2025 Special Programmatic Grant
Four projects were awarded under the one-off 2025 Special Programmatic Grant, which supports ambitious social science and humanities research programmes to build local capabilities and thought leadership
Overview
Launched in 2025, the one-off Special Programmatic Grant (SPG) was designed to encourage the development of ambitious Social Science and Humanities Research (SSHR) programmes, with an emphasis on developing longer-term capabilities in areas germane to establishing Singapore as a thought leader.
The goals of the grant were:
To support research programmes that address emerging areas of need and/or areas of strategic relevance which have potential to position Singapore as a thought leader globally.
To catalyse cross-institutional research endeavours that leverage and enhance existing research capabilities across Singapore’s Autonomous Universities (AUs).
To develop research capabilities and human capital by building up the pipeline of research manpower and attracting talent.
To enable positive societal impact and outcomes (e.g. outreach, policy recommendations).
Awarded Projects
The following projects were awarded for the 2025 Special Programmatic Grant:
Table 1: List of Awarded Projects for the 2025 Special Programmatic Grant
S/N | Lead Principal Investigator | Focus Area(s) | Involved Institution(s) | Project Title |
|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | Prof Atreyi Kankanhalli (NUS) | Computational Social Science & Humanities | NUS, NTU, SMU, SUTD | Computational Social Simulations for Aiding Policy Design |
2 | Prof Khong Yuen Foong (NUS) | Regional Studies | NUS, NTU, SMU | Rethinking Regional Resilience in a Changing World |
3 | Prof May Oo Lwin (NTU) | Computational Social Science & Humanities / | NTU | Transforming Health Behavioural Insights through AI-driven Segmentation Models |
4 | Prof Orlando Woods (SMU) | Computational Social Science & Humanities / | SMU, NUS, NTU | Inclusive AI Governance in Southeast Asian Cities |
Focus Areas
Research programmes can cover one or a combination of the following focus areas using various perspectives in the social sciences and humanities:
Regional Studies
Computational Social Sciences and Humanities
AI, Technology and Society
Behavioural Sciences
Evaluation Criteria
Submitted proposals were evaluated based on the following criteria:
Technical Merit: Scientific and academic rigour, potential to create new and important knowledge, and appropriateness of research design and methods.
Capability-Building: Potential to boost and catalyse the development of local social science and humanities research capabilities in Singapore in the four focus areas. Potential to synergise with and reinforce research capabilities in the local AUs and the broader research community in Singapore.
Societal/Policy Impact: The potential benefits of the research to Singapore, and potential contribution to knowledge and practice.
Quality of Research Team: Capabilities and track record of the proposed research team. The Lead Principal Investigators are expected to be established researchers, preferably with a track record in managing research teams.
Execution: Coherence in the proposed execution plans, feasibility of carrying out the research within the given timeframe, and the cost-effectiveness and value for money of the research.