The National University of Singapore has received the MSF Outstanding Partner Award 2026 for its community service and social inclusion efforts, becoming the first Institute of Higher Learning in Singapore to earn the recognition. Since 2022, more than 1,100 NUS students have contributed over 20,000 volunteer hours through GEN2070 Community Link (ComLink) Befrienders, making the university the largest single organisational contributor to the national initiative.
Key facts
- NUS received the MSF Outstanding Partner Award 2026 on 3 November 2026.
- The university is the first Institute of Higher Learning in Singapore to receive the award.
- More than 1,100 NUS students have contributed over 20,000 volunteer hours since 2022 through GEN2070 ComLink Befrienders.
- GEN2070 was launched in August 2022 under NUS’ Communities & Engagement General Education pillar.
- NUS introduced GEN2072 Enable Inclusive Communities SG in August 2026 with SG Enable.
What does this mean for NUS students and the families they support?
The award highlights how NUS has built community service into student life through credit-bearing and long-term service-learning programmes. Students in GEN2070 work with lower-income families over a year, helping with areas such as children’s studies and encouragement for parents pursuing their goals. The university says more than 340 students enrolled as befrienders in 2025.
The practical impact extends beyond volunteering hours. NUS says the model gives families immediate support while equipping students with empathy, resilience and civic responsibility. It also broadens the university’s partnerships, including work with SG Enable to bring students and persons with disabilities together through GEN2072, and other programmes supporting youth at the Singapore Boys’ Home and Singapore Girls’ Home.
Why was NUS recognised by MSF?
NUS was recognised for sustained efforts to support lower-income families and promote social inclusion. The university said its partnership with the Ministry of Social and Family Development mobilises students, staff and alumni to drive social mobility for ComLink+ families and support the aspirations of persons with disabilities.
Within that effort, GEN2070 stands out as the first service-learning collaboration of its kind between MSF and an Institute of Higher Learning. Students are paired with families for year-long befriending, allowing relationships to develop over time rather than through one-off service activities.
How the service-learning model works
One example cited by NUS involved final-year Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences student Leticia Peh, who supported a family with deaf parents and a teenage child. After learning basic sign language at NUS, she kept in contact with the family after the course and later connected them with a social worker during her internship at the Singapore Association for the Deaf.
NUS said its service-learning approach is meant to turn the community into a classroom. The university described the model as one that helps families and persons with disabilities while giving students practical experience in inclusion, communication and civic responsibility.
What comes next for NUS community programmes?
NUS says it will continue strengthening community partnerships and exploring ways to provide sustained support to people in need. Its broader NUS Cares movement includes student groups, staff and alumni, alongside newer initiatives such as GEN2072 Enable Inclusive Communities SG, which began in August 2026 with SG Enable.
The university’s award reflects a growing emphasis on long-term engagement rather than one-time volunteering. With more than 20,000 volunteer hours already logged through GEN2070, NUS has positioned community service as a recurring part of university life rather than an add-on activity.
