Summary:
- The inaugural ASEAN Symposium for Youth Leaders (ASYL 2026) brought the region's brightest emerging minds to LKYSPP for three days of learning and collaboration.
- From navigating geopolitical tensions to reimagining flood-prone communities as thriving tourism hubs, participants tackled real-world policy challenges using cutting-edge futures-thinking tools.
- Learning journeys across Singapore, expert-led seminars, and a competitive finale revealed what happens when diverse minds build solutions across borders.
91 youth leaders. 11 ASEAN countries. Three days of learning, exchange and collaboration.
What does public policy look like when it’s built on shared futures rather than national borders? It emerges as diverse minds collaborating to redefine governance, setting aside national boundaries to build a unified framework for resilience and shared progress.
Under the theme “ASEAN Youth Leaders: Diverse Perspectives, Shared Future”, the Lee Kuan Yew School of Public Policy (LKYSPP) brought together 91 emerging leaders from all ASEAN countries for the inaugural ASEAN Symposium for Youth Leaders (ASYL 2026) held on 10 – 12 September 2026 at the NUSS Kent Ridge Guild House.
The three-day symposium provided an avenue for university students from across the region to exchange ideas and deepen their understanding of public policy and governance. It helped build connections and forge collaborations across national and disciplinary boundaries.
Diversity across ASEAN
ASYL 2026 welcomed participants from all 11 ASEAN member states – including the newest member, Timor-Leste – bringing together student leaders with diverse academic and national perspectives. While many participants are studying disciplines within the social sciences, others are pursuing studies in fields including statistics, engineering, biology, nursing, pharmacy and medicine.
This diversity was central to the ASYL experience, giving participants the opportunity to examine policy challenges through perspectives beyond their own disciplines and national contexts.
The inaugural event attracted overwhelming interest, with 841 applications for approximately 100 places. Participants were selected based on their interest in governance, public policy and international affairs, alongside considerations of diversity in nationality, gender and academic background.
The symposium opened with welcome remarks by Ms Ong Toon Hui, Vice Dean and Executive Director of the Institute for Governance and Leadership at LKYSPP, followed by a context-setting session by Dr Ng Kok Hoe, Senior Research Fellow and Head of the Case Insights Unit and Social Inclusion Project at LKYSPP.
As Ms Ong noted: “What is common is that everyone is passionate about co-creating meaningful solutions to contemporary governance challenges.” She said that the participants stood out not only for their acute awareness of national policy issues and personal stories, but also for their clear conviction and active effort to drive positive change.
Exploring the pillars of modern policy
Across three days, participants explored four areas shaping contemporary governance – politics and international relations; economics and trade; social and urban policy; and technology – with discussions drawing on Singapore’s experience. Through seminars, futures workshops, learning journeys and a panel discussion, participants engaged with public policy from different perspectives and through different learning formats.
Expert presentations anchored the symposium’s core themes from navigating geopolitical tensions to steering digital transformation. Mr Kenneth Sim, Independent Trainer and Consultant (Public Sector), shared insights into governance in a changing world, while LKYSPP Adjunct Associate Professor Terence Ho highlighted the balance between economic growth and sustainability. LKYSPP Professor of Practice Yaacob Ibrahim explored Singapore’s experience with digital transformation, and LKYSPP Vice Dean (Research) and Dean's Chair Associate Professor Selina Ho evaluated the geopolitical challenges and opportunities facing ASEAN. LKYSPP Senior Research Fellow, Head of Case Insights Unit & Social Inclusion Project Dr Ng Kok Hoe discussed the importance of social policies in addressing inequality.
Professor of Practice Yaacob Ibrahim, LKYSPP
Designing solutions for real impact
A key part of the programme was a series of futures workshops guided by experienced facilitators, including LKYSPP Executive Education’s Senior Associate Director Dr Anie Febriastati, Crimson Education’s Regional Team Leader Ms Kay Chew Lin, and LKYSPP Executive Education’s Futures Fellow Mr Vicnan Pannirselvam.
Participants learned frameworks for analysing policy challenges and thinking about possible futures, ranging from horizon scanning to driving forces and backcasting. Working in teams, they applied these tools to real-world issues throughout the symposium, culminating in a competitive round of group presentations on the final day.
