SINGAPORE — In an innovative move to enhance the visitor experience and maintain the serenity of its campus, the National University of Singapore (NUS) has embarked on a pilot initiative that’s turning heads.
From August 5 to September 30, 2024, NUS will be paying 40 students to serve as ambassadors, leading guided tours and educating foreign visitors on campus etiquette.
NUS pilot program
This pilot program is a direct response to the growing influx of tourists, who are drawn to NUS’s reputation as a world-class university with state-of-the-art facilities and a modern environment. The university’s popularity on social media platforms has only fueled this trend, with posts promoting paid guided tours to areas such as the UTown campus, central library, and museum.
Associate Professor Daniel Goh, a key figure in this initiative, emphasized that NUS is an “open, porous, and inclusive campus” that caters to a diverse range of individuals, including students, educators, and industry partners, in addition to visitors. To manage the increasing visitor traffic and disruptions, especially in the NUS University Town (UTown), the university has unveiled its Pop-up Visitor Centre initiative.
This two-month pilot involves 40 undergraduate students who have been trained as student ambassadors. They will be engaged and compensated under the NUS Student Work Scheme, wearing a teal tee when on duty and deployed on weekdays during working hours at the Stephen Riady Centre. Their primary role is to lead guided tours around UTown, offering tourists a glimpse into campus life.
These tours can be booked by travel agents licensed by the Singapore Tourism Board and will follow a curated route to manage tourist movements, congestion, and disruptions. In the first two weeks of the pilot, the student ambassadors have already led over 25 tour groups and around 500 tourists.
Students educating foreign visitors
Beyond leading tours, the ambassadors are also tasked with engaging smaller groups of tourists or addressing large groups led by independent guides, educating them on visitor guidelines and etiquette. They are also gathering information and understanding the work of these guides as the school continues to evaluate possible future measures.
“We are mindful of ensuring a conducive learning environment for our students and keeping our facilities safe and secure,” Goh said, adding that multiple NUS departments have been working closely to implement targeted measures.
These measures include reminding students and staff not to use their card access to help visitors gain entry to restricted areas, working with licensed tourist guides and travel agents to communicate the school’s visiting guidelines, increasing the frequency of internal shuttle buses, ensuring priority boarding for staff and students during peak hours, monitoring food court and canteen crowdedness, selectively implementing non-access to visitors during peak hours, and enforcing ground surveillance to prevent trespassing into off-limits areas.
Concerns and issues
The initiative has sparked discussions on platforms like Reddit, where some users have expressed concerns about the impact of campus tourism on their safety and security. Issues such as tourists not clearing their tables and attempting to board buses despite clear signs have been highlighted.
Despite these challenges, NUS’s pilot program appears to be a step towards balancing the needs of its diverse community with the growing interest in its campus. As the university continues to refine its approach, it remains committed to providing an enriching experience for both its students and visitors.