Opening Address By SUSS Provost Professor Robbie Goh at the Cheong Hee Kiat Lecture On Community Leadership

Mr. Dinesh Vasu Dash, Minister of State, Ministry of Culture, Community and Youth & Ministry of Manpower 

Professor Tan Tai Yong, President, Singapore University of Social Sciences (SUSS)

Professor Cheong Hee Kiat, President Emeritus, SUSS

Ms. Thian Ai Ling, First Deputy Chairperson, SNCF

Mr. Ang Hin Kee, Chief Executive Officer, Singapore National Co-operative Federation (SNCF)

Distinguished Guests,
Ladies and Gentlemen,

1. Good morning. It is my pleasure to welcome all of you to the Cheong Hee Kiat (CHK) Lecture on Community Leadership, organised by the Centre of Excellence for Social Good of the Singapore University of Social Sciences (SUSS).

2. This annual lecture honours our founding president Emeritus Professor Cheong Hee Kiat, whose contributions to SUSS and to Singapore’s education landscape are well known to many of you present in this room, and have helped shape our mission and purpose. The Lecture provides a space for insightful reflection on leadership, community, and the kind of society we aspire to build together.

3. We live in uncertain times. The challenges that we are facing are predictable including super-aged society, the shift in social care, volunteer training, active ageing programmes and integrated health. There are geopolitical tensions and there is also the challenge on AI. We know it is going to affect the nature of education. But we are also unsure which sector will be affected next and how the benefits are going to outweigh the disadvantages to our people, and in so which areas and which communities are going to be worse affected. We have these so called wicked problems, and they call for a whole-of-society approach, purposeful collaborations and leaders from committed service.

4. This boldly collaborative approach is aligned with the We First ethos that Prime Minister Lawrence Wong articulated in his National Day Rally speech. A We First mindset strengthens our sense of shared responsibility. It is grounded in shared values, mutual care and collective ownership.

5. At last year’s Cheong Hee Kiat Lecture, Mr Lim Swee Say gave practical insights to the co creation and co-delivery of our many plans and solutions, including the 3P framework of people, private and public.  This year, we would like to consider what it means to place the People Sector at the heart of the 3P framework. The People Sector connects national direction with lived experience. It ensures that growth remains inclusive and practicable, policies remain grounded, and development strengthens our social fabric. In short, it keeps our 3P approach honest and grounded.

6. We are delighted to have Mr Dinesh Vasu Dash here with us today to lead us to think about this topic. SUSS as a university is committed to social impact and lifelong learning and is very much invested in the people sector and community leadership. For us, education is not an abstract classroom experience by the means to empower individuals and organisations to contribute meaningfully to society. Our role is to convene, connect, and build capabilities that translate intent into impact. Through applied learning, community engagement and partnerships across sectors, we provide opportunities for our students to work on real-world challenges and turn knowledge into action.

7. In that spirit, I am happy to share that we will be signing a training agreement between SUSS and Singapore National Co-operative Federation, or SNCF, to jointly deliver a Co-operative Leadership Development Programme. I would like to thank SNCF leadership for partnering with us to deliver this important initiative. This programme is designed to strengthen leadership capabilities of co-op leaders, managers, and professionals, equipping them with practical frameworks grounded in ethical stewardship, collaboration, digital enablement and measurable impact.

8. Through hands-on applied projects, participants will develop concrete action plans to strengthen their organisations and better serve their communities.

9. Ultimately, building a stronger and more inclusive Singapore requires each of us across the public, private and people sectors to move towards a shared stewardship of our common future.

10. I trust that today’s lecture sparks meaningful reflection and practical conversations on how we can do just that. I also hope that you will enjoy the proceedings.

11. Thank you.