Entitled “Human Well-being and Security in 2030: The Critical Role of Innovation“, the 2^nd annual NUS Medicine International Council (NIC) Conference tackled challenges central to sustainable and equitable human development, including mitigating the ill-effects of globalisation, dealing with climate change and the health of the planet as a whole, developing effective and relevant technologies through a robust research endeavour, delivering quality healthcare and education, alleviating poverty and inequity, ensuring international cooperation and goodwill, and building effective global institutions which provide strong governance. Prominent speakers included former Indonesian President, Dr Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono and Dr Vivian Balakrishnan, Minister of Foreign Affairs in Singapore.