Singapore at 50: What Lies Ahead?

Singapore turns 50 in 2015. The “Singapore at 50: What Lies Ahead?” (SG50+, in short) conference by the Institute of Policy Studies and the Lee Kuan Yew School of Public Policy, National University of Singapore (NUS) marks our contribution to the SG50 celebrations and NUS’ 110th anniversary since its founding. It will be an important opportunity to reflect on how Singapore has succeeded in the half-century since Independence, and how the city-state might continue to survive and thrive in the next 50 years.

Through the conference, we hope to encourage critical reflection on the following key questions that are likely to shape Singapore’s future in the next 50 years:

• Geopolitics: How should Singapore navigate and succeed in a geopolitical order that is likely to be more complex and multipolar?
• The Economy: How will Singaporeans make a good living in the face of rapid technological advances that would change the nature of work and produce large rewards for highly skilled and talented workers (possibly at the expense of the rest)?
• The City: How should we future-proof the city and adapt our urban infrastructure to cope with an environmental future that is likely to be characterised by rapid climate change and more severe energy constraints?
• Governance: How should we evolve our system of governance to meet the democratic demands of a more pluralistic and diverse population that is likely to still expect good governmental outcomes?

Please click here to view the programme.

Please click here to view the speakers' profile.

Please click here for more information about Yong Siew Toh Conservatory of Music.


Downloads

• SG50+ Conference Full Report
• SG50+ Conference (Opening Dinner): Welcome Remarks by NUS President, Professor Tan Chorh Chuan
• SG50+ Conference (Session 1): Remarks by Ambassador Bilahari Kausikan
• SG50+ Conference (Session 2): Presentation by Mr Ravi Menon
• SG50+ Conference (Session 3): Presentation by Mr Peter Schwartz
• SG50+ Conference (Session 3): Presentation by Dr Liu Thai Ker
• SG50+ Conference (Session 4): Remarks by Emeritus Senior Minister Goh Chok Tong
• IPS e-newsletter (July 2015) Report on the Conference

Video Highlights

• SG50+ Conference – Highlights of the Two-day Event by Channel NewsAsia
• SG50+ Conference – Conversation with PM Lee Hsien Loong
• SG50+ Conference – Session 1: Geopolitics
• SG50+ Conference – Session 2: The Economy
• SG50+ Conference – Conversation with DPM Tharman Shanmugaratnam
• SG50+ Conference – Session 3: The City
• SG50+ Conference – Session 4: Governance

Media Coverage

• Berita Harian. 2015. Masih ada garis pemisah yang boleh pecah belahkan warga. 4 July
• Berita Harian. 2015. 'Sanggupkah PM Lee berkhidmat 10 tahun lagi?'. 4 July
• Berita Harian. 2015. SIDANG SG50+; Dua cabaran utama pemerintah masa depan. 4 July
• Berita Harian. 2015. Singapura berjaya kerana ‘nasib, sejarah dan kepimpinan yang baik’. 4 July
• Berita Harian. 2015. Tharman: PM kaum minoriti? S’pura hanya menunggu masa. 4 July
• 联合早报. 2015. 尚达曼：未来主政者须竭力团结主流群体 勇于说实话. 7月4日
• 联合早报. 2015. SG50+研讨会 比拉哈里：大国角力下 我国须以灵活细致方式处理外交关系. 7月4日
• 联合早报. 2015. SG50+研讨会 李总理对话会摘录. 7月3日
• 联合早报. 2015. SG50+研讨会 尚达曼：希腊违约 不会重演雷曼兄弟危机. 7月4日
• 联合早报. 2015. SG50+研讨会 少数种族当总理是迟早的事. 7月4日
• 联合早报. 2015. SG50+研讨会 吴作栋：已有公务员人选 为行动党参选做准备. 7月4日
• 联合早报. 2015. 言论自由和责任必须并行. 7月4日
• The Online Citizen. 2015. Government focus on preserving the centre, encouraging civil society: Tharman. 4 July
• The Online Citizen. 2015. To increase productivity, focus on optimising talent: Experts. 4 July
• The Straits Times. 2015. Chance of another Lehman moment ‘very low’. 4 July
• The Straits Times. 2015. ‘Matter of time’ before S’pore has non-Chinese PM. 4 July
• The Straits Times. 2015. S’pore voters are astute, says ESM Goh. 4 July
• TODAY. 2015. Don’t treat elections as circuses or beauty contests: ESM Goh. 4 July
  
• TODAY. 2015. Education system ‘has to evolve’ to spur creativity. 4 July
• TODAY. 2015. Minority-race PM for Singapore inevitable: DPM. 4 July
• TODAY. 2015. Move to nuclear power needed if Singapore wants to cut emissions. 4 July
• TODAY. 2015. PM on why Singapore needs to keep on being exceptional. 4 July
• TODAY. 2015. S’pore’s foreign policy ‘must be nimble, clinical’ to maximise autonomy. 4 July
• Channel NewsAsia. 2015. Picking good leaders a growing challenge: ESM Goh. 3 July
• Channel NewsAsia. 2015. PM Lee tackles questions on governance at SG50+ conference. 3 July
• Channel NewsAsia. 2015. Singapore needs ecosystem for innovation to remain competitive: MAS. 3 July
• Channel NewsAsia. 2015. Singapore needs a system where the ‘centre holds strong’: Tharman. 3 July
• 联合早报. 2015. 李总理：确保言论空间虽重要 一味挑战权威非我国要走之路. 7月3日
• 联合早报. 2015. SG50+研讨会 李总理：天时地利和优秀领导人是新加坡成功建国关键. 7月3日
• The Business Times. 2015. Minority PM inevitable, but Tharman rules himself out. 3 July
• The Business Times. 2015. Singapore’s paranoia is necessary: Lee Hsien Loong. 3 July
• The Straits Times. 2015. S’pore political system is one that benefits all: PM. 3 July
• TODAY. 2015. PM tackles questions on S’pore system, freedom of speech at IPS conference. 3 July
  
  

Additional Information

• Photos from the SG50+ Conference on Flickr. Please credit the Institute of Policy Studies when publishing the photos.
• Conference updates on Twitter @IPS_sg