RH students with Singaporean Yap Weiling (middle, first row, wearing spectacles and a white shirt) at her farm in Laos, where they learnt about sustainable agricultural practices and sustainable communities.
Southeast Asia Friendship Initiative (SFI)
General Information
What is the Southeast Asia (SEA) Friendship Initiative (SFI)?
The Southeast Asia (SEA) Friendship Initiative (SFI) is designed for undergraduate (UG) students in residential units to read a credit-bearing course introducing them to a SEA country, complemented by a study trip to the targeted country with experiential learning in mind focusing on the UN 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SGD) theme and/or Innovation and Enterprise.
All UG students living in residential unit, being enrolled in full-time UG degree programmes i.e., local (Singapore citizen, Singapore Permanent Resident holder) and international students, who are paying tuition fees to NUS can apply to read SFI course only once during their candidature. This course is not applicable to non-graduate/exchange students.
Find out more details on NUS Global’s website here!
Tell me more about Raffles Hall’s SFI!
Twenty-one RHesidents went on a week-long experiential study trip to Vientiane, in the People’s Democratic Republic of Lao, from 13-20 May 2023, with a focus on SDG 2 (Zero Hunger), SDG 10 (Reduced Inequalities) and SDG 11 (Sustainable Cities and Communities).
As Laos is the least-known country in Southeast Asia, the SFI provided an exclusive and unique opportunity for Rafflesians to visit Laos with their hall mates and RFs, furthering the Hall experience.
Being a 2MC course, RH participants attended 1 week of daily lessons on Introduction to Laos by the NUS Southeast Asia Studies department before the trip. The assessments included a group presentation and trip contributions, an individual photo journal and reflection, and a group essay on Laos.
“The focus of the trip – understanding the SDGs – shaped our way of thinking throughout the trip and made us ask good questions in relation to sustainable growth. It has also made me wonder about Singapore’s efforts in encouraging Singaporeans to live sustainably.”
- Yashwini D/O Nelavannan.
Accompanied by RH Master Prof Stella Tan, Block 4 Resident Fellow Mr Ezra Chiam and Block 6 Resident Fellow Prof Lee Hon Sing, as well as two course tutors from the Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences, the inaugural RH-SFI trip saw Rafflesians visiting various non-profit organisations, speaking with officials from the Singapore Embassy in Laos and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and also developing group presentations with students from the National University of Laos. Of course, there was also time set aside for sight-seeing and trips to local places of interest, such as night markets, the Mekong River, the Patuxai Victory Monument, the Kuang Si Waterfall and many more!
RH students being shown around the Carol Cassidy Textile Museum by Carol herself (with purple scarf). The museum employs Laotian women to make colourful, hand-woven silk products using traditional Laotian looms and patterns, enabling them to be financially independent.
Going to Laos, living and experiencing its culture, and talking to the locals, the authorities, and the students, provided all the participants with a personalised glimpse of Laos, and everyone unanimously fell in love with Laos after this trip!
“The strength of this trip is really the itinerary and the facilitators – something that we cannot experience if we came as regular tourists. We were so privileged to meet different stakeholders, from the local communities, to non-profit organisations, and government agencies, which allowed us to see diverse perspectives and gain a deeper understanding of the complexities in tackling SDGs in the Laotian context. This really helped me to appreciate the culture and the history of this country, making this trip even more meaningful.”
- Boey Han Mun Bryan.
The next RH-SFI run will be in May 2024 to Laos – don’t miss out on this exciting opportunity!
RH students learning how to plant trees at Weiling’s farm in Laos.
FAQ
Where and when will the next study trip be held?
- The next RH-SFI study trip will be held in Laos, in May 2024.
How much does a participant need to pay for the trip?
- The study trip is heavily subsidized by the University, hence each participant may expect to pay a co-payment fee of up to $500, which will cover airfare, ground transport, overseas accommodation, cultural activities and most meals. Personal expenses incurred during the trip are to be borne by participants.
How will the course be assessed?
- Academic assessment: 50% to be graded by FASS
- Experiential learning assessment : 50% to be graded by RH
Broad details can be found on NUS Global’s website here.
Is the course CS/CU or letter-graded?
All SFI courses offered are major-coded* and credit-bearing. Students can read to full major or unrestricted elective (UE) requirement, and letter-graded on students’ transcripts. Students may exercise the satisfactory/unsatisfactory (S/U) option with the understanding that they are Malay Studies/SEA major students, and on the assumption that they have yet to exercise the S/U option for up to 32 Units for courses.
