Five Asia University (Asia University) Nursing Students Embark on Cross-Cultural International Internship in Singapore to Deepen Professional Perspectives and Enhance Global Mobility
This summer, five third-year students from the Department of Nursing at Asia University, supported by the university’s in-house programs and funding, traveled to Nanyang Polytechnic (NYP) in Singapore for a one-month “Multicultural Healthcare” overseas internship and co-learning program. During the program, students actively engaged with Singaporean community care centers and empowerment villages, participating in hands-on community nursing and caregiving. The experience not only broadened their professional horizons but also strengthened their international mobility skills.
Professor Hsiao-Hsuan Wu, Dean of the College of Nursing, stated that NYP’s School of Nursing is a long-standing sister institution of Asia University under an MOU. Since 2023, under the planning of Assistant Professor Ching-Yung Chieh, both schools have organized student and faculty exchanges and internships, aiming to enhance professional competencies and foster cross-cultural healthcare capabilities. In October, NYP will send six students to Asia University for the third consecutive year to participate in a three-week “Smart Healthcare Observership Program” organized by Asia University, continuing to strengthen bilateral exchanges.
During the Singapore internship, Asia University students gained hands-on experience at KYDZ International LLP, SG Enable Village, and St. Hilda’s Community Service Center. The program included eight days of practical training at St. Hilda’s, where students worked alongside local community nurses on home visits and community nursing activities. Students reflected, “In a community rich with diverse ethnicities and cultures, we observed how Singaporean community nurses implement health promotion, education, and care, helping us understand how cross-cultural care is applied in practice.”
At SG Enable Village, students experienced Singapore’s comprehensive support system for people with disabilities, participating in vocational training ranging from culinary and domestic skills to the arts. They also assisted with employment assessments and job matching, gaining insight into the integrated healthcare and community service model.
Additionally, Asia University students joined simulation-based learning at NYP’s professional skills lab, using high-fidelity equipment to strengthen clinical nursing skills. They paired with local students as buddies to take advanced nursing courses, experiencing the integration of foundational university education with professional training. Students remarked that this international nursing internship not only expanded their professional abilities but also deepened their understanding and commitment to global nursing practice.
