Launch of the Tsao Foundation Ageing Research Initiative

02 Sep 2009

NUS and the Tsao Foundation jointly announced the Tsao Foundation Ageing Research Initiative on 1 September 2009 to spearhead cutting-edge, high impact research on key ageing issues for evidence-based policy decision making. A collaboration between the NUS Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences and the Tsao Foundation, the initiative will also promote communication and collaboration between researchers, policy makers and care providers by organising conferences and workshops in collaboration with the newly set-up NUS Virtual Institute for the Study of Ageing.

To kick-start the initiative, the Foundation has presented a gift of S$750,000 to NUS. The gift will attract the prevailing dollar-for-dollar matching grant from the Singapore Government, bringing the total funding to S$1.5 million.

Commenting on the initiative, President of Tsao Foundation Dr Mary Ann Tsao said: "Asia's population is ageing rapidly and we need to understand the impact this has on the region's economic and social contexts. Hence, the Foundation is very happy to have embarked on this initiative with NUS. The Foundation's strength in supporting seniors to age successfully coupled with NUS' expertise in research will propel efforts to better understand the ageing phenomenon has on Singapore and across Asia."

The Ageing Research Initiative is one of the Foundation's strategic thrusts in its role as International Longevity Centre (ILC) - Singapore, a member of the ILC Global Alliance. A multinational research and education consortium, the Alliance leverages on the international experts, research and databases of its members to study how greater life expectancy and increased proportions of older people impact nations around the world.

NUS President Prof Tan Chorh Chuan said: "We are delighted that the Tsao Foundation has chosen NUS to be its partner for research on ageing. Based on the broad multidisciplinary strengths in NUS and the Tsao Foundation's deep expertise in this sector, this collaboration should produce findings that will contribute towards improvements in the quality of life of the elderly in Singapore and beyond."

Dean of NUS Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences Prof Tan Tai Yong added: "This collaboration with the Tsao Foundation will bolster the research activities of the Faculty's Health Cluster, which has been actively promoting multi-disciplinary research on issues pertaining to societal effects of health issues."

The Tsao Foundation Ageing Research Initiative will support research projects under four core themes: health and well-being, caregiving, long-term care financing and programme evaluation. These areas have been identified as priority issues in population ageing in Singapore and the region.