Ngee Ann Polytechnic (NP) announced a goal for three in four of its students to graduate with overseas experience by 2030, focusing on Southeast Asia countries [1, 2, 3]. The initiative, named SEA Unbound, was launched on May 28 at NP’s campus in Clementi, where Minister of State Gan Siow Huang noted the timing "comes amid growing protectionist sentiments and global geopolitical tensions" [1].
SEA Unbound spans five years and features two fully funded programmes: SEA SOAR and SEA SAIL [1, 2, 3]. More than 3,500 students across 17 selected diploma courses will take part in SEA SOAR, a one-week curriculum-integrated trip to a Southeast Asian city. During the trip, they visit universities, companies, participate in workshops, and engage in cultural activities to deepen their cross-border experience [1, 2, 3].
SEA SAIL targets about 300 student leaders over five years. It is a two-week programme where participants visit two Southeast Asian cities to explore urban challenges and collaborate on hackathons [1, 2, 3]. The combined programmes aim to provide substantial overseas exposure and leadership opportunities.
The initiative is supported by a S$10 million SEA Talent Fund from the Ngee Ann Kongsi, which supplements existing funding for overseas internships [1, 2, 3]. This effort aligns with the Singapore Education Ministry’s Budget 2020 goal for 70% of students in institutes of higher learning to gain overseas exposure by 2028, mostly within ASEAN, China, and India [1, 2, 3].
The next major milestone is the ongoing implementation of SEA SOAR and SEA SAIL programmes over the next five years, with the ultimate target of having 75% of NP students graduate with overseas experience by 2030 [1, 2, 3].
