) or https:// as an added precaution.Mr Peter Ho, Chairman, Social Science Research Council (SSRC),
Prof Lily Kong, President, Singapore Management University (SMU),
Prof Alan Chan, Provost, SMU,
Ambassador Chan Heng Chee, Deputy Chairperson, SSRC,
Colleagues, friends,
Introduction
1. Good morning! I am delighted to be here with you for the launch of the 2026 Social Science and Humanities Ideas Festival. This is a good opportunity over the next few days to do a few things. First, to take stock of the growth of our research initiatives over the years. Second, to celebrate the good work of our researchers. Third, to explore the important role that the social sciences and humanities play as we look to the future.
2. As Mr Peter Ho said, this year's focus on resilience amidst a changing world is timely. We live in times of great complexity and uncertainty. Amidst these changes, social science and humanities research can help us to make sense of what's going on, chart our course, identify trends, avoid pitfalls, and seize opportunities. And of course, expand the domain of knowledge that we all seek.
3. We can do this for example, by informing how we build resilience amidst climate change, mitigate the risks and harness the opportunities that Artificial Intelligence has on jobs and society, support our ageing population, and strengthen trust between communities amidst a turbulent world.
Social Science and Humanities (SSH) Research Improves Lives
4. So in addition to producing strong scholarship, we want to support applied research that can achieve real-world impact and help Singapore overcome its challenges. To do so, we must grow our own pool of world-class researchers who understand Singapore's unique context and can harness research to make a difference.
5. At the same time, our social science and humanities research can also help to address global challenges. We can play a part as thought leader and pathfinder to test-bed some of these efforts, enabling other countries and cities to learn from our experience.
6. These efforts have borne fruit. MOE had set aside around $450 million to support the development of social science and humanities research from 2021 to 2025. With this funding, the SSRC has supported close to 80 research projects in areas such as behavioural science, medical humanities, and sustainability. They supported and trained many local researchers, including around 200 PhD students.
7. Our social science and humanities research has also contributed to efforts to improve life here in our city-state lives. For example, Professor Irene Ng and her team's research on the lived realities of in-work poverty among young platform workers was instrumental in informing enhanced protection for platform workers, through the Platform Workers Act that was passed in September 2024. SMU's Centre for Research on Successful Ageing (ROSA), led by Professor Paulin Straughan, works closely with Government agencies to translate research insights to advance the holistic well-being of older people in Singapore.
8. I would encourage my colleagues from government agencies as well as our researchers to actively seek out and deepen such collaborations to address Singapore's challenges and to make a contribution to global efforts. This will bridge the gap between knowledge and policy application, and ensure that public policy continues to be grounded in evidence. Ultimately, by working together, we can make better informed decisions and deploy more effective and innovative solutions to complex societal challenges.
9. So I am glad that more ambitious projects will start this year, with support from the Social Science Research Council. To share just two examples:
- First, we know that Southeast Asia is navigating an increasingly complex and volatile landscape, with new challenges emerging such as cyber vulnerabilities that cut across borders, even as longstanding security risks like territorial disputes remain. Professor Khong Yuen Foong and his team are studying such regional challenges to provide insights on how Singapore and other countries in Southeast Asia can strengthen our regional resilience.
- The second example is with our ageing population, we want to move away from treating diseases only when they've struck, and instead try our best to prevent them from even developing. Professor May Lwin and her team are developing AI-driven population models that can inform such preventive healthcare efforts, by integrating different data points from our adult population.
Continued Government Support for SSH Research
10. These and more are important and exciting work, and we want to support the continued development of our local social science and humanities research ecosystem. Today, I am glad to announce that the Ministry of Education has set aside $556 million over the next five years for this purpose. This will be an increase of almost $100 million from the previous tranche of funding.
11. The new tranche of funding will further strengthen our core of Singaporean researchers through initiatives such as the Graduate Research Fellowship (GRF). First launched in 2021, the GRF aims to build bridges with early-career Singaporean researchers who are based overseas for their PhD or postdoctoral training, to anchor them in the local research ecosystem and encourage them to return and take up appointments in our local educational institutions.
12. I am happy to share that one of our fellows, Mr Kok Bing Cai, who is currently doing his PhD at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, was awarded the international PhD scholarship by NTU and will be appointed as a tenure-track Assistant Professor in Psychology after completing his PhD.
13. In this new tranche, we are looking to invest more in such initiatives to further expand our talent pipeline for outstanding Singaporean researchers.
Looking Ahead
14. Through the combined efforts of the government, our institutions, and our researchers, I am confident that our social sciences and humanities research will continue to contribute to tangible outcomes for Singapore and the world. Indeed, this Ideas Festival, featuring events organised by all our universities, is a good example of how our universities can collaborate in this field, and recognise the real-world impact our researchers are making.
15. On this note, I would like to thank the Singapore Management University for organising today's event. A big thank you also to the Social Science Research Council and all our researchers for your hard work in bringing this festival to life.
16. I wish you all a good month of insightful and productive conversations. We look forward to your discussions sparking new ideas and further strengthening our research ecosystem.