.png?sfvrsn=e3d0050a_1)
In the Spotlight
The Institute of Policy Studies and the Ministry of Law jointly held the SGLaw200 Youth Forum on 13 May 2026. This is part of the Bicentennial Anniversary of Singapore's modern legal and judicial system.
The event featured opening remarks from Prime Minister and Minister for Finance Lawrence Wong where he reflected on how the Rule of Law is a framework that must continually evolve to meet new societal challenges — from AI and misinformation to access to justice.
Across panel discussions and five breakout tracks, participants examined how Singapore's legal framework underpins its role as a global hub, and deliberated on emerging issues spanning AI governance, environmental law, online harms, social inclusivity, and youth civic engagement.
A closing dialogue featuring Minister for Law and Second Minister of Home Affairs, Edwin Tong SC, explored access to justice, civic participation and the evolving challenges facing Singapore's legal system.
Learn more about the event
here.
Recent Events
 | Launch of Hunger Report III Commissioned by The Food Bank Singapore and led by IPS researchers, the Hunger Report III was launched on 15 May 2026. Drawing on an online survey of 52 food support providers and 25 in-depth interviews, the report found that while food support spans diverse providers and aid types, persistent gaps in operations, funding, and partnerships continue to limit its reach. The report calls for better tools to identify the most food-insecure households, greater surplus food and food support integration, and shared infrastructure to improve cost-effectiveness.
|
| Spottiswoode Park Community Launch — Neighbourhood Renewal Programme + Participatory Budgeting
Singapore’s first Participatory Budgeting process, where residents will decide how to allocate $200,000 for community upgrades, was launched at Spottiswoode Park. A research project by IPS Policy Lab, over 180 residents joined the launch, participating in discovery walks and sharing ideas. Feasible proposals will later be exhibited and put to a community vote.
|
 |
At the Pontiac Land–IPS Food for Thought lunch, Professor Wang Gungwu reflected on his autobiography, No Borders: Journeys Across Islands and Continents, discussing evolving concepts of borders, the development of history as a discipline, and how these ideas shape understandings of Asia, geopolitics, and an increasingly fragmented world.
|
Announcements
 |
Application for the Asia Journalism Fellowship 2026 are now open! AJF will bring together experienced journalists from across Asia to learn, collaborate and build lasting connections. Hosted by the Institute of Policy Studies in partnership with Temasek Foundation, AJF has welcomed 238 Fellows since 2009.
Learn more about AJF and apply here. |
.png?sfvrsn=c6d6050a_1) |
At NUHS Carers' Day 2026, NUHS and IPS formalises a long-term collaboration on caregiving research and advocacy. By combining NUHS's ground-level insights with IPS's policy expertise, the partnership aims to strengthen dialogue and thought leadership across stakeholders, contributing to a whole-of-society response to caregiving challenges.
The collaboration aims to deepen understanding of caregiving in Singapore, translate lived experiences into policy-relevant insights, and support more evidence-informed discussions around caregiving support systems.
Articles
|
 | By Christopher Gee (The Straits Times) • 5-min read
The raising of the retirement age to 64 and re-employment age to 69 raises a deeper question: are employers genuinely redesigning jobs for experienced workers, or merely extending contracts? This commentary argues that meaningful senior employment requires continuous job redesign — not just compliance with legislation — and that this discipline benefits workers at every career stage. | 
| By Melvin Tay (The Straits Times) • 5-min read
MOE’s new anti-bullying framework introduces standardised disciplinary measures and clearer definitions of bullying across all schools — but its success hinges on whether society reinforces the same norms. This commentary argues that schools cannot counter bullying in isolation when the adult world continues to normalise the use of power to dominate others. |  | By Nicholas Thomas, Justin Lee, Wilson Goh, A'isyah Najib and Cecilia Kuek (CNA) • 5-min read
Singapore’s first consensus conference on local-foreign integration brought together 24 residents — citizens, permanent residents and foreigners — for four structured sessions of deliberate dialogue. Despite real tensions over jobs and identity, participants emerged with mutual respect and bridging social capital intact, offering a model for how difficult conversations can be held productively.
|  | By Clara Lee and Shane Pereira (The Straits Times) • 6-min read
As Progressive Wage Model requirements push up salaries in Singapore’s food and beverage sector, will employers simply automate their way out of rising costs? This commentary examines why the answer is more nuanced — technology shifts rather than removes work, and full automation remains neither feasible nor desirable in an industry where human hospitality is central to the product.
|  | By Tan Poh Lin (The Straits Times) • 7-min read
New parents are implicitly benchmarked against childless colleagues, leaving them perpetually behind regardless of how wisely they manage their time. This commentary argues that housing, careers, and workplace culture must be restructured around parenthood as a distinct life path — not just to raise fertility rates, but to improve well-being for families. |  | By Shashi Jayakumar (IPS Commons) • 13-min read
As the rules-based world order weakens, Singapore cannot remain passive. This commentary examines how Singapore balances diplomacy by strengthening middle-power ties, engaging diverse strategic groups, and positioning itself as a vital connector—using pragmatism to navigate an increasingly unstable global landscape. |  | By Charmaine Chong • 8-min read
At the first lecture of the 18th IPS-Nathan Lecture Series, Dr Shawn Lum explored Singapore’s transformation into a “City in Nature,” highlighting biodiversity’s role in resilient societies. He discussed habitat loss, urban conservation, human-wildlife tensions, and shifting public attitudes, arguing that reconnecting people with nature is essential for long-term environmental sustainability. |
|
Recent Publications | Report — IPS Closed-Door Discussions on Propelling Innovation and Entrepreneurship — Dialogue with Singapore’s SMEs By Faizal bin Yahya, Gillian Koh, Cassandra Ho, Sharanya Shanmugam and Tristan Groleau
IPS convened four closed-door discussions (CDDs) from 3 to 11 February 2026 to provide feedback and recommendations from representatives of Singapore’s SME ecosystem to the Singapore Economic Resilience Taskforce and the Economic Strategy Review Committees. The CDDs sought to provide key insights on the existing and emerging challenges to business development as well as ideas and opportunities to overcome them.
|
|
| |