SINGAPORE – In September 2025, mass communication student Abby Lee began a five-month internship in Bangkok that would leave a lasting mark on her professional and personal growth.<\/p>\n
The 20-year-old, who worked at a Thai influencer agency, said she grew her professional network there, with a supervisor\u2019s guidance.<\/p>\n
Ms Lee, who landed the opportunity through Ngee Ann Polytechnic\u2019s (NP) Global Entrepreneurial Internship Programme, is now setting her sights on Europe as she prepares for university.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe culture in Europe is different from cultures in South-east Asia, so if I were given the opportunity, I would definitely go,\u201d said the third-year student.<\/p>\n
The self-described film enthusiast is particularly drawn to Ireland \u2013 the setting of one of her favourite films, The Banshees Of Inisherin \u2013 and admires its strong sense of culture and tradition.<\/p>\n
Ms Lee is part of a growing pool of students from institutes of higher learning (IHL) pursuing opportunities in ASEAN-China-India (ACI), alongside traditionally popular destinations like English-speaking countries or places in Europe.<\/p>\n
These include exchange programmes, internships and community service trips.<\/p>\n
During Budget 2020, the Education Ministry announced its aim for 70 per cent of all IHL students to gain some form of overseas exposure by 2028, with 70 per cent of these opportunities based in the ACI region.<\/p>\n
Local institutions told The Straits Times that demand for overseas stints \u2013 including those in the region \u2013 has risen in recent years, driven in part by pent-up interest after the pandemic.<\/p>\n
China, Indonesia and Vietnam are the top regional destinations for some universities, while polytechnics and the Institute of Technical Education (ITE) report a surge in Asia-bound student trips.<\/p>\n
A Singapore Management University (SMU) spokesperson said many students join two to three overseas stints.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhile Europe has long been a preferred choice, we have seen strong and growing interest in North Asia and ASEAN in recent years,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n
Overseas exposure has been a graduation requirement for SMU since 2018.<\/p>\n
\u201cThis reflects a clear shift in student mindset. They are not choosing between regions but seeking complementary exposure \u2013 gaining perspectives from both established Western contexts and fast-growing Asian markets to better prepare for global and regional careers,\u201d she added.<\/p>\n
Singapore Polytechnic\u2019s\u00a0deputy principal (development) Tan Yen Yen, who has observed a similar trend, said: \u201cThe dual exposure results in graduates who are comfortable in Western environments whilst understanding Asian markets and cultural nuances \u2013 essential qualities for Singapore\u2019s position in the global economy.\u201d<\/p>\n
In the years ahead, the IHLs plan to expand regional opportunities and encourage even more students to take up such stints \u2013 in line with the national 70-70 target \u2013 to tap Asia\u2019s growing economy.<\/p>\n
Nanyang Technological University (NTU) offers more than 7,000 overseas immersion opportunities across 55 countries each year. Of these, more than 3,300 are in ACI, said its vice-provost of undergraduate education, Professor Gan Chee Lip.<\/p>\n
Students are encouraged to plan for both short- and long-term exposure.<\/p>\n
\u201cASEAN countries are generally less popular among students for semester exchange due to proximity and limited availability of courses in English,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
\u201cNTU thus curates opportunities in the ACI region for shorter-term studies, such as during the summer and winter vacation periods, which students are more open to.\u201d<\/p>\n
Nearly half of NTU\u2019s 2025 graduating cohort had at least one overseas stint. Of the cohort, 18 per cent went to ACI countries.<\/p>\n
For 2026, this is projected to rise to 53 per cent with overseas exposure, with a quarter in ACI.<\/p>\n
Overseas internships have also climbed sharply, from 44 NTU students in the 2021 academic year to 571 in the 2024 academic year, with nearly 90 per cent based in ACI.<\/p>\n
At Republic Polytechnic, about 70 per cent of countries identified for overseas exposure are within ACI, said its office of international relations director Terence Chong.<\/p>\n
NP\u2019s careers and global immersion director Fong Pin Fen said such stints give students first-hand exposure to fast-growing regional markets vital to Singapore\u2019s economic future.<\/p>\n
She said businesses increasingly seek talent who understand regional practices, cultural nuances and cross-border collaboration.<\/p>\n
Seeing value in the region<\/h2>\n
In December 2023, NTU communication studies student Brighton Lim, 24, took on a three-week attachment in Cambodia, supporting an investment company\u2019s engagement and outreach efforts.<\/p>\n
The work stint \u2013 his first visit to the country \u2013 gave him a deeper understanding of Cambodia, which he initially thought was \u201cdangerous\u201d.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt was only when I went there myself that I found that it actually is not as bad as people always say,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n