SMU and Fudan Launch Region's First Tech-Focused DBA

New doctoral programme targets senior executives seeking to lead strategic innovation and research at the intersection of business and technology.

SINGAPORE, March 2, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Singapore Management University (SMU) and Fudan University have jointly launched the SMU-Fudan Doctor of Business Administration (Technology), a programme that prepares senior leaders to navigate the complex intersection of business and technology.

Across industries, senior executives are facing a structural shift where emerging technologies such as artificial intelligence, data platforms, Web3 and digital infrastructure are no longer peripheral tools, but core drivers of competitive advantage, governance and organisational design. Yet many leaders find a gap between fast-moving technological innovation and the ability to translate it into rigorous, evidence-based strategy, policy and long-term value creation. At the same time, organisations are increasingly expected to address ethical, regulatory and societal implications of technology, creating strong demand for doctoral-level leaders who can combine deep technological understanding with advanced business research capabilities.

The SMU–Fudan DBA (Tech) directly addresses this demand by equipping experienced executives with practice-driven doctoral research training focused on real-world technological challenges. By integrating advanced business research methods with deep exposure to AI, data, digital platforms and governance frameworks, the programme enables participants to generate actionable insights grounded in their own organisational and industry contexts. Graduates are trained not only to understand emerging technologies, but to critically evaluate their strategic, regulatory and societal impact, allowing them to lead technology-driven transformation with confidence and responsibility. 

"Technology today is no longer a functional tool. It is reshaping strategy, governance and the social contract between business and society," said Zhu Feida, Programme Director of the SMU- Fudan DBA (Tech) Programme at SMU. "This programme is designed for senior leaders focused on the narratives beyond the numbers and coding – to go beyond adoption to generate research-driven insights that shape how technology is governed, scaled and applied responsibly in real-world business contexts."

For Singapore-based leaders, the SMU–Fudan DBA (Tech) provides a strategic platform to strengthen Singapore's role as a trusted hub for digital innovation, regulation and cross-border business. Through rigorous research and exposure to China's innovation ecosystem, participants gain the ability to design scalable, compliant and globally relevant technology strategies that reinforce Singapore's position as a leading digital economy and regional decision-making centre.

For China-based leaders, the programme offers a structured pathway to engage with global research standards, international governance perspectives and Southeast Asia's regulatory and business environment. As Chinese enterprises expand internationally and adopt advanced digital technologies, leaders increasingly need research capabilities that go beyond execution to strategic reflection, governance design and long-term innovation. The SMU–Fudan DBA (Tech) enables executives to translate China's rich innovation and scaling experience into globally informed, research-backed strategies, supporting sustainable international growth and cross-border collaboration.

By cultivating a network of high-calibre doctoral graduates across Singapore, China and beyond, the programme strengthens academic–industry linkages, enhances the global visibility of both universities, and positions SMU at the forefront of doctoral education at the intersection of business, technology and governance.

First DBA at SMU focussed on technology

The SMU–Fudan DBA (Tech) is the first DBA at SMU with a dedicated focus on technology. By combining rigorous academic training with applied technological insights, the programme equips candidates to generate impactful knowledge that addresses complex business and societal challenges.

Offered jointly in collaboration with Fudan University, the programme melds SMU's strengths in computing, data and digital regulation with Fudan University's long-standing leadership in economics, management and industry engagement, creating a distinctive platform for practice-oriented research, cross-border learning and industry collaboration.

"In the era of AI, seeking answers externally has become effortless, making the inward quest for insight all the more precious. As technology readily provides solutions, true leadership returns to its essence: the ability to ask the right questions with profound vision," said Liu Yu, Programme Director of the SMU-Fudan DBA (Tech) Programme at Fudan.  

"By bridging Fudan's economic insights with SMU's technological expertise, this programme empowers leaders to move beyond adoption toward deep strategic reflection. We enable them to transform innovation experience into rigorous, research-backed strategies that define the future of global business."

The SMU–Fudan DBA (Tech) holds three defining features:

• Technology-integrated business research
  
  Candidates develop deep understanding of AI, Web3, FinTech, cybersecurity and digital platforms, while conducting industry-focused doctoral research that informs strategy, policy and innovation, ensuring graduates can immediately apply their research to drive organisational transformation.
  
  
• Cross-border and cross-cultural learning
  
  As a programme structured across Singapore and Shanghai, the SMU-Fudan DBA (Tech) leverages the distinct advantages of two global innovation hubs. Candidates will gain dual exposure to Singapore's ecosystem of FinTech and regulatory trust, and Shanghai's dynamic environment of rapid technological scaling and entrepreneurship. Joint supervision by top-tier faculty from SMU and Fudan offers candidates deep access to alumni networks and industry resources in both China and Southeast Asia.
  
  
• Responsible and sustainable technology leadership
  
  A focused doctoral pathway covering AI, Data Science, Web3 and Sustainability, distinct from broad-based DBAs. The curriculum emphasises ethical, regulatory and governance dimensions of emerging technologies, preparing leaders to balance innovation with trust, resilience and long-term value creation.

Feedback from industry practitioners

"What makes this programme distinctive is its strong integration of technology, business strategy and governance," said Tony Tang, Group CFO of G.H.Y Culture & Media, a Singapore-headquartered, SGX mainboard listed entertainment company. "For executives operating across Asia, the combination of Singapore's regulatory leadership and China's innovation scale provides an invaluable perspective for leading cross-border digital transformation."

Applications for the inaugural August 2026 intake are now open. Find out more here.

SOURCE Singapore Management University