The World Engineers Summit (WES) 2025 opened on 22 October 2025 at Orchard Hotel Singapore, uniting global leaders, policymakers, academics and industry professionals to drive solutions for climate-resilient, intelligent and inclusive cities. The opening ceremony was graced by Mr Desmond Tan, Senior Minister of State, Prime Minister’s Office and Deputy Secretary-General, National Trade Union Congress, as Guest-of-Honour.
Organised by the Institution of Engineers, Singapore (IES), the biennial summit is now in its seventh edition since 2013 and has grown into one of the world’s leading platforms for knowledge-sharing and collaboration in engineering. Themed “Shaping Tomorrow: Engineering Smart Sustainable Cities”, WES 2025 comes at a pivotal moment as the global climate crisis intensifies.
Earlier this year, Singapore submitted its updated national emission reduction targets to the United Nations, underscoring the urgent need for innovation and collaboration. The summit spotlights how engineers are reimagining cities to be more resilient, inclusive and sustainable while harnessing advanced technologies to improve quality of life.
A new highlight at WES 2025 was the addition of three Special Sessions, providing deep dives into emerging areas such as systems engineering, asset management and Vision Zero for safer, more sustainable urban futures. Delegates also heard from five distinguished plenary speakers that morning:
- His Excellency Hiroshi Ishikawa, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Japan to Singapore
- Mr Thomas Ardian Siregar, Deputy Chief of Mission, Embassy of the Republic of Indonesia in Singapore
- Mr Richard Lim, Deputy Chairman, Land Transport Authority and Immediate Past Chairman of the Energy Market Authority
- Mr David Foo, Deputy Chief Executive (Operations & Technology) & Chief Data Officer of the Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore
- Professor Liu Bin, Deputy President (Research and Technology) and Tan Chin Tuan Centennial Professor at the National University of Singapore.
The programme includes four technical tracks on technological solutions for a climate- resilient and greener future, urban mobility innovations for sustainable cities, designing for sustainability in green building practices and future-proofing engineers through educational technology and skill development.
Delegates had the opportunity to take part in technical site visits on day three of the summit, to the Punggol Digital District and the SingSpring Desalination Plant, two landmark projects showcasing how innovation and sustainability are applied in practice. With the involvement of the World Federation of Engineering Organizations (WFEO), the ASEAN Federation of Engineering Organisations (AFEO) and the Federation of Engineering Institutions of Asia and the Pacific (FEIAP), along with delegates representing more than 10 countries including Singapore, Malaysia, Japan, South Korea, China, India, Nepal, the United Kingdom, Spain, the Netherlands and Australia, WES 2025 stands as a global stage for the exchange of ideas and solutions.
“The climate crisis is the defining challenge of our time, demanding urgent action and collective resolve. Engineers are at the heart of this transformation, designing solutions that make cities more resilient, inclusive and sustainable. WES 2025 provides the platform for our profession to contribute ideas, share expertise and build partnerships that will help societies meet these global challenges head-on,” said Er. Chan Ewe Jin, President of IES.
“This year’s programme is one of our most comprehensive yet, with plenary sessions, four technical tracks and three new Special Sessions. Delegates can expect fresh insights, practical solutions and opportunities to collaborate across borders,” said Ms Jasmine Foo, Chair of WES 2025 Organising Committee.
WES 2025 ran from 22 to 24 October 2025 at the Orchard Hotel Singapore. Click here for more information.
