Singapore’s defence sector is one area that is constantly looking into ways for further advancing and boosting the nation’s defence capabilities with technology.
This is seen in a recent collaboration between DSO National Laboratories and the Agency of Science, Technology and Research (A*STAR), focused on building on the Singapore defence system’s strength.
A Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) was signed on Wednesday, 8 January, where both agencies will work together on developing R&D solutions in Artificial Intelligence, advanced electronics, additive manufacturing, and other areas.
With this MoU, both agencies aim to achieve technological advances for both defence and dual-use applications. It also looks to advancing science within the wider research community.
The partnership will also see DSO having the opportunity to utilise A*STAR’s R&D talent, facilities, technologies and expertise. It will also enable for joined efforts in other areas such as Research and Development, Technical Consultancy, Staff Exchanges and attachments in areas of mutual interests. This ensures the exchange of top talent within the local R&D sector.
The DSO-A*STAR Steering Committee, co-chaired by Chief Executive Officer of DSO and the Chief Executive of A*STAR, will be taking charge of this collaborative effort.
Just recently, Singapore had signed an agreement with China surrounding research and innovation efforts as well.
Singapore’s National Research Foundation (NRF) and China’s Ministry of Science and Technology (Most) signed an implementation agreement on cooperation in science, technology and innovation, on 30 December 2019.
This new five-year agreement is based on the foundation of the current Agreement on Cooperation in Science and Technology, which was signed between the two countries in 1992.
Under this agreement, there will be more emphasis on translating science and technology research and development via joint innovation and enterprise activities.
A stronger focus will be placed on science, technology and innovation cooperation in conjunction with bigger cooperation projects between both countries.
NRF’s chief executive officer Low Teck Seng said that the new agreement is a representation of a strengthened commitment between Singapore and China to explore opportunities for working together in the areas of science and technology. Especially in areas where both countries share similar interests such as sustainability and the environment and urban sciences.
The agreement will also outline new ways for fostering tighter collaborations through means such as policy exchanges on the advancements of science, technology and innovation, the interaction between scientists, and more opportunities to test technologies with the support of each other’s government agencies.
Research efforts will also be built on existing collaborations in science and technology through joint grant calls for collaboration in areas such as emerging infectious diseases and environment sciences.
NRF’s deputy chief executive officer Cheong Wei Yang and director-general for Most’s Department of International Cooperation Ye Dongbai had signed the agreement.
The signing of this agreement is in part of a meeting between Deputy Prime Minister Heng Swee Keat, chairman of NRF and China’s Minister of Science and Technology, Wang Zhigang.
