Bangkok internship, exchange in London: Singapore students explore ASEAN, China beyond the West

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.

The 20-year-old, who worked at a Thai influencer agency, said she grew her professional network there, with a supervisor’s guidance.

Ms Lee, who landed the opportunity through Ngee Ann Polytechnic’s (NP) Global Entrepreneurial Internship Programme, is now setting her sights on Europe as she prepares for university.

“The culture in Europe is different from cultures in South-east Asia, so if I were given the opportunity, I would definitely go,” said the third-year student.

The self-described film enthusiast is particularly drawn to Ireland – the setting of one of her favourite films, The Banshees Of Inisherin – and admires its strong sense of culture and tradition.

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.

These include exchange programmes, internships and community service trips.

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.

Local institutions told The Straits Times that demand for overseas stints – including those in the region – has risen in recent years, driven in part by pent-up interest after the pandemic.

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.

A Singapore Management University (SMU) spokesperson said many students join two to three overseas stints.

“While Europe has long been a preferred choice, we have seen strong and growing interest in North Asia and ASEAN in recent years,” she said.

Overseas exposure has been a graduation requirement for SMU since 2018.

“This reflects a clear shift in student mindset. They are not choosing between regions but seeking complementary exposure – gaining perspectives from both established Western contexts and fast-growing Asian markets to better prepare for global and regional careers,” she added.

Singapore Polytechnic’s deputy principal (development) Tan Yen Yen, who has observed a similar trend, said: “The dual exposure results in graduates who are comfortable in Western environments whilst understanding Asian markets and cultural nuances – essential qualities for Singapore’s position in the global economy.”

In the years ahead, the IHLs plan to expand regional opportunities and encourage even more students to take up such stints – in line with the national 70-70 target – to tap Asia’s growing economy.

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.

Students are encouraged to plan for both short- and long-term exposure.

“ASEAN countries are generally less popular among students for semester exchange due to proximity and limited availability of courses in English,” he said.

“NTU 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.”

Nearly half of NTU’s 2025 graduating cohort had at least one overseas stint. Of the cohort, 18 per cent went to ACI countries.

For 2026, this is projected to rise to 53 per cent with overseas exposure, with a quarter in ACI.

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.

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.

NP’s careers and global immersion director Fong Pin Fen said such stints give students first-hand exposure to fast-growing regional markets vital to Singapore’s economic future.

She said businesses increasingly seek talent who understand regional practices, cultural nuances and cross-border collaboration.

Seeing value in the region

In December 2023, NTU communication studies student Brighton Lim, 24, took on a three-week attachment in Cambodia, supporting an investment company’s engagement and outreach efforts.

The work stint – his first visit to the country – gave him a deeper understanding of Cambodia, which he initially thought was “dangerous”.

“It was only when I went there myself that I found that it actually is not as bad as people always say,” he said.

He was also struck by the locals’ strong drive and willingness to work hard.

The third-year student, who also did a three-week exchange in Chongqing, China, in December 2024, said these experiences have broadened his perspectives on career paths. He also sees greater value in opportunities within the fast-growing region.

“In Singapore, we always think about the conventional route... Go to a local company, then we just work until we get promoted,” he said, adding that he is now open to relocating overseas for work.

Mr Lim said such exposure cannot be replicated in the classroom. “You need to talk to the locals to be able to know exactly how it feels working or living in that particular country.”

He is now considering a two-week programme in entrepreneurship and innovation at a university in Vietnam.

Learning beyond the textbook

NUS student Lee Jie Yu, 22, immersed herself in marine conservation and coastal communities during a month-long trip to Bali and Lombok in 2025.

The trip was part of NUS College’s (NUSC) Global Experience programme, which offers mainly NUSC students specially curated courses in both the Global North and South-east Asia.

The water sports enthusiast had seen the damage caused by people picking at the coral reefs when diving in Tioman, Malaysia, sparking a desire to tackle the problem.

In Bali and Lombok, the third-year law student learnt from the practices of local communities. One example was the use of traditional spear fishing, which minimises damage to corals, compared with commercial fishing methods, which are more destructive.

While the experience may not seem directly tied to her legal training, she said it helped her see how competing interests play out in the real world.

“Seeing (such tensions) beyond the classroom or textbooks is quite interesting because energy disputes or land disputes will continue to be something that the 21st century will be seeing,” she added.

Learning through discomfort

In July 2025, Mr Mohammad Emir Hariq Mohd Hasri, 18, spent four days at a kindergarten in Hue, Vietnam.

The second-year ITE student pursuing a higher Nitec in event management led English-language class activities and helped rebuild the school’s playground.

The project involved working with locals and physical labour. “We had to dig up all the dirt, pluck out all the roots that were growing in the dirt, and replace it with cement to make the ground flatter and safer for the children,” he said.

This pushed him out of his comfort zone.

“I have more confidence now, so I feel like if I were given the opportunity to visit whichever country, I would really like to adapt to the way they do things,” he said.

A renewed outlook on life

For NP’s Ms Lee, living abroad left her with personal insights, including a rekindled love for music.

“In Bangkok, there’s a lot more spaces dedicated to bands, music, and the arts, (unlike) in Singapore, where it’s generally tougher to find such spaces,” she said.

Experiencing the Thai way of life – including learning the phrase “sabai sabai” (relax in Thai) – also prompted her to reassess priorities.

“I really like the idea of being content with my life instead of always trying to seek out new greatness, new adventures, so that was one of the biggest things I learnt in Thailand.”