SMU names auditorium and scholarship after Dr Mochtar Riady
Singapore, 29 March 2011 (Tuesday) – The Singapore Management University (SMU) announced today the naming of its auditorium as the Mochtar Riady Auditorium and the establishment of the new Mochtar Riady Scholarships. The auditorium and scholarship have been named after Dr Mochtar Riady ( 李文正), the Founder and Chairman of Lippo Group ( 力宝集团), in recognition of a generous $5 million donation to SMU by the Lippo Group and the Riady family. Officiating at the dedication ceremony this morning was Mr S. Iswaran, Senior Minister of State for Education and Trade & Industry.
The Mochtar Riady Auditorium, a 300-seater facility located on the fifth level of the SMU Administration Building, is the largest conference venue in the city campus. It is among the most popular and heavily used facilities in SMU, having hosted many high profile global conferences, academic symposiums, distinguished lecture series, official launches, opening ceremonies, industry outreach and briefings, art performances and other public events. An important venue for the university, the Mochtar Riady Auditorium represents a central meeting place for the seamless exchange of knowledge between the halls of academia, the business world and the larger community. Like the rest of the SMU city campus which is purpose-built and designed for integrating the two worlds of education and business, the auditorium facilitates dialogue and discussions among business leaders, faculty, staff and students.
Some prominent lecture series held at the auditorium include the Ho Rih Hwa Leadership in Asia Public Lecture Series, Shaw Foundation Distinguished Faculty Lecture Series, Presidential Distinguished Lecturer Series, Lien Fung's Colloquium, SMU Public Lecture Series and numerous talks by visiting professorships. The fully carpeted Mochtar Riady Auditorium is equipped with state-of-the-art multimedia facilities which enable video conferencing, wireless network connection, full-scale audio-visual and recording, dual projection and acoustic controls, as well as a spacious adjacent foyer for receptions and networking.
The donation also enables the setting up of the Mochtar Riady Scholarships which will be awarded every year to two foreign SMU undergraduates from China or Indonesia in any year of study in any degree programme. Valid for one academic year of study, the bond-free scholarship is worth $15,000 each with priority given to deserving students who demonstrate financial need. The Mochtar Riady Scholarships will enable good Chinese and Indonesian students to come to SMU and benefit from its holistic education and distinctive pedagogy, adding to the diversity and richness of the vibrant international student population on campus. Scholars may be considered for internships or career opportunities with Lippo Group or its designated companies.
“We are deeply honoured to have the Lippo Group and Riady family supporting and believing in the long-term education goals of SMU in nurturing all-rounded, socially conscious graduates from the region. The scholarships will help fund the education of bright students from China and Indonesia while the auditorium will keep alive the legacy of the Lippo Group and Riady family's commitment towards social responsibility,” said Professor Arnoud De Meyer, President, Singapore Management University.
“We recognise in SMU the distinctive role of a university that is strongly integrated with the world of business and which also stands for global diversity. The institution has distinguished itself as staying relevant and responsive to emerging trends of the global economy through research and teaching. We are glad to be a partner in helping SMU pursue its twin goals of educating the best and brightest from the region and sharing of knowledge between academia and industry,” said Dr Stephen Riady, President of the Lippo Group.
