CRI English.com reports that the law school of the Singapore Management University is considering admitting more students of law in the coming years to meet the demand for lawyers, the incoming dean of the law school has said.
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Here's what they say...
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http://english.cri.cn/6966/2012/02/22/2561s682549.htm
Yeo Tiong Min, the incoming dean, said that the school could admit up to 180 undergraduates annually in the next three to five years, up from the current 120, and that the school was in discussions with the Ministry of Law on the ideal student intake, local daily Straits Times reported on Wednesday.
The ministry said it would make decisions on enrollment at the university and at law schools of National University of Singapore later after a review of the supply and demand of lawyers.
Currently, about 700 applicants out of the 1,000 who apply are shortlisted for an interview and a written test for the law school of the Singapore Management University, one of the four universities in Singapore.
Singapore is currently facing a shortage of lawyers. The law school of the National University of Singapore increased its undergraduate intake from 220 to about 250 in 2007.
Yeo said the law school of the Singapore Management University is looking at introducing a pro bono program which will be compulsory for all students. He also wanted to grow partnerships with overseas universities for student exchange programs and encourage the faculty to do more research.
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and here's the press release for the new Dean's appointment
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New dean to head SMU School of Law
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http://www.todayonline.com/Singapore/EDC120222-0000052/New-dean-to-head-SMU-School-of-Law
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SINGAPORE - The country's first Honorary Senior Counsel, Professor Yeo Tiong Min, 46, will take over as the Singapore Management University's law school dean from July, as the school looks to raise its undergraduate intake.
At a press conference yesterday, Prof Yeo (picture) reportedly said that the school is in discussions with the Ministry of Law on reviewing its undergraduate student intake numbers. It could admit up to 180 undergraduates annually over the next three to five years, up from the current 120, he said.
Prof Yeo takes over from Professor Michael Furmston, 78, who will continue teaching at SMU after stepping down, as well as help the university set up a Centre of Commercial Law. SMU also announced that Professor David Llewelyn, 55, who has been with the university since August 2010, will become Deputy Dean from July.
Prof Yeo paid tribute to his predecessor yesterday and cited the full employment of the university's first graduating cohort as testament to Prof Furmston's leadership. Prof Yeo said the school will be seeking feedback from employers and will tweak its curriculum to enhance its law programme.
Prof Yeo added: "That we are a young law school allows us the dynamism to review and make on-going adjustments to our programme in a reasonably short time-frame. Not only does this bring greater value to employers, students also benefit because they are more prepared for the challenges of the real world."
