Over three days in August, NUS students, staff, and community partners came together for the Community Service Festival (CS Fest), an Office of Student Affairs signature event featuring a vibrant Giving Marketplace, a reflective symposium, and hands-on volunteering to spark collaboration, deepen learning and turn goodwill into sustained community impact.
Volunteering Day raised awareness on marine conservation
CS Fest 2025 introduced two Volunteering Days to meet growing student interest. On 23 August, 25 NUS students teamed up with SG Beach Warriors for a coastal clean-up at Northshore Beach. Before setting off, volunteers upcycled rice sacks into reusable bags — which they later used to collect litter along the shoreline.
Together, the team removed an impressive 779.4 kg of trash, underscoring how coordinated action can protect Singapore’s marine environment.
NUS students sorting the trash they collected from Northshore Beach into the different recyclable categories.
On 3 September, students brought marine conservation education to Allkin Student Academy @ Ang Mo Kio, engaging primary school students through quizzes and arts-and-crafts that made big ideas accessible and fun.
Primary School students from Allkin Student Academy participating in a quiz on marine conservation.
A celebration of community engagement initiatives
The Giving Marketplace, held on 27 August at UTown Plaza, was a vibrant celebration of community engagement at NUS. The event brought together student groups and NUS departments to showcase their ongoing and upcoming initiatives that make a difference in the wider community.
More than 1,300 visitors explored 15 booths, discovering causes from active ageing to youth and children engagement. Attendees learned about social issues, sign up for volunteering opportunities aligned with their interests, and supported fundraising efforts — turning awareness into action.
A student from NUS 4PAWsitivity promoting its causes. 4PAWsitivity is a project under NUS Medicine that aims to raise awareness of Animal Assisted Interventions.
Promoting good practices amid changing community landscapes
Running in parallel, the Community Engagement Symposium invited deeper reflection and dialogue. Bringing together NUS students, staff, community partners, and representatives from Institutes of Higher Learning, the symposium featured two panel discussions — Beyond Good Intentions and Cultivating Connections. Speakers examined challenges in a evolving social landscape and shared good practical approaches for building and sustaining equitable partnerships.
Community practitioners shared their insights, challenges and good practices when engaging with the community and forming partnerships.
Across these progrmmes, CS Fest 2025 showcased the spirit of community at NUS, connecting people across disciplines and sectors, fostering collaboration and celebrating the diverse ways student contribute within and beyond campus.
Hear what students have to say about CS Fest experience in the link below!
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