ETHOS Issue 23
October 2021
Last updated 30 July 2026
ETHOS Issue 23, October 2021
In this issue, ETHOS commemorates two decades since CSC's formation as a statutory board and our dedication to continuous learning and capability building in the Singapore Public Service. Gathering insights from a range of practitioners and thought leaders from both within and outside the Service, this issue explores what and how we should learn to be ready for the future.
Foreword
by Ong Toon Hui
This year, the Civil Service College marks its 20th year since becoming a statutory board in 2001.
Editorial
by Alvin Pang
In this issue, ETHOS commemorates two decades since CSC's formation as a statutory board and our dedication to continuous learning and capability building in the Singapore Public Service. Gathering insights from a range of practitioners and thought leaders from both within and outside the Service, this issue explores what and how we should learn to be ready for the future.
Public Service for the future
by Lim Siong Guan, Peter Ho, Peter Ong, and Leo Yip
Four top public service leaders, including the current Head, Civil Service, reflect on the role of the Civil Service College in nurturing a robust, cogent and future-ready public sector in Singapore.
Learning for the Future
by Angel Chew
Being prepared for a volatile and uncertain world may involve not just learning about what faces us ahead, but also relearning—or unlearning—lessons of old.
Metaphors & Mental Models: Updating Our Language for Public Sector Learning
by Aaron Maniam
We need to rethink what it means to learn and be learners, in a complex, dynamic and fluid world where many answers are not predetermined, but must be cultivated and co-evolved.
Future of Learning and Development In The Singapore Public Service
by Iva Aminuddin, Wan Chng, and Vera Lim
By deepening their ability to identify relevant trends and anticipate emerging needs, learning and development practitioners can help shape the future of their organisations.
Breaking Down Barriers in Blended Learning
by Charmaine Lim, Mervin Loi, and Do Hoang Van Khanh
Nudges and other behaviourally compatible strategies could help address the challenges of learning modes that blend face-to-face and online learning.
Lead by Learning in a Digital World
by N. Venkat Venkatraman
In a future shaped by transformative digital advances, leadership calls for curiosity and the discipline to learn about and through rapid change.
Through the Looking-Glass: Three Ways Advancements in Artificial Intelligence Will Change Learning & Development
by Michael Chew, Hoe Wee Meng, and Kelvin Tan
Artificial intelligence could soon transform learning by augmenting human empathy and judgement with rich, context-sensitive information.
Nurturing Future Leaders: Adapting Leadership Development Approaches to a Changing Context
by Khoo Ee Wan, Aurora de Souza Watters, and Suniartie Sudyono
To be successful, positional leaders must learn to move from being 'hero' to 'host', providing the conditions , processes and resources for others to step up and contribute at every level.
Engaging Hearts and Minds: A Conversation about Learning Experience Design
by Martin Hang, Daisy Koh , Lau Teh Wei , Lim Ee-Lon
Four seasoned practitioners share their perspectives on crafting immersive, learner-centred approaches that may lead to more enduring outcomes in and beyond the workplace.
Employability, Growth and Resilience through Workplace Learning
by Phua Chee Teck
Across industries, jobs and workplaces are changing to adapt to a new normal of disrupted paradigms and ever-changing needs. Workplace Learning (WpL) helps employees and employers establish a common purpose and acquire relevant skills, in order to stay competitive and employable.
Thinking Differently about Workplace Learning
by Helen Bound
Instead of topping up on-job skills with training, the focus should be on understanding, framing and improving the relations between people, assets and structures in an organisation.
Horsemen and Super-Powers: Learning to Design in Government
by Agnes Kwek
A decade of design thinking experiments has taught one former policy designer what kills innovation, and what helps it thrive.
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