Lee Kuan Yew Centre for Innovative Cities Celebrates 10th Year Anniversary
The Lee Kuan Yew Centre for Innovative Cities celebrates its 10th year anniversary this year.
Established on 1 September 2012 as one of the research centres of excellence in the Singapore University of Technology and Design (SUTD), the Lee Kuan Yew Centre for Innovative Cities (LKYCIC) celebrates its 10th year anniversary this year.
Minister for National Development, Mr Desmond Lee, delivered the opening address at the anniversary celebration event which was held at the Asian Civilisations Museum on 21 September 2022.
The LKYCIC is only one of two institutions in Singapore that carry the name of our founding prime minister Mr Lee Kuan Yew. With a mission to stimulate thinking and research on the critical issues of cities and urbanisation, and to provide breakthrough urban solutions using technology, urban science, policy and design, LKYCIC works closely with some 90 partners on research and education projects.
In his opening remarks, SUTD President Professor Chong Tow Chong shared, “In line with SUTD’s DNA, the LKYCIC’s approach to research is truly inter-disciplinary in nature. It brings together social scientists, psychologists, architects, urban planners, engineers, data scientists and economists and draws on disciplines from SUTD, as well as collaborators from other Institutes of Higher Learning and research institutes, locally and globally to carry out its work.”
LKYCIC also trains a new generation of urban researchers, analysts and practitioners through the Master of Science in Urban Science, Policy and Planning (MUSPP) programme, which it leads in collaboration with the Humanities, Arts and Social Sciences (HASS) cluster of SUTD.
LKYCIC Chair Prof Cheong Koon Hean giving her opening remarks at the celebration.
Professor Cheong Koon Hean, Chair of LKYCIC, highlighted Professor Chan Heng Chee’s able leadership as first Chair of the centre and the hard work put in by the LKYCIC team in building a good foundation. On the future of LKYCIC, she said, “Going forward, the Centre must continue to focus on research that addresses both current as well as emerging global and national concerns. I believe that our novel multi-disciplinary and humanistic approach, supported by technology, urban science, social policy and design can provide meaningful insights and breakthrough urban solutions.”
Celebrating a Decade of Exploration and Research
As part of the 10th anniversary event programme, LKYCIC’s distinguished fellow Professor Ricky Burdett presented a public lecture on ‘Shaping Cities in an Urban Age’. He shared about how cities are responding to major social and environmental challenges in different regions of the world. Prof Burdett, who is a visiting professor from the London School of Economics (LSE), cited recent research by LSE Cities as he explored key points including challenges faced by cities, urban density, and reflections on the city of London. (View lecture recording)
Minister for National Development, Mr Desmond Lee (fourth from left) with SUTD President Prof Chong Tow Chong, LKYCIC Chair Prof Cheong Koon Hean, LKYCIC’s first Chairperson Prof Chan Heng Chee (third from left), and members of the panel discussion.
The lecture was followed by a panel discussion on how cities can be better prepared to deal with the challenges ahead, which featured Mr Peter Ho (Chairman of the Urban Redevelopment Authority), Professor Jason Pomeroy (Architect and Founding Principal of Pomeroy Studio), Mr Abhas Jha (Practice Manager, Climate Change and Disaster Risk Management, World Bank) and Professor Ricky Burdett (Professor of Urban Studies and Director of LSE Cities) as panellists. (View panel discussion)
See also: Lee Kuan Yew Centre for Innovative Cities Celebrates Its 10th Anniversary