Futures Thinking

Futures Thinking entails exploring possible future scenarios based on our understanding of the current realities and future trends. Importantly, the process prompts critical reflect on envisioned future scenarios, helping us to answer questions like: What should the future look like? What values and assumptions underly the envisioned future? and Who would benefit the most? Identifying preferred scenarios is key to developing strategies for achieving those futures.

Nevertheless, most people will not actively consider the above questions and even fewer would plan for the future while their immediate circumstances are more wanting. This phenomenon does not bode well as our society grapples with wicked problems that would, first and foremost, require individuals think beyond their ‘here and now’ if we were to have a chance at tackling them.

Taking an inquiry approach, this course will acquaint the participants with the practice of Futures Thinking and give them pointers on how to similarly guide others in the practice. It will be grounded in insights from the Lee Kuan Yew Centre for Innovative Cities’ (LKYCIC) cutting-edge transdisciplinary research on relevant future trends and scenarios.

Who Should Attend

Participants in roles that require them to plan for the future of their organisations, and/or their clients. e.g. policy makers, strategic planners, urban planners
Participants who wish to introduce futures thinking to their individual professional practice and/or organisation
Teachers who wish to introduce future thinking to their students

Minimum Entry Requirement:

Basic social sciences and current affairs knowledge

Programme Outline

Learning Objectives

1. Explain the importance of futures thinking and why it is sometimes neglected

2. Describe the process of futures thinking, including:

understanding current realities & analysing future trends
identifying relevant drivers behind trends
exploring possible and probable futures & selecting preferred futures

3. Analyse an issue from a futures thinking perspective with the aid of selected tools

Programme Structure

Introduction to Futures Thinking
Futures Thinking Processes and Tools
Inculcating Future Thinking in your organisation
Conclusion
Assessment

Assessment

Class Participation
Group Presentation
In-Class Assignment

Course Fees and Funding

Full course fee inclusive of prevailing GST	You pay S$1,090.00
SkillsFuture Course Fee subsidy (70%) For Singapore Citizens < 40 years old For Permanent Residents	You pay S$327.00
Mid-Career Enhanced Subsidy (90%) For Singapore Citizens ≥ 40 years old	You pay S$127.00
Enhanced Training Support for SMEs (90%) For SME - Sponsored employees	You pay S$127.00

The above module fee payable is inclusive of GST of 9%.

Instructors

Harvey Neo
Professorial Research Fellow, Lee Kuan Yew Centre for Innovative Cities
Singapore University of Technology & Design

Harvey Neo is a Professorial Fellow at the Lee Kuan Yew Centre for Innovative Cities, Singapore University of Technology and Design where he heads two research programmes viz. “Cities and Urban Science” & “Urban Environmental Sustainability”. He is concurrently Director of the MSc Urban Science, Policy and Planning degree programme. A human geographer by training, Prof Neo has wide-ranging research interests including human-centric urban development, human-nature relations and future studies.

Samuel Chng
Senior Research Fellow, Lee Kuan Yew Centre for Innovative Cities
Singapore University of Technology & Design

Samuel Chng is a Senior Research Fellow and heads the Urban Psychology Lab in the Lee Kuan Yew Centre for Innovative Cities at the Singapore University of Technology and Design. He is also Deputy Lead for the Future-Ready Society programme. With the majority of the world's population residing in cities today, fostering urban lifestyles that contribute towards creating low-carbon, resilient, healthy and equitable cities becomes ever more critical. An applied social psychologist, his interdisciplinary work focuses on developing research-informed policies and initiatives to accelerate this transition in Singapore and the wider Asian region. He is a firm believer in translating academic research and capacity building, and so actively collaborates with partners in government, industry, the labour movement and media in this endeavour.

Suhaila Zainal Shah
Research Fellow, Lee Kuan Yew Centre for Innovative Cities
Singapore University of Technology & Design

Suhaila Zainal Shah is a Research Fellow at the Lee Kuan Yew Centre for Innovative Cities with a strong interest in interdisciplinary and applied social research. Her doctoral thesis integrates various fields to examine mothers’ work-life experiences and paradoxical relationship with technology in times of digital disruption and the pandemic. Her research interests include technology and society; work and family; social stratification; gender; intersectional inequalities; community and wellbeing.

