Nominations open from Dec 15 to Jan 30 for course to nurture young Chinese community leaders

SINGAPORE – Nominations will open from Dec 15 to Jan 30 for the first batch of a government-funded programme to nurture young leaders in the Chinese community.

The Chinese Community Leadership Programme will take in its first cohort of about 20 participants in mid-2026. It is jointly launched by the Singapore Federation of Chinese Clan Associations (SFCCA) and Singapore Chinese Chamber of Commerce and Industry (SCCCI).

At least 100 young leaders will take part over the next five years, the two organisations said in a statement on Dec 1 that provided more details on the programme.

It is open to Singapore citizens in their 30s to 40s who are proficient in both English and Chinese, and actively contribute to the Chinese community or wider society. A nomination form will be available on the SFCCA website at a later date, they added.

SFCCA – the apex body of Chinese clan associations – and SCCCI also said they would partner with Nanyang Technological University (NTU) on the curriculum to “enhance the programme’s academic rigour and relevance”. They added that NTU has longstanding ties with the Singapore Chinese community and supports local cultural, educational, and community development initiatives.

To ensure a fair and rigorous selection process, SFCCA and SCCCI said they would establish a selection committee to finalise the participants.

Shortlisted participants will be notified in March 2026, and the course will start next July. Details about the programme were also disseminated at a briefing session by SFCCA and SCCCI with Chinese community organisation leaders on Dec 1.

The programme was first announced by Prime Minister Lawrence Wong in his 

National Day Rally speech delivered in Mandarin.

He reaffirmed the Government’s continued support for the initiative at

SFCCA’s 40th anniversary gala dinner

in October.

“With the next generation stepping up, our clan associations will be better positioned to plan for leadership renewal,” he said then.

A task force, led by SFCCA secretary-general Ng Siew Quan, was behind the design of the curriculum. Mr Ng, who is also SCCCI first vice-president, said on Dec 1: “We are pleased to see more than 100 leaders joining us in person. This reflects a strong commitment to leadership renewal. Given the time and dedication required of participants, we hope organisations will carefully assess their succession teams and nominate the most suitable candidates.”

Besides strengthening leadership succession within Chinese community organisations, the course aims to address the declining interest among younger generations in Chinese culture and participation in community organisations.

In addition, it will support the long-term development and modernisation of Chinese community organisations to enhance their relevance and appeal to youth.

The programme spans four months, with a three-hour weekday masterclass held once a week, and a mid-term break.

It will cover strategic and organisational leadership; public policy and governance; inter-ethnic relations in Singapore; identity, heritage and culture; and external relations and public communications.

Participants will attend government agency briefings, learning journeys, and dialogues with leaders from the public, private and people sectors. This is to provide them with theoretical knowledge and practical insights into national policies, governance systems, and societal trends, the statement said.

The participants will also get to engage with leaders from the Chinese community and deepen their understanding of community issues, and build a peer network to support their work in serving the community.