Public Policy, Language and Society

19 Jan 2026 To 23 Jan 2026

(5 Days Programme)

2:00 PM - 5:00 PM

(Singapore Time)

About The Programme

In Singapore, language planning is a form of government planning. This helped to facilitate effective public policy communication with the general population, communication within the community that is ethnically diverse, as well as connection with the world. Clearly, the goals of language planning are very much dependent on the political and social forces. This Public Policy, Language and Society programme combines the disciplines of public policy and sociolinguistics studies at a basic level. The programme will help to deepen students’ understanding of the language system, broaden their perspective on language planning and use in society. Students will also examine the connections between language and culture, and public policies through relevant theoretical concepts.

What You Gain

💡 Students will be able to gain an understanding of what public policy is about and its importance, understand the connections between language, public policy and society and enhance their ability to use English language more effectively and confidently for communication.

Who Is It For

Suitable for current undergraduate and postgraduate students who are interested in understanding how language shapes and is shaped by public policy, exploring issues of language planning and use in society.

Students should also have a good command of spoken and written English.

What to expect:

The programme comprises of 4 discussion driven workshops at 3 hours per module over 4 days.

Introduction to Public Policy
Students will learn the basics about how to understanding societal problem to be addressed, using problem trees to understand causes and effects (e.g. poverty, poor quality education, lack of digitalisation). They will then formulate some options to solve these problems and decide on a course of action. Finally, they will discuss possible implementation challenges and the importance of evaluating the efficiency and effectiveness of policies.

Art of English for Communication
Effective communication is a fundamental skill that transcends borders and industries, and the English language plays a pivotal role in global communication. The “Art of English for Communication” is an introductory workshop to empower non-native English speakers with basic linguistic techniques and practical skills needed to express themselves with greater ease and confidence in English.

Creative Writing and Presentation
This workshop is designed for students to explore the world of creative writing, by embarking on a journey to discover their unique voices, craft compelling stories, and learn how to effectively present their tales to captivate their audience. It provides a good starting point and a safe space to unleash their expressive energies, through both written and verbal practice, in the English language. Students will engage in a brief creative writing exercise (using different cues and prompts) to apply what they have learned and prepare a short presentation on their written piece.

Language and Society
As a diverse and multi-cultural society, the Singapore government has paid particular attention to understanding to the various perspectives of different communities. This requires communicating and engaging with the population using effective strategies. This module focuses on the use of language in public policy communication from a strategic perspective, weaving in examples of policy communication in Singapore’s multicultural and multi-lingual society. Students will work on a hands-on project to develop a communication strategy for a topic of their choice, in preparation for the final session in this programme.

💡 We Make Sure You Internalise
The programme will culminate with small group presentations at the end of the programme on last session. Preparation and guidance activities will be scaffolded to ensure that students are well-prepared for their final presentation.

(Please note that LKYSPP EE is only in charge of this academic segment comprising workshops and assessment. Other activities are not organised and handled by LKYSPP EE.)

Enrol In This
Programme Now

Application Deadline: 29 Dec 2025 (Intake 3)

Programme Dates and Location

Date: 19 – 23 February 2026

Time: 2.00pm – 5.00pm* (classroom sessions)

* Students should refer to the programme schedule provided upon admission for exact daily timing.

Location: Lee Kuan Yew School of Public Policy
469C Bukit Timah Rd,
Singapore 25977

Contact

For programme enquiry, please email:

陈浩 Hacent (hacent.chen@lookerchina.com)

Our Instructors

Dr. Caroline Brassard, Adjunct Assistant Professor (Executive Education), Lee Kuan Yew School of Public Policy

Dr. Caroline Brassard has been teaching at the Lee Kuan Yew School of Public Policy since 2002, on topics such as development economics, econometrics, research methods, and policy analysis. She has also been an academic adviser at the Centre for Peace and Justice, BRAC University, Dhaka, Bangladesh since 2017. Her current research focuses on the risks, mitigation measures and impacts of COVID-19 on vulnerable groups in Singapore and Bangladesh. She also researches on poverty alleviation policies in urbanising Asia. Caroline co-edited a book on Urban Spaces and Gender in Asia: Perspectives on Social and Economic Inclusion (with Divya U. Joshi, by Springer 2020). Her earlier books include “Natural Disaster Management in the Asia-Pacific: Policy and Governance” (co-edited edited with David Giles and Arn Howitt) by Springer in 2015. Prior to joining the Lee Kuan Yew School of Public Policy, Dr. Brassard worked in Madagascar for UNICEF, in Bangladesh for CARE and in Vietnam for her post-graduate research. She holds a PhD in Economics from the University of London.

Mr Jack Huang, Associate Director, KPMG Business School

Mr Jack Huang is a Fulbright alumni and bilingual public policy / corporate strategy / project management specialist with close to 20 years of international experience managing highly complex, multi-stakeholder projects across the public, private and not-for-profit sectors. His primary fields of expertise are sustainable development, urban planning, built environment regulation and climate change adaptation. As the former Deputy Director (Infrastructure) in the Ministry of National Development, he led his team to publish Singapore’s Climate Adaptation Plan, developed the national Coastal Protection Framework, and supported the crafting of Singapore’s contribution to the SDGs. From October 2019 to 2022, Jack was the General Manager (Strategic Planning) for the Sino-Singapore Tianjin Eco-City Investment and Development (SSTEC) joint venture company, the master developer for a collaborative, sustainable urban development project in northern China between the Singapore and Chinese governments. He is currently based in Singapore as an ESSEC-Mannheim Executive MBA candidate and adjunct consultant / executive trainer for Fortune 500 companies. He is passionate about executive education, high-level group process facilitation and youth mentoring, and his past achievements in these areas include designing a 6-month change champions programme for youth at risk under the Singapore Indian Association, and a structured mentoring programme under the US Embassy to groom young leaders.

NUS LKY