Past Programmes

The Arts for Good (A4G) Fellowship was launched in 2017 to harness the power of the arts to create positive social change.

Between 2017 to 2023, the Fellowship brought together 190 Fellows from 28 countries, including artists, art administrators, and social sector professionals. The Fellows embarked on an exciting journey where they gathered in Singapore to discuss and brainstorm challenges such as ageing populations, climate change, youth empowerment and brainstorm art-based solutions.

Today, these Fellows have become part of a global alumni network where they continue to connect, support, and collaborate with one another. 

Launched in 2016, the Arts for Good (A4G) Projects brought together artists and different sectors of society to collaborate on arts-based initiatives for social good. At the close of the program in 2023, 30 A4G projects were launched and 230 artists and collaborators from 66 countries benefitted from financial and institutional support from SIF. These projects featured art through diverse mediums, including an Arts and Disability Forum, musical exhibitions, and collaborative dance workshops and have positively impacted more than 2,600 beneficiaries around the world.

The first Camp Singapore was organised in 1996 for children of expatriates living in Singapore and children of overseas Singaporeans to understand Singapore’s history and cultural practices through experiential activities. Camp Singapore was held annually till 2009. It now resides under the purview of the Overseas Singaporean Unit as Camp @Home.

A two-week multimodal expedition spanning Asia, Friendship Express allowed Singaporean and international students to gain insights into different cultures and engaged overseas communities by collaborating on community projects, living and working together.

From 2000 to 2004, SIF’s Humanitarian Relief Programme enabled Singaporean volunteers to bring hope and relief to the distressed in the early stages of a disaster, when the window to save lives and reduce suffering is the greatest.

In partnership with corporations, government and non-government organisations, the programme supported overseas communities by coordinating training for volunteers; providing teams with backend support such as financing, administration and logistics; gathering support from local and overseas parties; and by raising awareness in Singapore.

Ideas for a Better World Forum promoted the exchange of insights, perspectives and experiences between global thought leaders and the Singapore community, inspiring action to enrich lives and effect positive change for a better world.

From 2010 to 2013, luminaries such as Andy Ridley, co-founder of Earth Hour; acclaimed conservationist and United Nations Messenger of Peace Dr Jane Goodall and Dr Mechai Viravaidya, a pioneer in the social entrepreneurship scene in Thailand, were invited to lead panel discussions in Singapore.

The Impact Media Fellowship was launched in 2021 to build capacity and promote an exchange of ideas among media professionals who want to use their platforms for social change.

The programme focused on professional training and knowledge-sharing via training workshops, panel discussions, and cross-cultural exchanges. During the programme, participants engaged with subject matter experts, seasoned media professionals and peers from Singapore and the region. They discussed pressing global issues such as climate action, combating fake news, and widening support for vulnerable populations. The programme also connected participants with an international ecosystem of like-minded individuals in the media industry to explore collaborations.

Between 2021 and 2023, the Fellowship brought together 42 media professionals from seven countries.

Launched in November 2002, the International Student Community was a virtual hub where international students in Singapore could interact with each other and with local students to share their experience, find support and learn from each other, creating a global student community online.

The aim of the programme was to help international students adjust well to living in Singapore, and to encourage Singaporean students to broaden their own appreciation of other cultures.

Beyond virtual interaction, members were also invited to meet local students and community groups in person to experience Singapore food, social life, and our many festivals and cultures.

Little by Little was a series of monthly cultural exchanges with the international community in Singapore to promote understanding and appreciation of different cultures, as well as enable the sharing of ideas and skills to enrich lives.

From 2007 till 2009, under the Middle East Eminent Persons Programme, we invited distinguished persons from the Middle East who had made valuable contributions to their fields of specialisation to visit Singapore. The programme aimed to promote personal and institutional linkages between leading Middle East and Singapore figures in government and the private sector, and to enhance the visitors' understanding of Singapore's governance and experience in the management of national resources.

