Headed by Professor Neo Boon Siong, the Institute aims to become a thought leader on competitiveness in Asia and in doing so influence regional policy-making in this area with the ultimate objective of raising living standards through productivity-driven economic growth.

The Asia Competitiveness Institute will enable Singapore to provide expertise and intellectual leadership and give Singapore a voice in the strategic areas of development for the region. As such, the Institute has received strong support from the Singapore Government, particularly from the Ministry of Trade and Industry. The Asia Competitiveness Institute has established formal ties with the Institute for Strategy and Competitiveness, Harvard Business School, headed by competitiveness expert Professor Michael Porter. It will engage in rigorous research and in-depth data collection in a bid to become a repository for data on national competitiveness, tracking competitiveness at the sectoral (industry) and country level. Researchers from the Institute will selectively undertake consultancy projects to advise governments or companies on competitiveness and economic planning at the country/sectoral level.

Please click here for the Asia Competitiveness Institute's website.

As power shifts inexorably toward Asia, it is becoming clear that Asia will not remain merely a spectator on the world stage. This raises questions that are crucial both for Asia and for the world as a whole. Are there common regional interests in responding to globalisation, or do the processes of integration affect various parts of the region too differently to allow for a united front in relation to the rest of the world? How will Western governments respond to Asia’s desire to play a more active and direct role in shaping globalisation and resolving common global problems? Can existing institutions of global governance adapt to the rise of Asia? Will new institutions of global governance be needed?

To answer these and other weighty issues, the School has established the Centre on Asia and Globalisation. Envisioned as an intellectual nexus, the Centre will draw a critical mass of world-class scholars from Singapore and around the world. Headed by Prof Ann Florini, the Centre will provide a research framework that will facilitate collaborations across disciplinary boundaries, focusing on issues of particular importance to Singapore. The Centre on Asia and Globalisation will also be hosting regular strategic dialogues involving China, India, and other countries both within and external to the region as well as forge substantive partnerships with major policy research centres throughout the world.

Please click here for the Centre on Asia and Globalisation's website.

The Institute of Policy Studies (IPS), which joined the Lee Kuan Yew School of Public Policy as an autonomous research centre in January 2008, is a think-tank dedicated to fostering good governance in Singapore through strategic policy research and discussion.  Established in 1988, it was the first think-tank in the country to focus on Singapore's domestic developments and her external relations.  IPS takes a multi-disciplinary approach in its analysis of policy issues, with an emphasis on long-term strategic thinking.  To achieve its objectives, IPS undertakes research projects, generates publications, and organises conferences, forums, lectures, seminars and closed-door discussions.

The Institute has a three-fold mission:

• Analyse policy issues of critical concern to Singapore and contribute to policy development.
• Build bridges among diverse stakeholders, including government, business, academia and civil society.
• Communicate research findings to a wider community and generate a greater awareness of policy issues.

About 700 million people in the Asia Pacific region lack access to safe water and about 2 billion lack access to basic sanitation facilities. Countries such as China, India, Indonesia, Vietnam, Pakistan and the Philippines face significant water challenges. Reducing poverty, improving the levels of food, nutrition and public health cannot be achieved without safe and reliable water supply. Efficient water management is also essential for sustainable economic development, ensuring energy security and protecting the environment.

To meet these challenges, the Lee Kuan Yew School of Public Policy established the Institute of Water Policy in June 2008. The mission of the School is to provide opportunities for the education and training of next generation of Asian policymakers and leaders, with the objective of raising the standards of governance and improving the lives of the people in the region and, in so doing, contribute to the transformation of Asia.

To support this mission, the Institute of Water Policy will:

• Undertake research on water policy & governance in Asia
• Provide opportunities for education and training on water policy and governance
• Serve as a knowledge hub for water governance in Asia