​How alumni are enabling learning opportunities beyond the classroom

Today’s students face an increasingly competitive and globalised job market upon graduation. Jobs and industries are experiencing rapid change. More than ever, employers desire graduates with well-rounded skills, qualifications, and experiences. In addition to academic performance, career success depends on soft skills like communication, problem solving, and critical thinking. We hear this message from both alumni and employers. 

Gifts from the NBS alumni community enhance our ability to improve the university experience and provide the best learning outcomes for students. In addition to our globally recognised curriculum, NBS hosts 14 student clubs that provide gateways for students to develop personally and professionally. 

One of these is the Business Solutions Case Club (BSCC), which relies on ongoing alumni support through contributions to the NBS Advancement Fund. BSCC cultivates some of the top young business students at NBS, and has produced an impressive 10 valedictorians since 2009.

“Being in Business Solutions is very much like being in a sports team,” shares Natasha Tan, a third year Accountancy student. “We go through intensive training to prepare for competitions, grow in camaraderie with our teammates and learn to innovate to achieve victory. Solving cases across different industries and networking with our alumni has made me more aware of what is in the real world. My past internships and clinching a job offer are attributed to the skills learned in Business Solutions.”

 

BSCC students are trained to hone their analytical thinking and problem solving skills to develop innovative solutions for real-world business problems. Following a rigorous training programme, students have the opportunity to represent NTU at local and international business case competitions, putting their skills against top business students in Singapore and around the world. 

In recent years, students have participated in case competitions at leading universities including McGill University, Georgetown University, University of British Columbia and University of Hong Kong.

“One of my most memorable experiences will definitely be representing NTU and Singapore at the annual Chulalongkorn International Business Case Competition held in Thailand last year,” reflects Jomaine Tan, a second year Banking & Finance student. “The competition brought together 20 global teams from renowned universities to compete on an international stage. The kind of intensity, exposure and experience from an international case competition is one that cannot be replicated by any other experience. It was definitely a key highlight of my NTU campus life.”

 

Through experiential learning opportunities like case competitions, students develop important skills, challenge their thinking, and build valuable networks. In addition to travelling overseas to compete in international competitions, BSCC students also host and participate in local case competitions to build this culture in Singapore. These experiences help prepare our students for the future, and shape the business leaders of tomorrow.

At NBS, we know that learning continues beyond the classroom. Over the past two years, we have updated our undergraduate pedagogy to ensure a greater focus on developing soft skills in students from Day One.

Support from the alumni community provides NBS students with dynamic opportunities to learn and thrive. You can support student clubs and activities like these by donating to the NBS Advancement Fund.