Overseas Immersion & Cultural Experience

Overseas Immersion & Cross-cultural Experience

In Catholic High, we strive to develop the cultural intelligence of our students through authentic and situated learning. Authentic learning for world-readiness can take the form of our students going on experiential learning and internships, and this can be greatly enhanced through immersion in an overseas context, engaging other cultures and making a positive impact on the lives of people around the world.

Objectives

These overseas immersion trip aim to:

• Nurture students’ Cultural Intelligence (e.g. global awareness, cross-cultural skills and sensitivities) and world-readiness;
• Expose students to transformation and progress in Asia and around the world, and sensitise them to the place of Singapore in the world; and
• Provide platforms and opportunities for students to work collaborative and learn through real-life experiences and problem-solving, while communicating their learning effectively and clearly to others.

Our school leverages stakeholders and community such as alumni experts to provide support, advice and resources, especially in the area of overseas cultural experiences, industrial visits and attachments. Our students have travelled to China, Japan, Thailand, USA, United Kingdom, Vietnam and other countries for immersion. In turn, we have forged collaborations and partnerships with overseas schools, and our students have hosted teacher and/or students from China, Taiwan and Japan for immersion in our school.

Types of Cultural Immersion

We offer 3 main types of cultural immersion trips and hosting programmes:

1. Special interests and talent development 
   • students can travel to countries such as USA, UK, Japan and Hong Kong SAR for learning and exposure associated with global and localised development in Western and East Asian countries in areas of technologies, politics, economics, and the arts.
2. Bilingualism and World Readiness 
   • students can travel to places such as China, Taiwan, Vietnam and Thailand for learning and exposure associated with the cultural, economic and political formation of East Asia and ASEAN.
3. Character and leadership development 
   • students can travel to places such as Vietnam and Thailand for service learning through Values-in-Action (VIA) programmes and projects.

Immersion Destinations

• Our school leverages stakeholders and the community such as alumni experts to provide support, advice and resources, especially in the area of overseas cultural experiences, industrial visits and attachments.
• Our students have travelled to China, Germany, Japan, Thailand, United States of America, United Kingdom, Vietnam and other places for immersion.
• In turn, we have forged collaborations and partnerships with overseas schools, and our students have hosted teacher and/or students from China, Taiwan and Japan for immersion in our school.
• We work with several schools in Nanjing, Suzhou, Osaka, and Taipei for immersion, for examples Toyonaka High School in Osaka (大阪府立豊中高等学校), Nanjing Hong Guang Middle School (南京市弘光中学), Suzhou Jinji Lake School (苏州工业园区金鸡湖学校), Taipei Municipal Jianguo High School (台北市立建国高级中学) and Taipei Municipal Zhongshan Junior High School (臺北市立中山國民中學).

Photos from some of the overseas immersion trips undertaken by our students:

(Below) Visiting Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency’s Tsukuba Space Center, located in Tsukuba Science City

(Below) Visiting Washington DC (USA), with the White House in the background

(Below) Visiting Hong Kong Science Park

(Below) Visiting the Great Wall in Beijing as part of BSP immersion trip

(Below) Learning to plant rice in Vietnam, and appreciate the value of labour and rice (“谁知盘中餐，粒粒皆辛苦”)

(Below) Learning together with Japanese students in Toyonaka High School (Osaka)