12
September
2019
|
15:47
Asia/Singapore

Incentives to boost healthier living

From left: CEO of SportSG Mr Lim Teck Yin, Ms Fu, Prof Tan, and Deputy CEO of HPB Mr Maurice Tan officially launching the Challenge

The University launched the NUS SG Bicentennial Challenge on 8 September, together with Sport Singapore (SportSG) and the Singapore Health Promotion Board (HPB). The two-month challenge aims to encourage the NUS community to adopt healthier habits through a mix of games and incentives.

“We are excited to partner SportSG and HPB on this journey towards a healthier and happier NUS campus. The NUS SG Bicentennial Challenge offers an engaging platform for the campus community to embark on a more active lifestyle, and encourages greater social interaction and integration through team participation. We are optimistic that this challenge, as well as the other activities that will be launched under this collaboration, will inculcate healthy living habits in our staff and students, hence allowing them to enjoy greater productivity in their work and studies,” said NUS President Professor Tan Eng Chye.

The NUS SG Bicentennial Challenge offers an engaging platform for the campus community to embark on a more active lifestyle, and encourages greater social interaction and integration through team participation. We are optimistic that this challenge, as well as the other activities that will be launched under this collaboration, will inculcate healthy living habits in our staff and students, hence allowing them to enjoy greater productivity in their work and studies.

Staff and students can take part in the NUS SG Bicentennial Challenge through GameOn NILA! — a mobile application customised for NUS by SportSG.  Participants can compete individually or form teams, and can level up by clocking virtual and actual steps. When they achieve certain milestones, they will be rewarded with ActiveSG MyCash through the ActiveWallet, which can be used to make purchases in canteens and food courts in both the Kent Ride and Bukit Timah NUS campuses.

To encourage and sustain participation, exciting features will be rolled out in phases. Players will be encouraged to explore the different heritage and scenic trails in the Kent Ridge and Bukit Timah campuses to accumulate activity points and 20 mascots in exchange for incentives. To help encourage greater social interaction, top teams among both staff and student communities will also receive exciting team prizes. SportSG also hopes to inject vibrancy into the campuses beyond the digital space through organising sports clinics and fitness programmes for the community.

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Participants at the GameOn NILA! booth

Minister for Culture, Community and Youth, Ms Grace Fu, who was the Guest-of-Honour at the launch said, “I am heartened that NUS is helping the campus community lead healthier and more active lifestyles, and partnering SportSG and HPB in the process. The initiative is a creative way to encourage individuals to take charge of their own health and fitness, and the Government is actively supporting corporates and organisations towards the goal of a healthy and active society.”

The challenge will end on 8 November. Its launch was at RunNUS 2019 which was organised by the NUS Students’ Sports Club with aims to encourage inclusivity in sports. In line with this, people with special needs also took part in the 3-km RunwithUS Challenge. All proceeds from RunNUS 2019 were donated to the Disabled People’s Association.

See press release.

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RunNUS participants during the 3-km run