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The National University of Singapore (NUS) and the Monetary Authority of Singapore (MAS) have jointly appointed Professor Benjamin M Friedman, William Joseph Maier Professor of Political Economy at Harvard University, as MAS Term Professor in Economics and Finance from 17 to 21 June 2013. Professor Friedman will be hosted by the NUS Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences’ Department of Economics, the NUS Business School, and the Economic Policy Group at the MAS during the term of the Professorship.
2 Professor Friedman was formerly the Chairman of the Department of Economics at Harvard University and has written extensively on economic policy, particularly on the role of the financial markets in shaping monetary and fiscal policies and their impact on overall economic activity. He brings with him a wealth of experience, having served as director of financial markets and monetary economics research at the National Bureau of Economic Research; as a member of the National Science Foundation Subcommittee on Economics; and as an advisor to the Congressional Budget Office and to the Federal Reserve Bank of New York.
3 Mr Ong Chong Tee, Deputy Managing Director, MAS, welcomed Professor Friedman's appointment. "We are honoured to have Professor Friedman as the fifth MAS Term Professor. He has contributed significantly to the theory and practice of macroeconomic and growth policies. We look forward to engaging Professor Friedman on the challenges facing policymakers in promoting price and financial stability, and sustainable, inclusive growth in the post-crisis era,” said Mr Ong.
4 Professor Brenda Yeoh, Dean, NUS Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences, said, “We are very pleased to welcome a well-established academic like Professor Friedman to NUS. His impact on economic policy, especially on the appropriate policy actions in response to crises in a country's banking or financial system has been widely recognised and we look forward to the exchange of ideas in the coming week.”
5 Professor Friedman will deliver a public lecture at NUS on 18 June 2013 where he will address the moral consequences of economic growth. Professor Friedman will also meet with faculty and government officials from various agencies.
The MAS Term Professorship was established in 2009 to help strengthen Singapore's financial and economic research infrastructure and contribute to a vibrant research community and culture at local universities.
