Chun Han Wong:

Sightseeing travelers from China have swamped the grounds of Singapore’s two biggest universities, peering into classrooms, snapping selfies and even barging into lectures to get a sampling of the education. From tiger parents and their children to trend-chasing influencers, visitors cite the allure of campus life in a Southeast Asian city-state known for its clean streets, lush greenery and first-rate colleges.

The influx has annoyed scholars and students. In online forums and on social media, they complain about being crowded out of cafeterias, study areas and other student zones by busloads of tourists.

“Tourists are openly abusing the fact that our campus is open to the public,” said Benjamin Liu, a fourth-year psychology student at Nanyang Technological University, or NTU. “We were inherently trusting the public not to abuse our facilities. But these tourists show no such respect for us.”

“Many of them weren’t shy to take a few pictures or videos too. I think to them it’s like observing zoo exhibits,” recalled a recent graduate from one of the universities. “At the same time, we were observing them and the reactions on their faces.”