Global exposure open to local scholars

In “Expose S’pore scholars to foreign ideas, cultures” (Sept 24), the writer opines that local undergraduates are not as exposed (to foreign ideas, cultures) as our overseas undergraduate scholars are. I beg to differ.

With global mobility and collaboration, our universities have extensive networks now with other top-notch universities and provide students with exchange opportunities for six months to a year, to study or do an internship, even in Silicon Valley via the National University of Singapore College there.

Singapore’s varsity system has strong, instructive elements that the Public Service Commission can build upon too, namely, the Lee Kuan Yew School of Public Policy. Scholars could be asked to enrol in courses from the school that would be tailored to their careers.

It is a highly regarded school, geared internationally while having expertise in indigenous public administration. This could be advantageous to a public scholar’s learning curve.

The question is whether spending four years versus one year overseas as an undergraduate would make a difference. Fortunately, in a globalised world, ideas and cultures can permeate into our society from outside.

I would suggest that scholars spend three-quarters of their undergraduate education locally or, for instance, pursue a one-year postgraduate degree overseas.

This would save our nation money and boost the status of our varsities locally, while providing our future civil servants a balanced educational landscape of local and global dimensions.