In the first episode of our newly launched podcast series, “Policy Unpacked”, we explore Singapore’s “small nation, big journey,” featuring Terence Ho, Adjunct Associate Professor in Practice at the Lee Kuan Yew School of Public Policy and author of “How Singapore Beat the Odds.” The conversation explores why Singapore’s survival was uncertain at independence - small population, high unemployment, reliance on British bases - and how it built success through ideas and institutions rather than luck. Ho highlights the pivotal role of first-generation leaders like Lee Kuan Yew and Goh Keng Swee, long-term planning, strong inter-agency coordination, and empowering capable people - principals, commanders, and civil servants - through mechanisms like block budgeting.

Decades of glorifying overwork are hard to undo. But as the nation turns 60, sustainable performance depends on leaders modelling balance, not burnout.

There is a growing challenge taking shape in Singapore, one involving attention spans, screen time, and invisible dopamine loops. Earlier this year, the Singapore government introduced updated screen time guidelines for children, acknowledging growing concerns that excessive use of digital devices may be contributing to health and behavioural problems in younger users. That announcement came on the heels of a survey revealing that one in two Singaporeans shows signs of problematic smartphone use.

Today we put the spotlight on the United Nations as it turns 80 years old in 2025. Current global crises, such as geopolitical conflicts, climate change, and humanitarian disasters are profoundly testing the UN's existing mechanisms and its capacity to respond effectively.