Spread across 19ha, the National University of Singapore’s (NUS) University Town (UTown) serves as a major hub for NUS students and faculty. Opened in August 2011, the first residential college here boasts spaces and facilities designed to enable students to foster closer ties with their peers and teachers.

Besides classrooms and arts and sports facilities, a host of retail amenities can be found at UTown. These include a bookshop, cafes, restaurants, food courts, a pharmacy, a sports shop and a mini-mart. UTown also hosts Singapore’s largest Starbucks cafe, making it a great place to hang out, Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong quipped at the college’s official opening yesterday.

UTown’s four undergraduate residential colleges and a graduate residence will together house more than 4,000 students from diverse backgrounds.

Beyond enhancing students’ learning environment, UTown will also facilitate community engagement and active citizenry.

For instance, through the Capstone Programme, students from the College of Alice and Peter Tan collaborated with ITE College Central and the Wellness Centre at Teck Ghee Community Club to develop a Healthy Eating programme for 100 seniors.

A total of 1,800 students currently reside at UTown’s residences, and NUS says it will expand the residential-college programme progressively over the next few years. Amir Hussain