48th Federation of ASEAN Economic Associations Conference (FAEA 2025)

The 17th Singapore Economic Policy Forum (SEPF), jointly organised by the Economic Society of Singapore (ESS) and the National University of Singapore (NUS), was held on 24 October 2025, in conjunction with the Outstanding Economics Teacher Award (OEETA) presentation. The theme of this year’s forum was “Economic Policy in a Fragmented Global Environment.” We were honoured to have Dr Tan See Leng, Minister for Manpower and Minister in Charge of Energy, Science & Technology, Ministry of Trade and Industry, as our Guest of Honour and Keynote Speaker. The panel featured distinguished speakers representing various sectors, including the private sector, government, academia, and finance.

The Economics Society of Singapore (ESS) is honoured to host Professor Jeffrey Sachs, a world-renowned economist, global leader in sustainable development, and advocate for economic cooperation, as the distinguished guest speaker for the 6th ESS Distinguished Public Lecture, titled “ASEAN and the World Economy to 2050”. Professor Sachs shared how the global economy and ASEAN countries have developed over the years, and how it may be different in the coming years amid global uncertainty and tensions. He also raised three challenges relating to sustainable development, namely the climate crisis, ecological crisis and megapollution crisis. Professor Sachs encourages more cooperation and respect between countries to achieve a win-win situation for all.

In August 2016, ESS launched the inaugural Outstanding Economics Teacher Award in short OETA. The OETA recognises outstanding Economics teachers who have made exemplary contributions and exhibited excellence in teaching of Economics at the secondary school and pre-university levels. We would now like to extend our heartfelt congratulations to the winners of the Outstanding Economics Teacher Award 2025 — Ms Chua Bee-Lian Valerie from Nanyang Junior College, and Mr Lim Mong Khai Melvin from St Andrew’s Junior College.

In celebration of the Economic Society of Singapore's (ESS) 69th anniversary, we were honoured to have Senior Minister Lee Hsien Loong as our Guest-of-Honour and Keynote Speaker. On this occasion, Senior Minister Lee was conferred the 6th Distinguished Fellow of the Economic Society of Singapore, the Society’s highest lifetime accolade, in recognition of his outstanding contributions to the advancement of economics in public life in Singapore.

The ASEAN+3 Regional Economic Outlook 2025 was held on 11 June 2025, both online and onsite at ESSEC Asia-Pacific. The event was moderated by Mr Allen Ng and featured three distinguished panelists: Mr Manu Bhaskaran, Ms Selena Ling and Dr Taimur Baig. The speakers discussed ASEAN+3’s macroeconomic prospects and challenges given large trade shock and high uncertainties, amongst others. A key challenge for the region is not only to reignite growth, but also to revitalize it. They highlighted five key policy themes toward stronger sustainable growth paths for the region: (1) Upgrading manufacturing capabilities, (2) Prioritizing high skills and quality services, (3) Closing investment gaps, (4) Boosting innovation and leveraging on technology and (5) Strengthening state capacity.

The three speakers highlighted the complex interplay between technology, skills, and policy in preparing for the future of work. One speaker emphasizes that while technological innovation drives productivity and living standards, it also causes job disruptions and is shaped by global challenges like geopolitical tensions, urging future workers to navigate both opportunities and risks. Another focuses on the importance of identifying and developing human attributes — especially those undervalued in formal education — that offer a comparative advantage over AI. The third speaker discusses the role of government in equipping Singapore’s workforce for the future, advocating for targeted, evidence-based interventions that align with the country's unique economic and social context amidst shifting labour trends.