IPS Update Issue January 2025

IPS will be holding its annual flagship Singapore Perspectives (SP2025) conference, on 20 January 2025.  

SP2025 will focus on the theme of “Community”, examining how Singaporeans can strengthen social bonds, rethink cross-sector partnerships, and address challenges such as polarisation and fragmentation to build a fairer, more cohesive society.

As Singapore marks its 60th year of independence, the conference will ask: What can bind us more strongly as a people and a nation in the face of these challenges?

The event will conclude with a Closing Dialogue featuring Mr Edwin Tong, Minister for Culture, Community and Youth, and Second Minister for Law.

16th S R Nathan Fellow for the Study of Singapore — Mr Philip Yeo

We are pleased to announce the appointment of Mr Philip Yeo, former Economic Development Board, A*STAR and SPRING Singapore chairman, as the 16th S R Nathan Fellow for the Study of Singapore.

Mr Yeo will work on a series of three lectures on Singapore's economic development, charting Singapore’s path from the past to the future. He will highlight the country’s economic transformation through manufacturing, Singapore’s public R&D efforts led by A*STAR, and strategies to help local enterprises globalise. 

Find out more in the press release here.

Commentary — A breakthrough year in advancing workers’ rights in Singapore
(The Straits Times)
By Mathew Mathews and Melvin Tay
• 7-min read

Singapore made significant progress in advancing workers’ rights in 2024 through initiatives such as the Platform Workers Act, Workplace Fairness Legislation, and Flexible Work Arrangements guidelines.

In this op-ed, IPS researchers Mathew Mathews and Melvin Tay highlight how these initiatives address modern labour challenges like gig work vulnerabilities, discrimination and work-life balance. By adopting a consultative, phased approach, Singapore sets itself apart as a model for sustainable labour reform, balancing worker protections with demographic and economic realities.

Commentary — Can a Singapore hospitality school produce the next Gordon Ramsay?
(The Straits Times)
By Julien Cayla and Shane Pereira
• 7-min read

Despite the hospitality sector’s significant economic and cultural role in Singapore, it faces mounting challenges including labour shortages, low pay and social stigma.

In this commentary, Julien Cayla, associate professor at Nanyang Business School, and Shane Pereira, Research Associate at IPS, highlight the need for a paradigm shift in how hospitality roles are perceived and valued. Drawing inspiration from Switzerland’s hospitality education model, Singapore could establish world-class training institutions to elevate service standards and career prospects, driving both economic growth and social transformation.

Report — IPS Closed-Door Roundtable on Asset-Based Community Development for Promoting Health and Wellness "What Enables Us?"

On 4 November 2024, the Institute of Policy Studies conducted a closed-door roundtable discussion on “Asset-Based Community Development (ABCD) for Promoting Health and Wellness”, bringing together representatives from Active Ageing Centres and Social Service Agencies.

ABCD for health and wellness empowers residents to mobilise assets, improve community health, and promote equity. However, its hyperlocal focus often conflicts with funders’ preference for scalable programmes. To avoid reducing community development to expert-driven services, organisations must democratise decision-making while critically examining intent and processes.

Book — The Forty-First Singapore Economic Roundtable

The Forty-First Singapore Economic Roundtable took place amid uncertainty over two critical factors for Singapore’s economy: global trade prospects and China’s economic direction. Speakers in the first session expressed concerns about the incoming US administration's likely adoption of a more aggressive trade policy. Meanwhile, although China showed signs of near-term stabilisation, its long-term trajectory remains a concern.

The second session focused on factors influencing the success of the Johor-Singapore Special Economic Zone (JSSEZ). While speakers identified potential synergies for Singapore, they emphasised the need to address bottlenecks in logistics and transportation to fully realise these opportunities.