23 Aug 2024, Singapore - The Lee Kuan Yew School of Public Policy (LKYSPP) marked 20 years of its founding with a Gala Dinner held at Shangri-La Hotel (Singapore) attended by 600 guests comprising staff and faculty members, students, alumni, and other key figures including ambassadors, policymakers and government officials.
Singapore Deputy Prime Minister Heng Swee Keat graced the occasion as the Guest of Honour. Also in attendance were Emeritus Senior Minister Goh Chok Tong, Chairman of LKYSPP’s Governing Board, and President of the National University of Singapore (NUS), Professor Tan Eng Chye.
The event celebrated two decades of academic excellence and impactful public policy education.
In his opening address, Dean of LKYSPP, Professor Danny Quah, said: “The School was established 20 years ago with the expectation that we would become one of the top public policy schools in the world.
“How could we do anything less, as LKYSPP became the first institution named after Singapore's Founding Prime Minister Mr Lee Kuan Yew. In 2014 at the school's 10th Anniversary Conference, Founding Dean Kishore Mahbubani described how LKYSPP had gone from a small programme within NUS to become one of the most recognised public policy schools in the world.”
Prof Quah thanked Prof Kishore, who served as Dean from 2004 to 2017, for building up the school, and those who had supported LKYSPP in its journey, such as the school's Governing Board, NUS, the Singapore Government, generous donors, international partners, and other stakeholders.
“The School built a rock-solid foundation and continued to aim for the stars,” said Prof Quah.
Since 2004, LKYSPP has educated more than 4,000 students from over 90 economies and recorded 17 alumni chapters all over the world. Its Executive Education has delivered more than 1,000 programmes to over 32,000 participants from the public, corporate, and non-profit sectors. In all this we have advanced LKYSPP’s outreach and global footprint.
In congratulating LKYSPP for achieving this milestone, DPM Heng said: “The school is one of the few institutions that carry Mr Lee’s name. This is testament to his strong belief that good governance was crucial to uplift the destinies of countries and the lives of people. Today, LKYSPP plays an important role in providing a platform for scholars, students and practitioners to explore good governance, and applying this to different country contexts amidst a rapidly changing world.”
During a fireside chat between DPM Heng and Prof Quah, they spoke about the challenges facing governance and policymakers.
DPM Heng encouraged LKYSPP’s strong alumni community to come together and “safeguard a rules-based global architecture, apply technology for common good, and tackle emerging challenges like public health and sustainable development”.
The evening also saw the soft launch of a 20th anniversary book unveiled by Vice-Dean (Executive Education) & Associate Professor in Practice, Francesco Mancini, titled "Public Policy Schools of the Future”, a forward-looking publication that explores the evolving landscape of public policy education. The book comprises essays from over 50 contributors across 15 countries, ranging from board members, faculty, alumni and staff, and will be published by the end of the year.