Since July 2009, the Middle East Institute in Singapore has taken over the coordination of the Middle East Eminent Persons Programme.

The SIF-ASEAN Student Fellowship ran from 1992 to 2004 where student leaders from ASEAN spent a semester in Singapore universities and lived with Singaporean host families. Through living and learning together, the programme fostered close ties and friendships among student leaders from all over ASEAN.

Apart from experiencing university life in Singapore, Fellows also enjoyed activities introducing them to Singapore life. Upon completion of the programme, they formed the Fellowship alumni, with friendships extending across countries, years after the programme ended.

In its 12th and final year, the Fellowship Alumni had over 400 members from all 10 ASEAN countries.

We believe in the importance of sharing ideas and experience, and are committed to enabling international collaborations to achieve social good.

We achieve this by inviting global thought leaders and opinion makers to share their views with their counterparts and the public in Singapore at various forums and dialogues.

The SIF International Student Symposium was an international event for overseas and local Singaporean students, as well as for foreign students studying in Singapore. It was designed to heighten awareness of international issues’ impact on Singapore and the region.

SIF Welcomes! introduced international tertiary students to Singapore through interactive activities.

Singapore Challenge was an annual event which brought local and international youths together for a race around the island that promised fun, friends and fascinating insights into Singapore.

Singapore Encore was a series of events held across different cities worldwide to share Singapore's art and culture internationally through an evening of Singapore music and performances, visual arts, lifestyle design and culinary delights. From 2004 to 2009, Singapore Encore travelled to major cities including Brussels, Dubai, Los Angeles, Manila, New York, San Francisco, Tokyo, Vienna and Washington D.C.

The website Singapore Kopitiam introduced the culture, society and people of Singapore to the world through videos, blogs and commentaries featuring the lighter side of Singapore. Singapore Kopitiam was the predecessor to Our Better World, an online platform sharing stories of people doing good in Asia.

The Words on Wheels (WOW) programme was launched in 2014 to promote learning among children and youths in local communities.

It enabled Singapore International Volunteers (SIVs) and international communities to forge cross-border friendships through knowledge-sharing and cultural exchanges. From 2014 to 2024, the programme provided youths across Southeast Asia with access to learning opportunities via a mobile library. The library, equipped with books and computers, offered opportunities for them to participate in educational activities.

More than 250 SIVs led educational workshops in participating schools on topics such as environmental conservation and financial literacy to empower students with valuable knowledge and boost their interest in learning.

The Young Business Ambassadors (YBA) programme is a flagship SIF programme where outstanding young professionals immerse themselves in the all-round experience of working and living in countries such as China and Australia.

Besides the opportunity to work in a related industry, YBAs also visit relevant organisations and government agencies, and network with business leaders, community leaders and government officials. This overseas exposure offers a valuable opportunity to develop global perspectives, share work experience, build international business links, and gain an understanding of foreign business environments.

Since 2000, a total of 120 YBAs from more than 60 companies have participated in this exchange programme in Shanghai, Melbourne and Sydney.

The Young Social Entrepreneurs (YSE) Regional was launched in 2016 to inspire, equip, and enable young changemakers to scale up or amplify the impact of their social enterprises. Held over two days in various Asian cities, selected teams from each workshop were invited to participate in the annual six-month YSE Global programme in Singapore. From 2016 to 2023, YSE Regional engaged over 480 participants across six countries.

The Youth Expedition Project (YEP) was an initiative pioneered by SIF that took thousands of young Singaporeans on community service expeditions to China, India, and the ASEAN nations, between 2000 and 2005.

Launched in 2000 by then Deputy Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong, the vision behind YEP was for Singaporean youths to become active and responsible world citizens, and to inspire them through meaningful overseas community service to make a difference to the lives of others, both at home and abroad. YEP at SIF concluded on 31 October 2005. In its final year, SIF sent 48 teams of 14 young people each to aid Sri Lanka in recovering from the 2004 tsunami. The project is now under the purview of the National Youth Council.