Public Lecture on SYSTEMIC GOVERNANCE BREAKTHROUGHS - Building Aceh-Nias Back Better: The 10 Management Lessons for Host Governments Coordinating Post-disaster Reconstruction
by Dr Kuntoro Mangkusubroto
28 July 2009

This public lecture by Dr Kuntoro Mangkusubroto was organized by ACI. Dr Kuntoro is the former Director of BRR Aceh-Nias, whose four-year mandate ended in April this year, and also a member of ACI’s International Advisory Panel. Through the lecture, Dr Kuntoro shared many of his personal experiences from the massive reconstruction program and presented his insights on 10 Management Lessons for Host Governments Coordinating Post-disaster Reconstruction. This set of key lessons highlights the challenges and opportunities facing the principal coordinating agency and how they can prepare themselves.

- Video clip for Dr Kuntoro Mangkusubroto's public lecture

Official Visit by delegation from the Vietnam National Assembly
23 April 2009

ACI hosted an official visit by a delegation of 11 members from the Vietnam National Assembly, led by its Vice-President Nguyen Duc Kien on 23 April 2009. The institute delivered a presentation on issues relating to the global economic crisis and shared with the delegates the international strategies and implications for Vietnam. There was also an exchange on ACI’s on-going research program in Vietnam as well as the LKY school’s education efforts in the country.

Workshop on Economic Reform and Development
24-27 February 2009

ACI collaborated with The Asia Foundation (TAF) for a joint workshop on Economic Reform and Development. It was held recently in the school from 24 – 27 February. Close to 50 TAF officers from 17 countries participated in the forum together with ACI faculty and researchers to share their research work on governance issues relating to economic development.

Representatives from Temasek Foundation and the Singapore Cooperation Enterprise also joined in some of the sessions. Arising from the workshop, ACI is exploring various potential collaborations with TAF. While ACI offers education and research programs on competitiveness and public sector governance, TAF is equipped with field officers possessing ground experience implementing economic reform and development programs in various parts of the world. The complimentary skills and intellectual knowledge are envisaged to bring about synergies for both organisations.


First Asia Workshop on Institutional Analysis
5-10 January 2008

This workshop hosted by ACI on behalf of the school was organised jointly with the Ronald Coase Institute. 24 young scholars and researchers from various parts of the world were selected to present their papers at the LKY School.

Asia Competitiveness Forum
22 - 23 May 2008

The second Asia Competitiveness Forum was held on 22 and 23 May 2008 at the school. The theme of this year’s forum is on Asia Case Studies. The annual forum series is organised to promote the understanding of competitiveness in the region and build a scholarly network of experts. The two-day event saw 15 researchers from 11 regional institutions sharing their case studies on various countries and clusters with the Institute’s faculty and researchers. Prof Kishore Mahbubani made a special appearance and presented on his latest book: The New Asian Hemisphere: The Irresistible Shift of Global Power to the East.

The case studies presented by the participants were discussed and commented on for further improvements. A compilation of the cases was planned for publication by end of the year. This collection of Asia case studies would provide a useful resource for the teaching of competitiveness in the region.

The book titled, Dynamic Governance – Embedding Culture, Capabilities and Change in Singapore, co-authored by Professors Neo Boon Siong and Geraldine Chen, was launched in the school on 23 July 2007 by Guest of Honour, President S R Nathan.

The publication is the result of a two-year study on the Singapore public service and its transformational role in governance. This book reveals that while good governance, principles and best practices were adopted, the key to its success has been its dynamism in adapting to an uncertain and unpredictable environment. 

The inaugural Asia Competitiveness Forum was held on 24 and 25 May 2007 at the school. This annual forum is organised to promote the understanding of competitiveness in the region and build a scholarly network of experts. The two-day event attracted strong participation from 19 researchers from 15 regional institutions including three local ones.

The series of presentation sessions at the forum showcased the regional participants’ research work that focused primarily on competitiveness issues in their local industry or country. Potential areas for collaboration with the regional group were discussed. This included joint development of country case studies or industry/cluster-based cases and joint executive programmes for the region conducted in Singapore.

The Institute was officially launched on 28 November 2006 by Guest of Honour, Mr Tharman Shanmugaratnam, Minister for Education and 2nd Minister for Finance in the presence of more than 300 distinguished guests. Among the blue-ribbon guest list were senior local government officials, foreign dignitaries and prominent private sector leaders from the region. A highlight of the event was a presentation on Singapore’s competitiveness - “Singapore Competitiveness: A Nation in Transition” by world renowned competitiveness expert, Prof Michael Porter of the Harvard Business School.

A Healthcare Seminar was jointly organised by the Lee Kuan Yew School of Public Policy and Ministry of Health in conjunction with the ACI launch. Prof Porter was the keynote speaker and delivered a presentation entitled “Value-Based Competition in Health Care: Issues for Singapore”. The event was opened by Guest of Honour, Mr Khaw Boon Wan, Minister for Health, who participated in a panel discussion together with Prof Porter and chaired by Prof Tommy Koh.