SINGAPORE – The National University of Singapore (NUS) said on Feb 9 that it will be setting up a pop-up visitor centre in late July to provide its visitors a “meaningful and engaging experience”.

The initiative, which will also see the university introduce guided walks led by trained NUS student guides, will help manage and regulate visitor traffic on campus.

This comes after media reports on complaints from students from both NUS and Nanyang Technological University (NTU) about an influx of foreign tourists on their campuses. The issues highlighted include large crowds taking up seats meant for students around the campuses and leaving a mess behind, long waiting times at toilets, and packed campus shuttles and eateries, including canteens.

In its media statement on Feb 9, NUS said that as it was an open campus, it will not be charging visitors any fees. “It is a privilege to be able to welcome visitors – locally and from abroad – who share in our mission and are interested to learn more about the university,” it said.

“At the same time, ensuring a conducive environment for the best learning experience of our students, preserving campus vibrancy for an immersive student life, and keeping our facilities such as laboratories and classrooms safe and secure are important priorities.”

NUS added that it is “mindful to minimise disruptions and safeguard the safety, security and privacy of our students and staff who are studying, working or living on campus”.

The new visitor programme will be up and running for the summer vacation season from late July 2024.

Until then, NUS said it will consult stakeholders and members of its community, including student leaders and its student union. It will also reach out to travel agencies to work out operational details such as tour registration, visitor routes and other arrangements, with the new measures announced when ready.

‘Cultural nuances’

A circular released by NTU on Feb 1, addressed to travel operators, laid out measures regarding planned tours on its campus. This included entry fees, registration of tours and allocated time slots for approved group sizes.

An NTU spokesman told The Straits Times on Feb 6 that “the primary purpose of the NTU campus is to provide a conducive learning environment for our students, and the needs of our students must come first”, noting that “having too many visitors can be disruptive to our students’ learning”.

“All visitors are expected to strictly observe campus rules, including no-stopping zones for vehicles, and visitors must keep to only public areas. No access will be allowed to restricted academic areas,” said the spokesman.

In a follow-up response from NTU on Feb 8, the university said it would be deploying additional security personnel across its campus and increasing the frequency of cleaning at essential facilities.

The entry fees it implemented are “needed to defray the additional costs necessary to ensure the safety and security of everyone, and also to ensure that our learning environment is not disrupted”. Visitor groups will be restricted to pre-approved public areas, and groups that do not have prior approval will be turned away by security personnel.

“Internal shuttle buses are intended for the NTU community to get around the campus, and not for use by members of the public. There are SBS Transit buses that the public can ride around the NTU campus,” it said.

Speaking to ST on Feb 6, Ms Annie Chang, director of travel agents and tourist guides at Singapore Tourism Board (STB), said that the board “does not promote educational institutions as tourist attractions”.

“The interest to visit these university campuses underscores our universities being reputable and respected worldwide,” said Ms Chang, adding that STB encourages tour operators to “incorporate interesting elements to showcase the diverse offerings in Singapore where feasible, while complying with the stipulated policies of the premises”.

Tour operators ST spoke to said that they do receive requests from clients to include visits to universities in Singapore as part of their travel itinerary.

Mr Law Yock Song, head of partnerships and business development at Tribe Tours, attributed such requests to cultural nuances, saying that these visits can “inspire school-going children to aspire to strive hard and gain admission into the school”.

Mr Law said the steps taken by NTU were a “positive move”, as they would help to better manage crowds and avoid disturbance to classes on campus.

“The universities are not attractions and should not be subjected to busloads of visitors,” he said.

However, the cultural nuances behind the interest in visiting educational institutes “remain deeply rooted”, and Mr Law acknowledged that it was difficult to say whether fees would impact such visits.

Mr Melvin Lee, chief executive and director of educational consultant Flying Chalks, attributed the interest in Singapore’s universities to curiosity. “Visitors want to have a glimpse of how one of the world’s top universities looks like and operates, just like how Singaporeans may be keen to see how Harvard and Oxford are,” he said, adding that his clients range from schools and private groups to corporations and even foreign government entities from all around the world.

Mr Lee said NTU’s measures were a step in the right direction. He also hopes that “universities will not overreact and impose overly restrictive guidelines and processes as visitors can add value to the school and its students”.