Around the world, birth rates are falling to historic lows. In many advanced economies—including Asia, parts of Europe, and North America—fertility rates have declined far below replacement levels, raising concerns about shrinking populations, ageing societies, and long-run economic sustainability. Fertility decline is not driven by a single cause but a reflection of complex structural, institutional, technological, and intergenerational dynamics. At the same time, declining fertility presents an opportunity to rethink long-term human development strategies. With smaller cohorts, societies can invest more deeply in education, early childhood development, and human capital formation—building resilience and sustainability for future generations.

In Singapore, this is a challenge of highest national priority. The conference aims to bring scholars, policymakers and practitioners to:

• Connect fertility debates to broader questions of economic development, technological change, labour markets, and intergenerational mobility;

• Explore the interplay between human capital investment, early childhood policy, and fertility trends;

• Evaluate policy options based on global evidence; and

• Provide actionable insights to guide policymaking in Singapore and globally.