From preparing for shrinking workforces, transforming healthcare needs, to the increasing demands on public spending and social security, the impacts of population aging touch almost every area of government policy and present a number of challenges for sustained economic growth in the region.

While not all countries are aging at the same rate, no society will be spared the effects of this demographic phenomenon. Only by improving the region’s cooperation in areas like labor mobility, immigration, and best practice sharing, can the Asia Pacific face the headwinds brought about by population aging. The APRU Population Aging Program hosted by National  University of Singapore brings together renowned experts on population aging from across the Asia-Pacific. It provides a platform to engage with government and enterprise, and to support capacity building to improve the capacity of nations to deal with this aging challenge.

APRU aims to raise awareness about the demographic shifts towards older populations, the need to address the challenges, and reap the opportunities of population aging. A key part of this is research to provide policy makers with the evidentiary base for policy making, ensuring aging issues and the transition to an aged society does not hamper economic growth and overall quality of life of people in the region.