Beyond Borders: How SMU Students are Gaining Real-World Experience Across Southeast Asia
For SMU students Jaena Yap and Daniel Lim, the ASEAN Internship Programme (AIP) pushed them beyond their comfort zones, honing their professional and intercultural skills in Vietnam. As they adapted to the local work culture, they gained fresh perspectives that would go on to shape their career aspirations.
Would you spend your summer working in another country?
For SMU students Jaena Yap and Daniel Lim, the answer was yes. What began as an overseas internship became a defining chapter in how they see their future.
Through the ASEAN Internship Programme (AIP), SMU students step beyond the classroom to experience how business, policy, and society operate across Southeast Asia. For Jaena and Daniel, Vietnam offered not just a new environment, but a deeper understanding of what it means to work — and grow — in a global context.
From curiosity to opportunity
Drawn by curiosity and a desire to explore beyond Singapore, both students saw Vietnam as a place where learning could take on new meaning.
For Jaena, a short trip sparked a lasting interest in the country’s culture and energy. When the opportunity arose, the SMU Lee Kong Chian School of Business (LKCSB) student pursued an internship in Hanoi with Global Enterprise Mobility (GEM) Corporation, an IT services and consulting firm. The combination of a fast-growing tech sector and a distinctly different pace of life made it an ideal setting to challenge herself.
Daniel, a political science student from the SMU School of Social Sciences (SOSS), approached the experience from an academic perspective. With a longstanding interest in Vietnam, he saw the AIP as a way to deepen his understanding beyond textbooks.
At the University of Economics and Finance (UEF) International Institute in Ho Chi Minh City, he contributed to market research on higher education programmes across Vietnam — gaining firsthand insight into how institutions operate in a different country.
Learning to navigate different ways of working
Stepping into a new work culture brought unexpected moments — and valuable lessons.
“During our one-hour lunch break, my colleagues would dedicate 30 minutes to an afternoon nap,” Jaena shares.
She also adapted quickly to the office’s no-shoe policy, which created a more relaxed and homely environment.
Daniel encountered the same workplace norm and embraced it with humour.
“My colleagues had elaborate nap setups with pillows, blankets, and eye masks — all kept under their desks. I wasn’t used to this; the last time I had a mass afternoon nap was in kindergarten,” he recalls with a laugh.
Beyond the cultural differences, it was the sense of openness and connection that stood out most. From the no-shoe policy, shared meals, to karaoke sessions, both students found themselves welcomed into their teams in ways they had not expected.
“I didn’t expect them to pass me the mic since I don’t speak Vietnamese,” Daniel notes. “Surprisingly, my colleagues knew the Cantonese rock songs I chose and sang along!”
Building skills that go beyond the classroom
While the cultural experience was memorable, it was the day-to-day work that proved most transformative.
Jaena stepped into her role with limited technical knowledge, having come from a business background. With guidance from her team, she developed a stronger understanding of the IT industry, including emerging areas such as AI.
Her involvement in sales and business development also provided hands-on exposure to client engagement and commercial processes, sharpening her ability to translate ideas into solutions.
Daniel faced a different kind of challenge. Working in an environment where English was not widely spoken required him to rethink how he communicated. He turned to translation tools, prepared more deliberately, and became more intentional in structuring his thoughts.
“The experience taught me to rethink my assumptions in communication,” he reflects. “In Singapore, I would never have pushed myself to be intentional in streamlining my thoughts.”
Through these experiences, both students developed capabilities that extend well beyond technical knowledge — adaptability, cross-cultural communication, and the confidence to operate in unfamiliar environments.
Discovering new possibilities
The experience also shifted how they viewed their future paths.
“This internship showed me that sales isn’t just about selling; it’s about building relationships and creating solutions,” Jaena reflects, describing how the experience brought clarity to a potential career direction.
For Daniel, the shift was more expansive. Living and working overseas became not just an interesting idea, but a viable path — one that broadened his perspective on where his education could take him.
A learning experience that extends beyond borders
Opportunities like the ASEAN Internship Programme (AIP) are designed to complement academic learning with real-world exposure. By engaging with different markets and cultures, students gain a deeper understanding of how knowledge is applied in practice — and how they themselves can contribute in complex, global environments.
