SMU's Bold Launch of the Longevity Societies and Economies Institute

Singapore Management University (SMU) has taken a pioneering step in addressing one of the most pressing challenges of our time: how societies can thrive amid dramatically longer lifespans. On April 14, 2026, during the World Ageing Festival, SMU unveiled the Longevity Societies and Economies Institute (LSEI). This new initiative consolidates the university's extensive ageing-related research and sets an interdisciplinary agenda to foster resilient, opportunity-rich longevity societies. With Singapore on the cusp of becoming a super-aged nation—one where a quarter of citizens will be 65 or older by 2030—the institute's focus on redesigning work, communities, and support systems could not be more timely.

The launch, attended by key figures including Minister Indranee Rajah, highlighted the shift from viewing ageing as a burden to embracing it as a structural transformation. SMU President Professor Lily Kong emphasized that traditional systems, designed for shorter lives, are outdated. Escalators too fast for the elderly, digital forms assuming employment, and retirement policies pegged to age 65 no longer fit a world where many will live to 90 or 100 while remaining active and engaged.

Singapore's Demographic Imperative: From Longevity to Super-Aged Status

Singapore's population is ageing faster than most nations, driven by rising life expectancy and record-low fertility rates. As of 2025, 20.7 percent of citizens are aged 65 and above, up from 13.1 percent a decade earlier. Projections indicate this will climb to 23.9 percent by 2030, marking the island nation as a super-aged society. Life expectancy at birth stands at approximately 83.9 years, with women outliving men by several years. However, the healthspan—the years lived in good health—lags at around 74 years, creating a decade-long gap of ill health that strains healthcare and personal finances.

The old-age support ratio, the number of working-age individuals (20-64) per older person, has deteriorated from higher levels in 2015 to about 4.2 today, and it will continue shrinking. This demographic shift reshapes everything from labour supply to healthcare demand and retirement adequacy. Around 1,500 centenarians already call Singapore home, a number set to grow exponentially.

The Vision Behind LSEI: Bridging Designed Systems and Lived Realities

LSEI, backed by a S$10 million fund, builds on SMU's established expertise through the Centre for Research on Successful Ageing (RoSA). RoSA, directed by Professor Paulin Straughan—one of LSEI's interim co-directors—has pioneered studies using the Singapore Life Panel (SLP), the world's largest high-frequency longitudinal survey on ageing. With over 10,500 active respondents aged 50-70 and nearly 900,000 surveys since 2015, SLP tracks financial well-being, health behaviours, and social connections monthly, providing real-time insights into ageing trajectories.

Interim co-directors Dr. Cheong Wei Yang, SMU Vice Provost for Strategic Research Partnerships, and Professor Straughan lead LSEI's two pillars: Building Longevity Economies and Cultivating Holistic Well-being. The former tackles workforce participation for older adults, silver economy markets (projected at US$72.4 billion locally by mid-decade), and retirement incentives. The latter adopts a life-course approach to preventive health, financial literacy, and mental resilience.

Rethinking Work: From Three-Stage Life to Lifelong Transitions

The traditional model—education, career, retirement—is obsolete in a longevity era. SMU experts advocate multi-stage lives with fluid transitions: learning, working, caregiving, re-skilling, and contributing. Retirement age rises to 64 and re-employment to 69 from July 2026, but participation rates for those 65+ hover around key benchmarks, with recent dips in overall labour force engagement to 67.9 percent amid ageing.

LSEI calls for job redesign, flexible models, and employer incentives to retain mature talent. Partnerships with Workforce Singapore (WSG) will research career pathways, while Singlife explores retirement readiness via white papers and scholarships. Professor Straughan notes retirees, especially men, face identity crises despite increased social activity—a decline in perceived contribution demands curated opportunities for purpose.

• Flexible work arrangements to extend careers 15-20 years.
• Lifelong learning programs integrating AI and digital skills.
• Silver economy ventures in health tech, leisure, and services.

Revamping Communities and Support Networks

Communities must evolve for intergenerational living and holistic support. LSEI partners like Agency for Integrated Care (AIC), Lions Befrienders, and St. Luke’s ElderCare will joint-research community care gaps, eldercare services, and mental resilience. Findings from RoSA show eight in ten older adults prefer ageing in place, but barriers like inaccessible infrastructure persist.

Government initiatives like Healthier SG aim to close the healthspan gap through family physicians and personal plans. SMU's SLP data reveals trends in caregiving—nearly 14 percent of older adults juggle work, chronic illness, and unpaid care—with women disproportionately affected. Solutions include tech-enabled homes and purpose-driven engagements to combat loneliness, which SLP links to reduced life expectancy.

Interdisciplinary Research Driving Policy and Innovation

LSEI integrates SMU's strengths in economics, sociology, law, and computing. Cross-cutting themes cover legal frameworks for tech like AI diagnostics and assistive devices, behavioural nudges for financial preparedness, and regulatory sandboxes for silver innovations. RoSA's recent studies, such as "Living Well," highlight built environments' role—walkable neighbourhoods and social hubs boost well-being more than isolated homes.

The SLP's high-frequency data enables predictive modelling: trends show rising exercise support but lagging adoption, with only half of seniors meeting activity guidelines. LSEI aims to translate this into evidence for policymakers, employers, and communities.

Implications for Singapore's Higher Education Landscape

As a leader in ageing research, SMU positions Singapore universities at the forefront of longevity studies. LSEI fosters talent in actuarial science, gerontology, and AI ethics via internships and scholarships. Other institutions like Duke-NUS and NUS host longevity conferences, but SMU's policy focus via SLP and partnerships sets it apart.

Higher education must adapt curricula for multi-career lives: modular degrees, upskilling in health tech, and interdisciplinary programs. SMU's model inspires collaborations, preparing graduates for a silver economy demanding empathetic innovators.

Stakeholder Perspectives and Multi-Sector Partnerships

Minister Rajah praised LSEI for practical solutions, echoing national goals like Blue Zone 3.0—narrowing lifespan-healthspan gaps through lifestyle nudges. AIC's Tan Chee Wee seeks research-practice bridges; WSG's Dilys Boey eyes mature worker insights.

Private sector like Singlife's Debra Soon highlights data-driven protection gaps. These alliances ensure research impacts real lives, from job redesign to eldercare models.

Challenges Ahead: Retirement Purpose, Digital Divides, and Fiscal Pressures

Despite progress, hurdles remain. SLP data shows retirees' social participation rises but meaningful contribution falls, risking isolation. Digital tools help but exclude the less tech-savvy; fiscal strains from healthcare loom as healthspan lags.

LSEI addresses these via behavioural studies and policy simulations, advocating inclusive tech deployment.

Future Outlook: A Resilient Longevity Economy

Singapore's proactive stance—rising retirement ages, Healthier SG—positions it well. LSEI's work could unlock silver economy trillions regionally. Universities like SMU will drive innovation, training leaders for 100-year lives.

Actionable insights: Employers offer phased retirement; communities build intergenerational hubs; individuals plan multi-stage finances. As Professor Kong notes, closing the gap between designed and lived worlds ensures longer lives mean fuller ones.

Photo by Markus Winkler on Unsplash