A world map connecting Vancouver and Singapore

The Liveable City: A Comparative Exposition

Learning beyond borders and bridging lessons from Vancouver and Singapore

"The Liveable City" UBC-NUS Summer Program

This unique program is co-hosted by the National University of Singapore (NUS) and the University of British Columbia (UBC). 

A field trip of students cluster around a plant tower in an urban greenhouse
The students tour City Sprouts at Henderson, in Singapore

You'll work collaboratively in mixed teams from UBC and NUS, gaining a deeper understanding of how Planning theory and practices manifest similarly and differently in two cities of the Asia-Pacific region. 

Through this collaboration, students:
  • Develop international perspectives
  • Interact with a network of local experts, including academics, practitioners, and community leaders
  • Have the chance to find mentorship, cross-cultural connections, and discourse on urban liveability

The full compendium on 2024's insights and successes

More insights from the 2024 program

Some past students on their experience

"This program has furthered my appreciation and interest in urban planning a lot. It has made me look past comparison as a way of saying one city is better than the other but instead as a way for each city to learn from each other and to show that due to differences in context, cities need to approach planning issues differently. Livability is a complex issue and in the past year, I have been working towards defining what a livable city means to me. This program has expanded my understanding of livability and blue-green urbanism greatly and also, my interest in both sectors. I hope to use this program to inspire me to travel more to experience how different cities in different contexts deal with urban planning issues. For my future, I think I would like to attempt to pursue more academics in urban planning. I think that this opportunity was truly special and I am beyond grateful to have been a participant in this program."

"Looking back, the aspect of the program that has had an immediate impact on my academic development is the hands-on, field-based approach to learning. The combination of theoretical lectures and real-world field trips provided a comprehensive understanding of urban issues and solutions. Being able to actually interact with animals, try out different plants, and see different urban agricultural setups in action made the concepts come alive in a way that purely classroom-based learning could not. This direct engagement not only solidified my understanding of sustainable practices but also inspired me to think creatively about their application in urban environments, thereby enhancing my academic focus and research interests."

"Working with UBC and non-UBC students from various disciplines on a time-sensitive project was challenging and rewarding. I felt that I was able to further develop my active listening, conflict resolution, decision-making, and leadership skills. This was incredibly valuable as being a good collaborator is important both academically and professionally."

"Ultimately, I feel that the social and collaborative aspect of the course helped me to mature and evolve as a student. This program was my first global study/study abroad program, and being with the entire group for the duration of the trip was a great benefit. I made lasting friendships and had a lot of fun both touring around on field trips, and the socialization that occurred at lunch, or after the program."

A field trip of students clustered around a model of a city
The students visit Punggol, Singapore's first "eco-town"

How does it work?

Students work collaboratively in mixed UBC-NUS teams to examine urban policies and practices in both Vancouver and Singapore.

  • UBC students will travel to Singapore to join their NUS counterparts.
  • NUS students will travel to Vancouver to join their UBC counterparts.

The program culminates with a digital compendium of comparative studies, collaboratively produced by the UBC-NUS student teams.

Components
Lectures

Specially curated series of talks featuring academics and industry professionals who shared both theoretical and practical knowledge. 

Field Trips

Visits to key sites in Vancouver and Singapore, where students observed blue-green urbanism in action and met with local stakeholders, including government officials, urban planners, and community leaders. 

Studio Project

Collaborative studio sessions where teams discuss and develop their comparative study of liveability. These teams are encouraged to approach the project with an open mind, ready to explore and experiment. It all culminates in a final presentation.

Details

  • UBC course: PLAN 448A (3 credits) | Summer Term 1
  • Learn more and apply (when applications open) at UBC's Go Global webpage on PLAN 448A!

Learn more and apply

Poster of presentation, "Food Security", featuring man tending crops

Student project, "The Role of Urban Agriculture in Food Security"; by Kenji Johnson (UBC), Natalie Au (UBC), Fenghua Wang (NUS), and Kaena Sutanu (NUS)

The creation of sustainable environments promoting well-being of residents by providing built infrastructure and initiatives that benefit both humans and the environment.

Poster of presentation, "Cultivating Play", featuring urban playground

Student project, "Cultivating Play"; by Anthony Tristan Wasalathantrige Don (UBC), Carly Dargatz (UBC), Nadia Shiqi Kuan (NUS), Barry Jiayu (NUS)

Frameworks for lived experiences, quality of life, and urban integration with nature overlook aspects of accessibility that contribute to utilisation and enjoyment of urban spaces.

Poster for presentation, Humanising Blue-Green Urbanism, with collage of life forms

Student project, "Humanising Blue-Green Urbanism"; by Gurleen Bhatti (UBC), Chiu Long Kwan Ryan (UBC), Lim Wei Xiang (NUS), Winnie Chia (NUS)

Grounding place-making and community-building practices in active, accessible, and functional public spaces in order to cultivate a culture of wellness, care, and strong civic governance.

Poster to presentation, Increasing Affordances & Connectivity to Water, showing almost futuristically urban waterfront

Student project, "Increasing Affordances & Connectivity to Water"; by Alastair Quon (UBC), Vivienne Lin (UBC), Aaliyaa Shu Qi Omar Marcus Tan (NUS), Sayyid Narith Bin Mohd Haron (NUS)

Affordability disparities in water-based recreational activities undermine the goal of achieving an equitable liveable city.

Poster of presentation, Urban Haven, showing neatly-organised urban infrastructure

Student project, "Urban Haven"; by Matthew Chen (UBC), Leung Man Yui (Jeffrey) (UBC), Beatrice Tiong Jia Yin (NUS), Radhakrishnan Srivarshini (NUS)

A framework to address the gap in the quantified relationship between blue-green urbanism and liveability in public residential developments in cities.

Poster to presentation featuring messy grassy area in front of hyper-urban area

Student project, "Blue-Green Waterfront Developments"; by Benjamin Torry (UBC), Naton Ting (UBC), Reanna Lei Francisco (NUS), and Lee Xin Ze Zann (NUS)

Improvements to environmental quality often lead to increased cost of living and socio-economic segregation along the waterfront, affecting how people can interact and benefit from blue-green infrastructure.

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