public-policy-schools-of-the-future-book
The edited volume, produced for the 20th anniversary of the Lee Kuan Yew School of Public Policy, assembles 54 essays by 58 contributors—including scholars, deans, civil servants, technologists and practitioners—to chart the future of public‑policy education. The first part ("Evolving Landscape") diagnoses how professions, technology, geopolitics and societal expectations are undergoing permanent transition, highlighting the rise of AI, climate urgency, demographic shifts, and the diffusion of power across state and non‑state actors. The second part ("Schools of the Future") proposes concrete transformations for public‑policy schools across three pillars: teaching, research and outreach. Teaching must become interdisciplinary, technology‑integrated, experiential and lifelong. Research should be problem‑driven, impact‑oriented, trans‑disciplinary and globally plural. Outreach must position schools as civic platforms, conveners and communicators of public value. The book presents a series of research‑agenda chapters (economics, international relations, environment & sustainability, emerging technologies, think‑tank strategy, opinion‑research centres, communication & outreach, thought leadership) that illustrate how each domain can adopt policy‑relevant, high‑impact, interdisciplinary approaches. The concluding essays synthesize nine cross‑cutting themes and call for agile, purpose‑driven institutions that co‑create knowledge, embrace complexity and serve as laboratories of governance for the coming decades.
Topics
Evolving Landscape of Public‑Policy Professions and Societal Context
Diagnoses the permanent transition of professions, technologies, geopolitics, and societal expectations that shape the demand for public‑policy expertise. Highlights AI diffusion, climate urgency, demographic shifts, and the redistribution of power among state and non‑state actors, arguing that future professionals must be interdisciplinary, systems‑thinking, and ethically grounded.
Domain‑Specific Research Agendas for Policy Schools
Outlines high‑impact, interdisciplinary research roadmaps across four core domains: (1) Economics – moving from precision to relevance with policy‑oriented, normative, and participatory work; (2) International Relations – integrating domestic‑foreign policy links, (de)globalisation, and Asian geopolitics; (3) Environment & Sustainability – bridging physical science, economics, and social science to close the knowledge‑action gap on climate, decarbonisation, and circular economy; (4) Emerging Technologies – governing AI, data, digital resilience, future of work, tech‑enabled climate solutions, and digital democracy. Each agenda stresses problem‑driven inquiry, trans‑disciplinary collaboration, and global pluralism.
Communication, Thought Leadership, and Civic Outreach as Platforms for Impact
Frames outreach as a civic platform that convenes government, industry, and civil society. Emphasises wicked‑problem mindsets, co‑creation with diverse stakeholders, multi‑platform communication, and systematic thought‑leadership strategies that amplify school expertise, shape policy agendas, and democratise knowledge through public lectures, media, digital tools, and student‑led projects.
Teaching Transformation: Interdisciplinary, Experiential, Lifelong, and Digital‑Fluent Learning
Reimagines curricula to embed digital fluency, systems thinking, foresight, ethical judgment, and narrative building. Advocates modular, micro‑credentialed pathways, experiential learning, and lifelong education models that prepare graduates for complex, rapidly changing policy environments.
Research Redesign: Impact‑Driven, Trans‑disciplinary, and Global Knowledge Production
Calls for a problem‑oriented research ecosystem that blends social sciences, technology, environmental studies, and data science while diversifying epistemic sources. Stresses collaborative networks, real‑world impact, and global pluralism as core criteria for scholarly work in policy schools.
Cross‑Cutting Themes and Institutional Imperatives for Future‑Ready Schools
Synthesises nine overarching themes—digital fluency, systems thinking, agility, ethics, communication, etc.—and maps practical challenges such as institutional inertia, accreditation constraints, and incentive structures. Proposes agile, purpose‑driven governance models that treat schools as laboratories of democratic innovation.