In support of Southeast Asia’s transition toward sustainable growth, Singapore Management University (SMU) has developed its first-ever online programme in three Asian languages – Bahasa, Thai, and Vietnamese – delivered concurrently across its three Overseas Centres in Bangkok, Ho Chi Minh City, and Jakarta.
To date, this initiative has equipped over 1,500 learners across ASEAN with foundational knowledge in sustainability and sustainable finance.
Jointly developed by the Singapore Green Finance Centre (SGFC), SMU Executive Development (ExD) and with support from the Singapore Global Network (SGN), the online programme was adapted from SGFC’s flagship Massive Open Online Course (MOOC) titled Introduction to Sustainability and Sustainable Finance, which was originally created by Dr Rajiv Lall, Professorial Research Fellow at SGFC, the MOOC remains globally accessible in English via the SGFC website.
ExD translated the course from English into the local languages of its three ASEAN markets, ensuring it was accessible, culturally relevant, and resonant with local audiences. This marks a landmark initiative in inclusive, region-wide upskilling and showcases SMU’s ability to blend global expertise with local relevance across diverse cultural and economic landscapes.
Our impact so far
- Over 1,570 learners across ASEAN equipped with foundational knowledge in sustainability and sustainable finance
- Attended by working professionals, business owners, entrepreneurs, students, and independent learners from over 350 organisations across ASEAN
- More than 710 learners completed the online programme
- Collaborated with 26 universities across the three markets to extend the programme’s reach
Covering topics such as sustainability reporting, carbon markets, risk management, and decarbonisation strategies, the course provided an actionable foundation for both finance professionals and aspiring changemakers alike. Expert interviews, case studies, and practical insights ensured the learning experience remained grounded in real-world challenges and opportunities.
Curated by SGFC and enriched with insights from over 20 leading experts in sustainability and finance, including members of SGFC's Founding Partners from global financial institutions and the Monetary Authority of Singapore, the curriculum provided regionally relevant, practical knowledge tailored to Southeast Asia’s transition needs.
A critical initiative for ASEAN in the green economy
This initiative comes amid growing demand for green talent. The Asian Development Bank estimates that the green transition will create over 30 million new jobs in ASEAN by 2030, especially in sectors linked to clean energy, sustainable infrastructure, and climate finance.
Yet, workforce readiness remains a challenge – 84 per cent of professionals in Southeast Asia believe upskilling is essential to staying relevant, exceeding the global average of 76 per cent. The ASEAN Digital Integration Index also highlights human capital development as one of the weakest areas in the region’s transformation agenda.
The Online Programme marks an early milestone in SMU’s regional upskilling journey. Future initiatives will continue to be explored to deepen partnerships and address evolving sustainability skill demands across ASEAN.
Eddie Tritton, Executive Director at SMU ExD said, “𝘛𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘱𝘳𝘰𝘨𝘳𝘢𝘮𝘮𝘦 𝘳𝘦𝘧𝘭𝘦𝘤𝘵𝘴 𝘰𝘶𝘳 𝘥𝘦𝘦𝘱 𝘤𝘰𝘮𝘮𝘪𝘵𝘮𝘦𝘯𝘵 𝘵𝘰 𝘦𝘲𝘶𝘪𝘱𝘱𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘭𝘦𝘢𝘥𝘦𝘳𝘴 𝘸𝘪𝘵𝘩 𝘧𝘶𝘵𝘶𝘳𝘦-𝘳𝘦𝘢𝘥𝘺 𝘴𝘬𝘪𝘭𝘭𝘴 𝘵𝘰 𝘯𝘢𝘷𝘪𝘨𝘢𝘵𝘦 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘨𝘳𝘦𝘦𝘯 𝘵𝘳𝘢𝘯𝘴𝘪𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯. 𝘉𝘺 𝘤𝘰𝘮𝘣𝘪𝘯𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘥𝘪𝘨𝘪𝘵𝘢𝘭 𝘢𝘤𝘤𝘦𝘴𝘴𝘪𝘣𝘪𝘭𝘪𝘵𝘺 𝘸𝘪𝘵𝘩 𝘪𝘯𝘵𝘦𝘳𝘯𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯𝘢𝘭 𝘤𝘰𝘭𝘭𝘢𝘣𝘰𝘳𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯, 𝘸𝘦’𝘷𝘦 𝘤𝘳𝘦𝘢𝘵𝘦𝘥 𝘢 𝘱𝘰𝘸𝘦𝘳𝘧𝘶𝘭 𝘱𝘭𝘢𝘵𝘧𝘰𝘳𝘮 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘳𝘦𝘨𝘪𝘰𝘯𝘢𝘭 𝘵𝘢𝘭𝘦𝘯𝘵 𝘥𝘦𝘷𝘦𝘭𝘰𝘱𝘮𝘦𝘯𝘵 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘤𝘳𝘰𝘴𝘴-𝘣𝘰𝘳𝘥𝘦𝘳 𝘬𝘯𝘰𝘸𝘭𝘦𝘥𝘨𝘦 𝘦𝘹𝘤𝘩𝘢𝘯𝘨𝘦.”
