 |
 |
|||||||
Programmes in CENS
|
|||||||
 |
Who We Are
What is CENS?
The Centre of Excellence for National Security (CENS) is a research unit
of the S. Rajaratnam School of International Studies (RSIS) at Nanyang
Technological University, Singapore. Established on 1 April 2006, CENS
is devoted to rigorous policy-relevant analysis of a range of national
security issues. The CENS team is multinational in composition, comprising
both Singaporean and foreign analysts who are specialists in various
aspects of national and homeland security affairs.
Why CENS?
In August 2004 the Strategic Framework for National Security outlined the key structures, security measures and capability development programmes that would help Singapore deal with transnational terrorism in the near and long term.
However, strategizing national security policies requires greater research and understanding of the evolving security landscape. This is why CENS was established to increase the intellectual capital invested in strategizing national security. To this end, CENS works closely with not just other RSIS research programmes, but also national security agencies such as the National Security Coordination Secretariat within the Prime Minister’s Office.
 |
Photo
Courtesy of the Singapore Civil Defence
|
What research does CENS do?
CENS currently conducts research in three key areas of national security:
• Social
Resilience
• Homeland Defence
Programme
How does CENS help influence Rational Security Policy?
Through policy-oriented analytical commentaries and other research output directed at the national security policy community in Singapore and beyond, CENS staff members promotegreater awareness of emerging threats as well as global best practices in responding to those threats. In addition, CENS organizes courses, seminars and workshops for local and foreign national security officials to facilitate networking and exposure to leading-edge thinking on the prevention of, and response to, national and homeland security threats.
 |
AP
Photo
|
How does CENS help
raise public awareness of National Security issues?
To educate the wider public, CENS staff members regularly author articles in a number of security and intelligence related publications, as well as write op-ed analyses in leading newspapers. Radio and television interviews have allowed CENS staff to participate in and shape the public debate on critical issues such as risk assessment and horizon scanning, multiculturalism and social resilience, intelligence reform and defending critical infrastructure against mass-casualty terrorist attacks.
How does CENS keep
abreast of cutting edge National Security research?
The lean organizational structure of CENS permits a constant and regular influx of Visiting Fellows of international calibre through the Distinguished CENS Visitors Programme. This enables CENS to keep abreast of cutting edge global trends in national security research.