She is currently supporting the “Future-Ready Society” programme, working on projects that addresses societal issues with novel solutions that have the potential to improve our capability to anticipate, prepare for and embrace "likely knowns" and "unknowns.

Rabi'ah Binte Ghazali
Research Associate, Lee Kuan Yew Centre for Innovative Cities
Singapore University of Technology & Design

Rabi'ah is a Research Associate at Lee Kuan Yew Centre for Innovative Cities, Singapore University of Technology and Design. She is also pursuing a PhD at the Singapore University of Social Sciences. Her research focuses on the role of lifelong learning and community building in addressing inequalities and fostering social harmony. Her varied work experiences include teaching Geography at the JC and secondary levels, curriculum planning and teacher training at MOEHQ, and strategic policy planning at a statutory board. She has used futures thinking as part of the latter role.

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In consideration of the subsidy provided by SkillsFuture Singapore Agency (“SSG”) through the SUTD Academy for the Course,

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If a written notification is sent to sutd_academy@sutd.edu.sg within 24 hours after course registration deadline there will be no cancellation charges. A full refund will be made.
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Replacement Policy

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Course may be cancelled due to insufficient participants. SUTD Academy will not be responsible or liable in any way for any claims, damages, losses, expenses, costs or liabilities whatsoever (including, without limitation, any direct or indirect damages for loss of profits, business interruption or loss of information) resulting or arising directly or indirectly from any course cancellation.
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Types of Funding

Funding under Mid-Career Enhanced Subsidy ("MCES")

MCES is an enhanced Subsidy to encourage mid-career individuals to upskill and reskill, thereby helping them to remain competitive and resilient in the job market. With this, all Singaporeans aged 40 and above will receive higher subsidies of up to 90% course fee subsidy for SSG-funded certifiable courses.
Individuals/employers are not required to submit an application for the MCES. Those pursuing SSG-funded programmes will be charged the appropriate subsidised fees by SUTD Academy if they are eligible MCES. Individuals/employers will only need to pay the nett fee (full course fee after SSG's grant).

For more info, please visit SkillsFuture website at https://www.skillsfuture.gov.sg/enhancedsubsidy

Funding under Enhanced Training Support for SMEs ("ETSS")

ETSS is an enhanced funding to enable SMEs to send their employees for training.
SMEs will enjoy subsidies of up to 90% of the course fees when they sponsor their employees for SSG-funded certifiable courses.
In addition to higher course fee funding, SMEs can also claim absentee payroll funding of 80% of basic hourly salary at a higher cap of $7.50 per hour. SMEs may apply for the absentee payroll via the SkillsConnect system.
To qualify, SMEs must meet all of the following criteria:
- Organisation must be registered or incorporated in Singapore
- Employment size of not more than 200 or with annual sales turnover of not more than $100 million
- Trainees must be hired in accordance with the Employment Act and fully sponsored by their employers for the course
- Trainees must be Singapore Citizens or Singapore Permanent Residents

For more info, please visit SSG website at https://www.ssg.gov.sg/programmes-and-initiatives/funding/enhanced-training-support-for-smes1.html

Funding under Union Training Assistance Programme ("UTAP")

UTAP is a training benefit for NTUC members to defray their cost of training. This benefit is to encourage more union members to go for skills upgrading.

NTUC members enjoy 50% unfunded course fee support for up to $250 each year when you sign up for courses supported under UTAP (Union Training Assistance Programme).

For more info, please visit https://e2i.com.sg/individuals/ntuc-education-and-training-fund/.

Funding under Post-Secondary Education Account ("PSEA")

The Post-Secondary Education Account (PSEA) is part of the Post-Secondary Education Scheme to help pay for the post-secondary education of Singaporeans.

This is part of the Government’s efforts to encourage every Singaporean to complete their post-secondary education. It also underscores the Government’s commitment to support families in investing in the future education of their children and to prepare them for the economy of the future. PSEA is not a bank account.

It is administered by the Ministry of Education (MOE) and is opened automatically for all eligible Singaporeans.

Account holders can use their PSEA funds to pay for their own or their siblings’ approved fees and charges for approved programs conducted by approved institutions.

However, you will have to check your eligibility and balance by contacting MOE first.

Contact MOE at (65) 6260 0777

E-mail to MOE at contact@moe.edu.sg

Click here for MOE website.

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