By 2008, more than half of the world's population will live in cities. Urbanization, if managed well, offers significant potential for increased productivity and economic growth. However, the environmental consequences and impact on quality of life cannot be ignored. Good leadership, careful planning and effective implementation are critical success factors for sustainable development of cities around the world. Liveable cities that offer a good quality of life attract internationally mobile capital and talent, which contribute to economic competitiveness and cultural dynamism.
How should we address the challenges of a rapidly urbanizing landscape? What are the strategies to balance economic progress and liveability of cities? How can cities develop both the hardware and software to succeed? World Cities Summit 2008 will offer practical insights into these important issues.
World Cities Summit is a premier international conference series on effective public governance and sustainable development of cities. The inaugural event in 2008 will focus on urban development and environmental sustainability issues under the theme "Liveable and Vibrant Cities". The discussion topics will address the challenges of developing cities that are both liveable and vibrant. It will cover issues related to excellent urban infrastructure, clean environment, climate change, good quality of life and economic competitiveness.
The conference will feature thought leaders and distinguished practitioners who will share valuable insights and practical experiences. It will address issues from practitioners,perspectives and showcase global best practices. Apart from plenary discussions, there will be breakout sessions on specific areas of interest and interesting site visits that will enhance the learning experience.
The conference will be held at the Suntec Singapore International Convention and Exhibition Centre . It will be held at the same time as the Singapore International Water Week 2008, a leading event on policies and applications of water innovation and technologies, under the theme "Sustainable Water Solutions for Cities"
World Cities Summit 2008 is organised by the Civil Service College and the Lee Kuan Yew School of Public Policy and Ministry of National Development.
About Ministry of National Development The Ministry of National Development envisions Singapore to be ''An Endearing and a Distinctive Global City''. Its mission is to make Singapore one of the most attractive Asian cities to live, work and play in. It aims to achieve this by developing a world-class infrastructure, creating a vibrant and sustainable living environment and building rooted and cohesive communities.
The Ministry is responsible for Singapore's land use planning, urban redevelopment and building conservation, delivering affordable and quality public housing solutions, developing an efficient construction industry, providing and managing parks, open spaces and conservation of nature areas as well as maintaining a high standard of primary food safety and animal and plant health.
With the strong support of its five Statutory Boards namely, Agri-Food & Veterinary Authority of Singapore (AVA), Building & Construction Authority (BCA), Housing & Development Board (HDB), National Parks Board (NParks) and Urban Redevelopment Authority (URA), the Ministry will continue to provide the best home for Singaporeans and all those who come to Singapore.
About Civil Service College Civil Service College (CSC) Singapore, is a statutory board under the Public Service Division, Prime Minister's Office. Its mission is to develop people for a first class public service. CSC brings together public service officers from diverse backgrounds and provides them opportunities to plug into a service-wide network to exchange views, build shared ethos and perspectives, creating a rich environment for dialogue, knowledge sharing and learning.
CSC programmes and services are practitioner-focused. With access to public sector thought leadership and line management, much of the training is facilitated by highly experienced practitioners who speak with authority and offer first-hand knowledge and experience.
Through its programmes and services, CSC aims to build commitment and strategic capacity in governance, leadership, public administration and management for a networked government for the Singapore Public Service.
About Lee Kuan Yew School of Public Policy As countries in
Southeast Asia
and the Pacific enter a new phase of their development, the importance of public policy has become increasingly recognised. The problems faced by policy-makers range over a wide spectrum of issues which are unique to countries in the region. In the regional context, these are further complicated by religious, ethnic, historical and political variables which add to the complexity of governance. Charting public policy within these varied settings and meeting the demands and expectations of different constituents, national and international, require public servants who are trained to look at the issues from the vantage points of several disciplines. The Lee Kuan Yew School of Public Policy, a graduate school of the National University of Singapore (NUS), is ideally situated to provide unique perspectives and insights across these varied disciplines. The School offers Masters degree programmes in public policy, public administration and public management. In addition, the School offers a PhD programme and a diverse range of high quality executive programmes. Awarded by NUS, consistently ranked amongst the top 25 universities in the world*, these programmes offer globally recognised credentials for aspiring leaders with an interest in public service.
The School is also the only Asian member of the Global Public Policy Network (GPPN), an alliance with Columbia University’s School of International and Public Affairs (SIPA), the London School of Economics and Political Science (LSE), and the Institut d’Etudes Politiques de Paris (Sciences Po, Paris).
* The Times Higher Education Supplement (2004, 2005 and 2006)
