13th Edition of the Asia-Pacific Programme for Senior National Security Officers (APPSNO 2019)

08 April 2019

SINGAPORE, 8 APRIL 2019 — Challenges to national security are rapidly evolving and disrupting the international order as we know it. Traditional notions of sovereignty, social order, and economic progress are being challenged globally, while economic disparity has fuelled resentment, collapsing trust in both public institutions and forms of government. These evolving challenges demand swift, effective, and flexible responses. A whole-of-society collaborative approach is needed by governments, institutions, and society to tackle present and future disruptions. Launched today, the 13^th edition of the Asia-Pacific Programme for Senior National Security Officers (APPSNO 2019) explores and seeks to understand “National Security in the Age of Disruption” from a multi-disciplinary perspective, and to foster dialogue on the need for adaptation and innovation in an era of change.

APPSNO 2019 will run from 8-12 April 2019. It is organised by the Centre of Excellence for National Security (CENS) of the S. Rajaratnam School of International Studies (RSIS), with the support of the National Security Coordination Secretariat (NSCS) in the Prime Minister’s Office, Singapore. Since its inception in 2007, APPSNO has grown into a leading regional forum on national security issues.

This year, more than 60 national security practitioners and 20 scholars from 28 countries, including Singapore, the Asia Pacific, Middle East and Europe, are gathered to discuss challenges such as (i) drivers of disruption; (ii) disrupting violent extremism; (ii) cybersecurity and disruption; and (iv) technology and society. Dr Vivian Balakrishnan, Minister for Foreign Affairs, delivered the opening address as the Guest of Honour at the 13^th APPSNO.

In his welcome remarks, Ambassador Ong Keng Yong, Executive Deputy Chairman of RSIS, emphasised the importance of innovation in the age of disruption. He maintained the need to understand disruption from a multi-disciplinary perspective. To confidently face challenges to national security, governments and institutions need to explore and develop tools to channel disruptions into opportunities for innovative, adaptive – and above all, responsive – policymaking.

This year, speakers from 7 countries will spearhead the discussions in the week-long programme. Sir John Scarlett KCMG OBE, former British Chief of Secret Intelligence Service (MI6) and current Vice Chairman of the Royal United Services Institute (RUSI) will deliver the APPSNO Alumni Distinguished Dinner Lecture on 10 April. Sir John will speak on “Strategic Leadership: Managing Disruption for National Security”. A lunch discussion on the same day comprised of panellists from CENS will look at “Singapore’s National Security: Past, Present and Future in the Age of Disruption” while Professor Joseph Liow, Dean of the College of Humanities, Arts, and Social Sciences; Tan Kah Kee Chair in Comparative and International Politics; and Professor at the S. Rajaratnam School of International Studies; Nanyang Technological University, Singapore, will deliver a lunch lecture on 9 April, speaking on “Sign of the Times? Disruptions, Discontents, and Directions of the International Order”.

Other prominent speakers on the various programme panel discussions include:

Sabine Selchow, Research Fellow, ARC-Laureate Program in International History, The University of Sydney, Australia
Shihoko Goto, Deputy Director for Geoeconomics, Senior Associate for Northeast Asia, Asia Program, Wilson Center, United States of America
Nick Bisely, Head, School of Humanities and Social Sciences, Professor of International Relations, La Trobe University, Australia
Lorenzo Vidino, Director, Program on Extremism, George Washington University, United States of America
Paul Jackson, Senior Lecturer in History, Faculty of Education and Humanities, University of Northampton, United Kingdom
Rohan Gunaratna, Professor of Security Studies, S. Rajaratnam School of International Studies, Nanyang Technological University
Andrew Grotto, William J. Perry International Security Fellow, Center for International Security and Cooperation, and Research Fellow, Hoover Institution, Stanford University, United States of America
Danit Gal, Project Assistant Professor, Cyber Civilizations Research Center, Keio University Global Research Institute, Japan
Gwenda Fong, Director (Strategy), Cyber Security Agency, Singapore
Jack Qiu, Professor, School of Journalism and Communication, Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong
Sean Gourley, Founder and CEO, Primer, United States of America
Sabrina Luk, Assistant Professor, Public Policy and Global Affairs, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore
Angel Hsu, Assistant Professor, Social Sciences (Environmental Studies), Yale-NUS College, Singapore
Jennifer Daskal, Associate Professor of Law, American University Washington College of Law, United States of America
Olavi Kangas, Professor of Practice, University of Turku; Director, Equals Society Research Program, Academy of Finland, Finland

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