Learning Outside the Classroom
RVRC places a strong emphasis on outdoor education, grounded in experiential learning and environmental stewardship. This focus is integrated into our academic modules and serves as the foundation for our experiential learning activities beyond the academic curriculum. All RVRC students are encouraged to participate in a variety of outdoor learning experiences to engage with diverse causes, enrich their learning journey, and become active members of society. Consequently, we offer our students a range of local and overseas opportunities to learn and participate in.
RVRC Overseas Courses
RVC and RVN Overseas Courses
RVRC is committed to creating meaningful and impactful outdoor learning experiences beyond Singapore’s shores. The college offers two credit-bearing overseas courses integrated into the RVRC curriculum, as part of the NUS Southeast Asian Friendship Initiative (SFI). These courses take students on a curated journey of discovery and sustainable living through a 10-day overseas immersion component. Students may fulfil their requirements for the RVC and RVN pillars by reading these courses, offered during the Special Term:
- RVC2000 Culture and Sustainability in Southeast Asia (East Malaysia and West Malaysia)
- RVN2002 Wild Asia: Conservation Matters (Malaysia)
RVRC Outdoor Programmes
RVRC Coastal and Mangrove Cleanups
RVRC organizes Coastal and Mangrove Cleanups at various locations in Singapore, such as Sungei Buloh Wetland Reserve and Tanah Merah Beach, in collaboration with external partners. This activity provides RVRC students with the opportunity to witness firsthand the challenges and impacts of marine debris. Students also collect data on the different types and volumes of marine debris that accumulate on Singapore's shores. The Coastal and Mangrove Cleanups contribute to the protection of dwindling mangrove areas, and participants learn about the importance of mangroves as habitats, natural barriers, and protectors of shorelines.
RVRC Chestnut Park Reforestation Programme
The RVRC Chestnut Park Reforestation Programme is a collaborative effort between RVRC staff, students, and NParks, aimed at enhancing the habitat and biodiversity of Chestnut Nature Park. This initiative is part of the broader Million Tree Initiative, which seeks to plant one million trees across Singapore to improve urban greenery and ecological resilience. As part of the programme, RVRC organizes public engagement workshops that educate participants about the importance of reforestation and biodiversity conservation. These workshops provide valuable insights into the ecological significance of native tree species, the role of forests in mitigating climate change, and the benefits of urban green spaces for community well-being.
RVRC Heritage Walks
This series of visits to conservation zones, museums, and heritage buildings invites students to examine their relationship with cultural heritage in Singapore. Students have the opportunity to observe the numerous drivers of change in urban settings that threaten heritage conservation, with the objective of enhancing their interest in and exposure to local heritage. An additional objective is to foster interaction within the college community by providing a platform for students to explore the city together and engage with each other.
RVRC Kayak and Clean
This project addresses the global issue of marine litter, with approximately 8 trillion tonnes of plastics being dumped annually. Marine debris in the ocean ecosystem inevitably causes detrimental impacts, such as the entanglement of wildlife and the ingestion of microplastics by humans. This clean-up effort focuses on the aquatic ecosystem and utilizes kayaks to access hard-to-reach areas around Singapore's waterways and nearby islands. These areas contain significant amounts of marine debris due to their inaccessibility. Through this series of clean-ups, students learn about ocean pollution, the importance of the mangrove ecosystem, and develop a deeper appreciation of nature, aligning with RVRC’s focus on sustainability.
RVRC Leopard Cat Quest
Have you ever seen a leopard cat? The Leopard Cat is the only wild cat remaining in Singapore and is nationally critically endangered. Leopard Cats are known to inhabit Pulau Ubin, Pulau Tekong, the Central Catchment Nature Reserve, and the Western Catchment. Given that Leopard Cats are nocturnal and shy, spotting one is not easy. In conjunction with SWAG, students walk Pulau Ubin’s rustic kampong lanes and forested areas in the silent, cool night, searching for the shine of Leopard Cat eyes. The walks also offer the opportunity to encounter the Greater Mousedeer, Common Palm Civet, sleeping birds, moths, bats, snakes, and mangrove wildlife.
Joining the RVRC Leopard Cat Quest is not only exciting but also helps to raise funds for MYCAT, the Malaysian Conservation Alliance for Tigers' community ranger project, which protects the wild Malayan tiger and its habitat.
