The lecture demonstrates the importance of defining comprehensive social policy through integrated investment aimed at empowering, securing and including all members of society so that everyone possesses productive skills and capabilities and contributes to increasing social profits and improving economic productivity and experiences social advancement, each according to their ability, and also guarantees to a large extent the sustainability of advancement for future generations.

Climate activists have been calling for the importance of aligning stimulus measures with climate policies so that economic recovery can be sustainable and climate-resilient (so-called green recovery). The COVID-19 pandemic has presented both a health crisis and an economic crisis. For the gulf Arab states, the pandemic has been of a dual economic challenge: declining economic activity due to domestic COVID-19 restrictions and sharply lower government oil revenue as a result of the historic decline in oil prices.

France’s retirement pension system is a pay-as-you-go two-tier compulsory system segmented by professions. It thus comprises about 30 different schemes, even though some rules apply to all of them (e.g. the legal retirement age). It is financed by social contributions levied on employers, employees and self-employed persons and increasingly by taxes. Since 1993, the pension system has been reformed several times by governments of various shades. These reforms have been met reluctantly or with broad acceptance.

Since digital transformation is regarded as a survival competition in international arena, competition for digital strategies in each country is getting fiercer. In the meantime, Korea ranked first in the OECD Digital Government Index as a result of its global informatization capabilities and government level and is playing a leading role in the international community. This lecture introduces the background in which Korea was able to become a leader in e-government and seeks to understand the direction and the trial and error of e government from the 1970s to the present.

Disruptive technologies such as AI, genomic research, robotics, blockchain and crypto currencies are rapidly changing the world we live in. This talk will present five breakthrough technologies revolutionizing industry, society and the government to citizen interface. The lecture will explain how these technologies are converging and put innovation and technological advance in the broader societal context.

Diversifying the economy from oil dependence, while maintaining a high level of income, requires more than standard growth policy prescriptions, which include an enabling business environment, macroeconomic stability, and minimum state intervention and regulations. We argue that “the leading hand of the state” is necessary to fix market failures and develop new industries and markets. In particular, the state should create and support export-oriented sophisticated industries while imposing a strict accountability framework based on market signals.

Business, technology leaders and policy makers have been abuzz about the Fourth Industrial Revolution (IR 4.0): a supposed technological transformation characterised by big data, artificial intelligence and automation. But despite the hype, digital technology was unable to control nor prevent the spread of the coronavirus, the single biggest challenge to humanity in a century. Instead, it was sound policy interventions, accessible healthcare, devoted healthcare professionals and good common sense rooted in collective welfare that “flattened the curve” and saved lives.

The lecture will present the concept of “Intelligent Communities” as an evolution from Smart Cities. While Smart Cities focus on enabling technologies and developing high tech infrastructure, “Intelligent Communities” present the next step in the development of cities by focusing on incorporating technology with the development of human capital. The lecture will discuss the development of innovation ecosystems, digital equality, and empowerment of citizen-focused participation.

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