Network Programmes

U21 Summer School

 

The U21 Summer School provides opportunities for students from different disciplines to interact and share ideas on different topics.  Each year, the summer school is built on a different theme, as decided by the host university.  This thematic approach introduces participants to topics of importance to the host university and allows the sharing of different perspectives by international and local students.

NUS hosted the inaugural U21 Summer School in 2004, with the theme “Global Technology Entrepreneurship”.  A total of 90 students and 21 faculty advisors from participating universities got together to discuss the process of translating a technological invention into a commercially viable product or service in the market place.  The Summer School also incorporated a business plan competition and symposium featuring prominent entrepreneurs and academic scholars. 

Information on past Summer Schools is available on the U21 website.

U21 Summer School 2013

‘Human Rights’

Venue: University of Connecticut, USA
Date: 7 - 19 July 2013

Program Description & Objectives

The International Relations Office (IRO) invites applications from NUS undergraduates in their 2nd or 3rd year (except graduating students) to participate in the upcoming U21 Summer School, hosted by the University of Connecticut, USA, from 7 – 19 July 2013.

This year’s theme focuses on ‘Human Rights’: its place in our world at the beginning of the 21st century.

U21 Summer School 2013 will engage students in lectures, discussions and archival research on the origins and issues of the contemporary human rights system. Students will be provided with the opportunity to examine some of the key issues and controversies in contemporary human rights scholarship. The programme also includes fieldtrips to the United Nations Headquarters and major human rights NGO offices in New York City, as well as hands-on experiences with local human rights agencies and activists in Connecticut.

Up to five outstanding NUS undergraduate students will be selected to attend the Summer School. IRO is pleased to provide financial support to successful candidates, to offset the cost of registration fee and airfare.

More information on the U21 Summer School 2013 is available at the U21 website.

Program Schedule

The program schedule will be provided by the host to participants at a later date.

Program Expenses

There is a registration fee of USD 945 per person for the Summer School. This fee will cover shared accommodation, meals and fieldtrips. Participants will need to pay an additional charge if they choose single-room accommodation.

The financial support from IRO will help to offset the registration fee (that will be paid directly by IRO to the Summer School host) and return airfare. Participants are responsible for the arrangement of air travel to and from Storrs, Connecticut, application of visa (if applicable) and other miscellaneous costs such as local transportation and food. It is highly recommended that participants purchase travel insurance before their departure.

Accommodation

Information on accommodation will be provided by the host to participants at a later date.  

Application Criteria

The U21 Summer School 2013 is open to full-time NUS undergraduate students in their 2nd or 3rd year (except graduating students).

The interdisciplinary and multidisciplinary approach of the Summer School allows students from any faculty / school / discipline to apply. Students should see this as an opportunity to engage with a diverse group of students from other U21 member universities, discuss the issues relating to human rights and explore the culture and landscape of the State of Connecticut.

Successful applicants should possess a good command of the English language, be thoughtful and mature in their outlook and be able to act as effective ambassadors of NUS.

Application Process

Students interested in applying for the U21 Summer School 2013 must complete and submit the application form along with the relevant documents to u21@nus.edu.sg by Thursday, 7 March 2013.

Shortlisted candidates will be contacted to attend an interview to be scheduled during the week of 18 – 22 March 2013, unless otherwise notified. Final decisions will be made by 25 March 2013.

Visa Application

Students are responsible for acquiring their own visa. Visit the US embassy website for visa information.

About Universitas 21

Universitas 21 (U21) is an international network of leading research-intensive universities. Its vision is to foster global citizenship and institutional innovation through research-inspired teaching and learning, student mobility, connecting our students and staff, and wider advocacy for internationalization.  For more information on U21, please visit: www.universitas21.com.