RVRC Walk for Rice
The RVRC community has been organizing an annual college walk across the Southern Ridges since 2015. Spanning over 8 kilometers, the walk begins at the RVRC Lawn and ends at Mount Faber, involving both staff and students. This effort is part of the Kent Ridge Walk for Rice initiative, where an external partner donates 2 bowls of rice to underprivileged families for every 200 meters walked by a participant. The college has been able to contribute approximately 18,000 bowls of rice each year.
RV Intertidal Walk & Clean
This program aims to develop environmental stewardship and students’ connectedness to nature through guided nature walks at various intertidal zones. Students visit nearby islands, such as Pulau Hantu and Kusu Island, as well as mainland shorelines, to explore the unique habitats and multitude of organisms that can only be accessed during low tides. Coupled with a beach clean-up, students recognize the impact of marine pollution on the ecosystems existing in these intertidal zones.
Student Reflections
Ko Shi Jie - RVRC Coastal and Mangrove Cleanups
"The most memorable observation of today’s Coastal and Mangrove Cleanup was watching the otter disturbing the crocodile, because it has nothing better to do! I also learnt that plastic constitutes the majority of the waste we create, but we spent the most time picking up styrofoam which breaks into thousands of tiny pieces when it floats in the ocean :("
Khoo Wei Zhi - RVRC Walk for Rice
"I think it's a meaningful campaign as it can get people to stay active, enjoy the outdoors and destress while doing it for a good cause. I feel happy that we managed to attract so many of our RVRC residents to take time out of their hectic schedules to come for our walks. I hope that this campaign has introduced hiking to the participants and will encourage them to continue to be active in the upcoming semester."
Lo Mei Hui - RVRC Kayak and Clean
"RVRC Kayak and Clean pushed me out of my comfort zone while creating unforgettable memories with my friends. Simpang trail was a serene and scenic journey that allowed me to reconnect with nature and slow my footsteps. I learnt more about the biodiversity at Sungei Simpang, such as the little mangrove box jellyfish. When we first landed on Simpang beach, I was expecting to find only a few pieces of rubbish as the island seemed rather far away from the mainland. However, to my astonishment, we collected more than 6 kg of rubbish in a short span of 10 minutes. Styrofoam pieces were entangled in plants and embedded in sand, making it tedious to pick out yet so insidious to animals. It dawned upon me how our everyday mindless actions have such long-lasting and distant impacts. Who would know where those pieces of rubbish floated from? "
Om Maity - RVRC Leopard Cat Quest
"If it wasn't for the fact that we were allowed to use flashlights, this would have given me PTSD from night walks in NS. Fortunately, my night walk in Pulau Ubin gave me a fresh new perspective and outlook on dear mother nature. You'd think that being alone on an island in the middle of the night with no light would be grounds for the start of a horror movie, but instead, everything felt surreal. Everything was quiet. Everything was peaceful. Being disconnected from your sight allows you to focus on the rest of your senses... the sound of the crickets… the fresh scent of air… the cooling wind gently brushing against your skin. While it sounds cliche, I really felt more connected to the world than ever before. Part of the reason we went on this trip, was to try and search for the leopard cat in Pulau Ubin, but along the way, our guides from @swag.cat.sg taught us about every nook and cranny of every species we came across. Part of the proceeds went towards the conservation of the Malayan tiger which is currently critically endangered, so even there, I felt like I made a small contribution. I would encourage anyone who has never explored Ubin at night to engage in the Leopard Cat Quest. You'll experience something new and also help conserve the Malayan tiger."
Sara Yamamura: RVRC Heritage Walks
“I have participated in all the RVRC Heritage Walks, which were meaningful to me. Many exchange students tend to spend their free time with people from the same country, but these walks helped me socialise and make friends with people from other countries, including Singapore. Together, we visited and explored places that international students usually do not know about, and we learnt so much about the local religions, diverse arts, and culture through these walks. Through these walks, my understanding and appreciation of Singapore heritage has also deepened.”
Arya Muthukumar - RVN2002 Wild Asia: conservation matters
"At first being thrown into the jungle on our first trek was mostly nerve wracking, as I found it scary not knowing what I was walking into and not knowing what was out there. But with every trek that we went on, I became more comfortable and safe in the forest, starting to notice the beauty in nature - from the sun peeking through the canopy illuminating the forest floor, to the butterflies flying around as we walked along and so much more that I found ethereal. From a scary hike at the onset emerged an enjoyable trek that allowed me to appreciate the goodness in nature. On top of that, being surrounded by people who also cared for the environment including the guides, my classmates and the locals we met - especially the Orang Asli communities - immersed me in a space that allowed me to be more attuned with nature and appreciate all the nature around me."