The winning group envisioned transforming recurrent flooding in Hagonoy, Bulacan, a coastal community in the Philippines, into opportunities for sustainable tourism and livelihoods by proposing ways for residents to adapt to and coexist with water.
The presentations showcased the participants’ research, creativity and ability to navigate complex issues. Mr Keith Detros, Programme Manager at the Tech for Good Institute and an LKYSPP Master in International Affairs alumnus, served as a guest judge and commended the teams for their compelling proposals, critical thinking and creativity. Read more about their solutions in the coverage on NUS News here.
Reflecting on the performance of the participants, Dr Ng also said that all the presentations shared were of high quality – within a short span of time, they had pulled together complex sets of ideas into coherent arguments and visions of the future, transforming adversities into opportunities.
Winning teams at the ASYL competition
Learning beyond the classroom
Participants also stepped beyond the classroom through learning journeys across Singapore, gaining first-hand perspectives on policy implementation and emerging challenges in areas related to the symposium’s themes. One learning journey took participants to Cornerstone@ChengSan Active Ageing Centre, offering a glimpse into community-based initiatives supporting active ageing in Singapore. Other visits included the Pinnacle@Duxton, Keppel Bay Tower and Greenphyto Indoor Vertical Farm. These offered opportunities to observe Singapore’s approaches to urban planning, community development, global connectivity and sustainable innovation.
The symposium concluded with a panel discussion titled “From Youth Leaders to Public Impact: Your Future in Public Policy”, featuring LKYSPP alumni Ms Tan Ting Yu, who works in AI policy, Ms Hanh Phan, Associate, Southeast Asia at BloombergNEF and Mr Detros. The discussion was moderated by Ms Miranda Aisha Putri, an LKYSPP Master in Public Policy candidate. Panellists discussed their career paths into public policy, how they made the most of their graduate school experience, and recommendations for current students. The session covered topics including how to transition into public policy careers, the importance of building networks and taking risks in graduate studies, the relevance of public policy for different fields like international relations and foreign affairs, and advice for current students considering master’s programmes.
Together, these experiences equipped participants with practical tools for approaching complex policy challenges and envisioning desirable futures.
Taking new perspectives forward
Participant feedback reflected the value of learning not only from speakers and facilitators, but also from one another. Many highlighted how the symposium deepened their understanding of public policy and introduced practical approaches to critical thinking, problem-solving and futures thinking that they could apply to their studies, advocacy and future professional roles. Others valued the opportunity to examine policy challenges beyond their own national contexts and through different disciplinary perspectives.
As one participant highlighted:
“Connecting and exchanging perspectives with young people from across ASEAN has broadened my regional understanding and helped me build a network that I hope to continue learning and collaborating with in the future.”
Another participant shared about the tools learned:
“The symposium helped me see policy challenges from a future oriented perspective through backcasting, driving forces, and the Three Horizons framework. I believe these tools will help me develop better ideas and strategies in my studies and future career.”
One participant summed up how these different dimensions of the programme came together:
“This symposium has given me valuable insights into public policy from a regional ASEAN perspective, allowing me to better understand how shared challenges can be approached across different national contexts. The frameworks and tools introduced, particularly in futures thinking and policy analysis, will be useful for both my academic studies and my future career at the intersection of public policy, technology, and business.”
Beyond the three-day symposium, participants also reflected on how they could carry these perspectives forward into their own studies, careers and communities. As one participant put it:
“It is a foundational experience that will help shape my perspective towards designing, pursuing, and creating change in my society."
Ultimately, the inaugural ASYL brought together the next generation of ASEAN leaders not simply to learn about the region’s challenges, but to learn from one another, exchange perspectives and imagine a shared future together.
91 youth leaders from all ASEAN countries gathered to exchange ideas and deepen their understanding of public policy and governance at the inaugural ASYL 2026.
Note: Participant quotations are reproduced verbatim from the ASYL 2026 Participants’ Feedback.
Interested to participate in the next round? Stay tuned and follow the Lee Kuan Yew School of Public Policy on our social channels to stay updated on the latest news, events, and announcements.