SMU and Oracle Academy team up to develop IT professionals in Finance

Students from the SMU SIS Masters of IT in Business-Financial Services and BSc-IS Management programmes will receive hands-on training using core banking solution Oracle FLEXCUBE.

In a news release, the School of Information Systems at the Singapore Management University announced that it is collaborating with the Oracle Academy to offer its students the opportunity to gain in-depth knowledge of core banking processes to prepare them for 21st century careers in the financial services and banking sector.

Beginning in August this year, all students from the SMU SIS postgraduate Masters of IT in Business-Financial Services, or MITB-FS, as well as the undergraduate BSc-IS Management programmes, will be able to develop financial services industry expertise through hands-on training using Oracle FLEXCUBE, a leading core banking solution adopted in the banking sector.

Additionally, students can use Oracle FLEXCUBE as a platform for their industry projects - to implement innovative banking products, develop new services, and streamline banking processes.

This Oracle Academy and SMU SIS collaboration around Oracle FLEXCUBE follows a successful pilot project which started in April 2012.

“By working with the Oracle Academy, we can expose students to best-in-class products that address complex business processes currently being used in banks to promote real-world experience. This experience with end-to-end banking processes, along with their out-of-class assignments and projects, will give students a strong competitive edge, encourage innovative thinking, and help them stand out when they embark on their careers in the financial services sector,” said Steven Miller, SMU’s Dean for the School of Information Systems.

He added, “This initiative is in keeping with SMU’s pedagogy that focuses on interactive learning, industry-relevant knowledge and early exposure to leading edge methods, tools, and applications. We are confident that integrating Oracle FLEXCUBE into our curriculum will add significant value to our Masters and undergraduate programmes that focus on Banking TOPS, Technology, Operations, Processes and Service Innovation. This will help make our graduates even more sought-after by potential employers in financial services.”

“Oracle FLEXCUBE is an industry leader in core banking systems, and we are proud to help further expand the ecosystem of Oracle FLEXCUBE highly-trained and experienced professionals globally. The collaboration between SMU SIS and the Oracle Academy is an example of this expansion, and we are excited to be a part of this effort to promote hands on learning in modern core banking technology to help drive innovation and transformation,” said Chet Kamat, Managing Director & CEO, Oracle Financial Services Software Ltd.

“Oracle understands the industry’s need for well-trained, highly-skilled technology professionals who are able to keep up with the fast-paced economic growth in the region,” said Kevin Walsh, Chief Technology Officer, Oracle Asia Research and Development Centers.

“Since 1993, we have worked to advance education with state-of-the art technology programmes, like the Oracle Academy, that prepare students for life and work in the 21st century. By working together, Oracle and SMU are making a direct investment in developing the Singapore workforce and improving service delivery in the financial sector.”