Over 250 participants from various organisations in academia and the public as well as private sectors convened at the Orchard Hotel on 7 March 2013 for the BSI Conference 2013 organised by the Behavioural Sciences Institute (BSI) at SMU. Luminaries who were in attendance included Professor Tommy Koh (Singapore’s Ambassador-at-Large), Mr Kwek Leng Joo (Managing Director, City Developments Limited), Ms Yeoh Chee Yan (Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Culture, Community and Youth) and Mr Wong Hong Kuan (CEO, Workforce Development Agency).
The conference theme "Population Matters: Purpose, Priorities & Perceptions" was a timely one given the strong reactions to the Population White Paper released by the Government in late January 2013. The conference provided a useful platform for the constructive exchange of ideas as the speakers and panellists shared their insights and engaged the participants to deliberate on Singapore’s population challenges from diverse perspectives.
Following a welcome address by SMU President Professor Arnoud De Meyer, BSI Director Professor David Chan kicked off the conference by presenting an overview of the population challenges in terms of economic implications, liveability and quality of life due to a mismatch between population growth and infrastructure support. He emphasised the need to focus on various social and psychological issues associated with how people think, feel and act in the changing socio-political contexts through which population matters evolved. Professor Chan substantiated his argument with research findings to illustrate how policy design and execution need to take seriously nto account the science of cognition, emotion and behaviour.
[Photo: Professor David Chan (L) with Professor Tommy Koh (R) (Singapore’s Ambassador-at-Large).]
The importance of social and psychological issues was also highlighted in subsequent presentations by other invited speakers, including Associate Professor Tan Ern Ser (National University of Singapore - NUS) who spoke on social divides; Dr Matthew Matthews (Institute of Policy Studies) who shared his views on social integration; Ms Charlotte Beck (Ministry of Social and Family Development) who elucidated the policy contexts of an ageing population; Associate Professor John Elliott (NUS) who analysed the socio-psychological processes in ageing, and Associate Professor Paulin Straughan (NUS) who addressed the subject of marriage and parenthood in Singapore.
The conference ended with an absorbing panel discussion where questions from the participants were addressed by panellists including Mr Janadas Devan (Director, Institute of Policy Studies), Ms Debra Soon (Managing Director, Channel NewsAsia), Mrs Mildred Tan (Managing Director, Ernst & Young Associates Pte Ltd) and Dr Jeremy Lim (Principal Consultant, Insights Health Associates). Professor David Chan moderated the lively session.
Feedback from the participants revealed that the conference had been a useful and intellectually stimulating one, with many suggesting that BSI should consider organising more of such events in future.
For more information and presentation summaries of the BSI Conference 2013, please visit: http:/sites/default/files/bsi/Emailers/E_newsletter%209/BSINews_Summary_Page.html
[Photo: Participants in the panel discussion, which was moderated by Professor David Chan (R), included Mrs Mildred Tan (L) (Managing Director, Ernst & Young Associates Pte Ltd) and Mr Janadas Devan (Centre) (Director, Institute of Policy Studies), amongst others.]
[Featured photo: BSI Director Professor David Chan addressing over 250 participants at the BSI Conference 2013.]