About the Singapore APEC Study Centre

 

The APEC Economic Leaders launched the APEC Leaders' Education Initiative (ALEI) in 1993 to develop regional cooperation in higher education, study key regional economic issues, improve workers skills, facilitate cultural and intellectual exchanges, enhance labor mobility and foster understanding of the diversity of the Asia-Pacific region. Part of the ALEI was the establishment of APEC Study Centers in existing universities and research institutions of participating member economies, in order to promote APEC-related studies and programs for greater exchange of scholars and students.

The Singapore APEC Study Centre was subsequently established at the Institute of Southeast Asian Studies in 1994 by the Ministry of Education, Singapore. It is part of the Regional Economic Studies Programme of ISEAS. The Centre is headed concurrently by the Director of ISEAS, assisted by a Centre Coordinator.

The objectives of the Centre are to undertake research, disseminate information, facilitate discussions on APEC-related issues, and promote linkages with other APEC Study Centres. The Centre also liaises with the APEC Secretariat, the Pacific Economic Cooperation Council (PECC), the Latin America/Caribbean and Asia/Pacific Economics and Business Association (LAEBA), and other organizations working on APEC.

The Centre is part of a consortium of around a hundred APEC Study Centres based in academic and research institutions in the 21 member economies of APEC. The consortium’s major activity is an annual conference, which is held in the APEC host economy for the year. The first APEC Study Centers Consortium (ASCC) Conference was held in Manila in 1996. In July 2009, the Centre hosted the ASCC Conference as part of APEC Singapore 2009.