Southeast Asia Friendship Initiative: Advancing sustainability through experiential learning and engagement

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As part of the Southeast Asia Friendship Initiative (SFI) at NUS, groups from various hostels in NUS embarked on trips to the surrounding Southeast Asian region during the recent summer break, where they learnt about the unique cultural and environmental contexts of sustainability practices, and developed learning points and applications to impact the communities and stakeholders they engaged with.

Leveraging on Singapore’s unique geographical location within Southeast Asia (SEA), one of the most culturally diverse regions in the world with a population of almost 640 million people, SFI aims to advance sustainability through experiential learning and international engagement. Students are immersed in the real-world applications of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), fostering practical understanding and innovative solutions to global challenges.

Residential College 4: Exploring resilience of food systems in Chiang Mai

In July 2024, a group of ten participants from NUS Residential College 4 travelled to Chiang Mai, Thailand, for a research-focused trip centred on food systems resilience. The team delved into the complexities of Northern Thailand’s food system through lectures at Chiang Mai University and fieldwork, engaging with individuals across various food economy sectors including paddy farm owners, community-based organic food producers, and coffee farmers. The participants’ efforts aimed to uncover and understand the local challenges and opportunities related to food security and sustainability.

During their visit, the team actively contributed to the local communities by conducting interviews and gathering insights, which were highly beneficial in enabling academics at Chiang Mai University and their community development partners to support ongoing efforts to enhance food systems resilience in the region.