International Programmes

Objective
The outcomes of USP international programmes are threefold. First, they facilitate out-of-classroom learning. Second, they bridge academic and experiential learning. Third, they enable understanding of global issues from multiple perspectives. Together, they shape USP students into well-rounded, independent global citizens who are sensitive and adaptive to the world today.

Range with a Focus
On top of the myriad international opportunities that USP students can access in NUS and via their home faculty/school, they get to tap into USP’s international programmes that span across 20 countries around the globe in Asia, the Middle East, Europe and the Americas. These include course study trips, semester- and summer- exchange programmes, short term programmes, international conferences, as well as joint and double degree programmes with overseas partner universities.

International programmes at USP are rather unique in that throughout the years, many are shaped or led by students themselves. Students are encouraged to initiate their own international programmes in areas where they wish to effect change, and are strongly supported by faculty and administrative staff to execute their ideas. One example is the STEP Asian Undergraduate Summit (AUS). In June 2021, AUS successfully engaged over 150 students from 17 partner universities across 10 different countries within Asia, on the theme of “Leadership in a Complex World: Managing the Dilemma of Growth”.

For semester abroad exchange programmes, USP has special partnerships with 17 universities, many of which are USP-like honour colleges in these universities or by itself. These comprise 4 in Asia and the Middle East (e.g. Yuanpei College in PKU, China), 6 in Europe (e.g. University College Utrecht in Utrecht University, The Netherlands), and 7 in the Americas (e.g. Carleton College in the US).

USP’s rigorous Joint Degree Programme with The Australian National University, and Double Degree Programmes with Sciences Po (France) and Waseda University’s School of International Liberal Studies (Japan) also allow students to earn their degrees living and learning in two vastly different countries. Designed as exchange-based degree programmes, it also means the USP community gets to benefit from having international students from these partner universities in its midst.

Since 2015, USP has actively partnered up with more universities in Asia, to complement its North America offerings and provide a balanced range of opportunities for USP students. It now has summer programmes and conference tie-ups with Seoul National University and Chu Kochen Honors College Zhejiang University. In the works is a proposed partnership with 3 Asian universities, including Rikkyo University of Japan, to offer students a global blended learning experience through “The Asian Consortium for Excellence in Liberal Arts and Interdisciplinary Education (The ACE)” project.