23 November 2000

OPENING REMARKS BY DR ALINE WONG, SENIOR MINISTER OF STATE FOR EDUCATION, FOR THE INAUGURAL SIIA (SINGAPORE INSTITUTE OF INTERNATIONAL AFFAIRS) UNDERGRAD SEMINAR FOR REGIONAL AFFAIRS ON THURSDAY, 23 NOVEMBER 2000, 9.00 AM, AT RELC, ORANGE GROVE ROAD

It is a pleasure for me to offer a few opening remarks for this inaugural Singapore Institute Of International Affairs (SIIA) Undergraduate Seminar on Regional Affairs.

2 First of all, it is good that our students are participating in seminars on regional affairs. Singaporeans are plugged into the global centers, such as New York and London or, in the world of information and technology, Silicon Valley. We must however also understand the region around us. This is especially important for our young, and our future leaders. The recent financial crisis that affected the region reminds us how events around us can impact Singapore. The fires in Indonesia and the resulting haze too bring home the fact that we are part of the region. We should aim to become a more cosmopolitan and global society with a well informed and well travelled people who understand the world around us.

3 Second, Cambodia is our ASEAN neighbour and I believe it should be better understood and appreciated by Singaporeans. The Cambodians are now challenged to rebuild their nation and society after decades of war, domestic conflict and political instability. There are many things to be done, such as the clearing of landmines to make the country safe for its people, and the psychological tasks of re-building mutual trust, respect and tolerance in the society. Peace and prosperity cannot be achieved overnight. But the process has begun and must be understood and supported by the international community.

4 Third, I commend the way this seminar is structured. I understand that this afternoon, after the keynote and expert speeches, the undergrad participants will gather in small groups for discussion, facilitated by younger professors and graduate students. Then, in the weeks after the seminar, the undergrads will be encouraged to take up their own research and writing projects in response to the issues raised. Finally, in early 2001, some 40 students will go on a study visit to Cambodia to interact with students and experts there. In this regard, the seminar is an example of interactive and collaborative learning, of self-study and research, and of learning by hands-on experience. These are elements in education that our Ministry strongly encourages.

5 Fourth, while Cambodia is the subject, this seminar is highly relevant for National Education (NE) which we have been implementing through various programmes for our students. NE has become well-entrenched in the primary and secondary levels, through both the curriculum and co-curricular activities. It is important to continue NE at the tertiary level. Yet it cannot be taught in the same way as at lower levels. Learning about the region can therefore be of assistance. The region has many lessons for nation building: the challenges faced by governments, the roles of leaders and the contribution that citizens can make. When we learn about and reflect on the experience of Cambodia and other countries in the region, we will be able to draw valuable lessons for our own nation.

6 Fifth, I congratulate the new University Scholars Programme for co-organizing this seminar and providing the core of the participants. The Programme is a brand new initiative of NUS which aims to nurture leaders with venturesome minds who can combine and correlate existing ideas in novel ways and create new knowledge both within a discipline and among diverse disciplines. The programme, with its first intake in July 2001, will involve five faculties/schools: Arts and Social Sciences, Business Administration, Engineering, Science and Computing. I hope, in time to come, the number of faculties involved will be enlarged so that more students will be able to benefit from this worthwhile programme. Beyond an academic curriculum, which will be inter-disciplinary, University Scholars must be given the chance to take part in a wide range of activities such as seminars, research projects, field visits and overseas study trips. The aim is to broaden students’ outlook and contacts, as well as to develop their leadership qualities. Today’s seminar ties in well with the nature of the programme indeed.

7 Finally, I commend the Singapore Institute of International Affairs for organising seminars of this nature. I encourage it to continue and build on its work in public education. The SIIA is a non-profit and non-governmental society that is run by a network of scholars and volunteers, with a core staff of only five. Yet it has played a significant role in regional policy research and dialogue for many years. It is to the benefit of Singapore that SIIA’s expertise and knowledge is shared with our students and young leaders as a whole.

8 I wish you all a stimulating and rewarding time at this inaugural SIIA Undergrad Seminar.