Since service-learning became part of the institutional strategy at PolyU in 2012, global service-learning has hit one milestone after another. 2011 saw the first credit-bearing overseas service-learning project, to Cambodia, as part of COMP397, then a discipline-specific requirement open only to Computing students.

International service-learning has taken massive strides since service-learning became part of PolyU's institutional strategy in 2012. From 29 students, enrolled in one subject, going to Cambodia in Summer 2012, in 2016 we have 211 students from 8 subjects in Cambodia, Myanmar, Vietnam and Rwanda.

People often ask us why we put so much effort into our international projects. Our response is simple. International service-learning takes students out of their comfort zone, immerses them into environments that are alien to them, and puts them in situations where they have to interact with people who are unlike them in appearance, language, and culture. Many of our students come from lower-income families and this may be their first opportunity in a non-Chinese culture. For many others, this is a unique opportunity to interact with aspects of a foreign culture they would not get to experience as a tourist. For all of them, this is a valuable learning experience. We are hence committed to providing more opportunities for students to serve and learn from this experience. On the other hand, these projects also help us to strengthen our collaborations with overseas institutions and universities in real projects with impact.