Conference Format & Rules

Teams and Topics

Registrants must be currently enrolled as a student (part/full-time). They will be required to provide proof of their ongoing enrollment.
Teams must minimally consist of three students and will be considered a ‘full team’ once they consist of four students.
Students are allowed to register individually (i.e. if they are unable to form a team themselves), if so, the Academics Department will assign them into teams with other individual registrants, or teams that are not ‘full’ (in that order).
Full teams will not be modified.
The Organizing Committee of SYPC 2025 reserves all rights to disqualify participants who have deemed to have acted in an inappropriate manner or against the spirit of the Competition.

Official Start of Competition

For fairness, the specific policy briefs and the guiding questions will only be released 3 days before the competition, on 18th June 2025 12:00 (+8 GMT).
Participants may conduct their own research before the start of the competition. They are also permitted to make use of their own notes and research materials for their policy papers and presentation.
More information on the submission and formatting instructions will be provided to the teams via email at the start of the competition, to prevent any team from working on their materials beforehand.

Round 1: Policy Proposal & Presentation Submission

Each team is required to submit a Policy Proposal outlining their key issues and propositions, as well as their Presentation materials to the Academics Department by Sat, 21 June 2025, 1545 hrs.
Policy Proposals cannot be longer than five pages, not including citations/bibliography.

Round 1: Quarter Finals Judging

Teams will be required to present their Policy Proposals before a panel composed of academics and industry experts. All team members must be present for the presentation, less unavoidable circumstances.
It will be a 10-minute presentation on their Policy Proposals. 5 minutes of feedback given by judges.
After the panel’s evaluation, the top 10 teams (out of 20 teams) will be selected to participate in Round 2, held on the next day.

Round 2: Policy Proposal & Presentation Submission

Teams will work on their proposals overnight. Additionally, upon commencement of Day 2, teams will spend the first half of the day continuing their proposals and presentation slides.
Each team is required to submit their updated Policy Proposal outlining their key issues and propositions, as well as their Presentation materials to the Academics Department by Sun, 22 June 2025, 1030, HRS.
Policy Proposals cannot be longer than five pages, not including citations/bibliography.

Round 2: Semi-Finals Judging

Teams will be required to present their Policy Proposals before a panel of academics and industry experts. All team members must be present for the presentation, less unavoidable circumstances.
It will be a 10-minute presentation followed by 5 minutes of Q&A.
After the panel’s evaluation, the top 5 teams will be selected to participate in Round 3.

Round 3: Policy Proposal & Presentation Submission

Each team is required to submit their updated Policy Proposal outlining their key issues and propositions, as well as their Presentation materials to the Academics Department by Sun, 22 June 2025, 1630, HRS.
Policy Proposals cannot be longer than five pages, not including citations/bibliography.

Round 3: Finals & Closing Ceremony

Teams will be required to present their Policy Proposals before the final judging panel consisting of senior government officials, renowned academics & industry experts. All team members must be present for the presentation, less unavoidable circumstances.
It will be a 10-minute presentation followed by 5 minutes of Q&A.
The overall top 3 teams from each category, will be selected and crowned as the winning teams of SYPC 2025. There will be honorable mentions to the Best Speakers as well.
All winners and participants will be awarded their certificates on stage, during the Closing Ceremony.

Judging Criteria

Proposals will be scrutinised for their effectiveness/feasibility, whether it is actionable given real-life contexts and by relevant government bodies/organisations.