the 247 rooms in the facility across the road from the Pandan Valley condominium are now occupied by both local and foreign students, who pay monthly rents of between $550 and $900.

Antony Simon, a final-year student enrolled in the SIM-University of London bachelor of science in management programme, moved into the hostel about a month back.

The 21-year-old Indonesian pays $700 a month for a twin-sharing room, only slightly cheaper than the $800 he used to pay for rooms at rented condos in Toa Payoh and Lakeside. But he says his new room is worth the money because of its proximity to campus.

The institution will also be offering 35 scholarships worth a total of $500,000 a year to local and international SIM GE students with exemplary academic results or achievements in sports and the arts. It will also pay for short overseas programmes for outstanding students.

SIM GE offers programmes in business, tourism and nursing, among others. It plans to double its student population over the next five years.

ameltan@sph.com.sg

This article was first published in The Straits Times on Sep 19, 2008.

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