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Thailand’s digital economy has expanded tremendously in recent years and is poised for additional growth. In line with this, the Thailand 4.0 strategy seeks to turn the nation into Southeast Asia’s innovation and knowledge-based digital centre.
The country is well on its way. The European Centre for Digital Competitiveness classified Thailand as the second most digitally competitive country in 2020, attributing its success to expanding its ecosystem and the region’s shifting perspective toward recognition.
Despite the considerable growth potential for Thailand’s digital economy, the country faces several obstacles to reaching its full potential. These include a digital talent shortage and a delay in the adoption of digital solutions by small and medium organisations.
Both the public and private sectors are eager to learn about successful digital transformation methods as they recognise such insights are critical for businesses to survive and grow in the current digital landscape.
Fostering Digital Transformation and Competitiveness in Thailand
Dr Kasititorn shares that the country has achieved its national target in the Thailand Digital Economy and Society Development Plan, which is in line with Thailand’s 20-Year Strategy. To fully integrate digital technology into every aspect of business in Thailand, they have been working on this plan since 2018.
This national plan is comprised of 4 phases 1) digital foundation 2) digital inclusion 3) full digital transformation and 4) global digital leadership.
“We are off to a solid start as our first two phases have been successfully implemented and influencing Thai’s economy are currently in the third phase.”
Even a cursory observation shows that there is a high level of digital awareness among Thai people, while analysed data reveals more.
As per a survey by the National Statistical Office of Thailand, 93.8% of the country’s population use mobile phones and 68.1% take advantage of mobile banking in 2021, giving Thailand the top spot in the world. In addition, 86.3% use the internet and 87.7% have access to the internet at home.
Dr Kasititorn emphasises that Thailand is very well equipped for the impending transformation that it will experience soon. “To bolster the depa’s efforts through the Digital Economy Promotion Master Plan, we have been supporting the use of digital technology in diverse sectors, starting with agriculture, manufacturing and services and moving on to communities to progress towards Thailand 4.0.”
As of today, most industries have already surpassed a 2.0 digital density index, with the service sectors like finance and tourism leading the way.
To cater to the demand side of the digital economy, the depa also promotes the supply side, including digital entrepreneurs and suppliers. As a digital workforce is essential for effectively transforming the nation, the depa has been working with various groups of individuals for training, retraining and upskilling.
“We aspire that Thailand achieves digital transformation on a national scale with all sectors and all groups of people embracing digital technologies,” says Dr Kasititorn.
They intend to accomplish this goal by first, getting all sectors, particularly SMEs, ready for digital transformation. The industry must recognise the power of digital technology that could support the expansion of their businesses. This strategy makes use of mechanisms like awareness-raising, capacity-building, business matching and finance in the form of incentive vouchers for matching money.
Second, increasing the capacity and standards of digital service providers. Without dependable digital services, indigenous industries would not be able to achieve digital integration. The depa strives to increase the capacity and level of service offered by digital service providers.
The standardisation voucher, startup fund, RDI fund, and other similar funds are all tools used to assist digital service providers. To ensure that the sector has enough talent to fuel the development of product and service innovation, the digital industry can also be promoted through the development of its human resources.
Third, Building a digital ecosystem in Thailand. Thailand Digital Valley (TDV) aims to build Thailand’s digital ecosystem and prepare Thailand to serve as an ASEAN Digital Hub.
TDV will stimulate investments from top-tier technology corporations and startups while promoting the growth of digital services and technologies. TDV will also support the development of Thai entrepreneurs and digital service providers’ competitiveness and competence so that they can compete on a global scale.
When asked if digital transformation needs a cultural paradigm shift, Dr Kasititorn concurs. She is convinced that such a shift results from the necessity to alter the entire system. For entrepreneurs to transition from the analogue era to the digital one, they must adopt a new and distinct style of thinking.
A great example of the need for a perspective is the agricultural sector. According to the study findings of the depa’s Digital Density Index Series 2021, the concentration of digital technology adoption in agriculture (ranging from 1.0 to 4.0) is still around 2.0 at every step of production.
Most farmers who do not use digital technologies are inexperienced small farmers with limited resources. Given that Thailand is primarily an agricultural country, the sector may need to undergo the greatest change.
It must transition from the traditional labour-intensive one to the technology-intensive one. For instance, using drones, robots, sensors, big data and artificial intelligence for farm operation and supply chain management.
For the agriculture sector to be digitalised, there will need to be a paradigm shift in mindset, significant investment in training new generations of farmers and substantial initial expenditure.
Most Thai manufacturing companies already understand that they must embrace digital transformation if they are to survive and grow in the new era of production. As manufacturing involves a significant amount of business and technological expertise as well as long-term investment commitment, businesses are cautiously and slowly transitioning to the digital era.
To support this, it will be necessary to leverage technologies like ERP, IoT, Big Data, AI, Advanced Robotics, AR/VR, and 3D printing for a variety of purposes, including cost-cutting, boosting productivity and operational efficiency, managing supply chains and developing new goods and services.
Finally, when it comes to the service sector, Thailand’s tertiary companies have made significant progress in their digital transformation efforts. Tourism and allied businesses, transportation and logistics and finance and banking are the main industries that have excelled in the digital revolution.
The tourism sector has undergone a significant digital revolution, as most tourists now buy goods and services online. Thailand has gradually digitised its transportation and logistics systems, which has had a multiplicative impact on the effectiveness and productivity of other economic sectors. Sectors like health and education that are undergoing constant digital transformation come after these top performers. As across the globe, Thai banks and other financial institutions have long since gone digital, ensuring almost all offerings and services can be availed offline.
The third phase of the Digital Thailand programme, which aims to fully integrate digital technology into every sector, is now underway in Thailand, according to Dr Kasititorn. “We have done quite well in terms of basic telecommunications infrastructure with numerous wired and wireless networks nationwide to provide services at a relatively affordable rate with exceptions on the very remote area.”
At this point, Thailand’s challenge is to make sure that these networks are utilised to their full potential. In the agricultural, industrial, and service sectors – which employ practically all the labour force in the nation – they are attempting to speed up the transformation.
During the post-pandemic period, the industrial sector showed signs of improvement while sharing a 2.0 digital adoption rate. The service SMEs that are still falling behind will require more attention, even though the service industries may have been performing relatively well in the digital transformation.
To encourage stakeholders across all industries to go outside of their comfort zones and begin their digital transformation processes, it is still of utmost importance to inform them about the potential that comes with digital technology and innovation.
“We do this with various kinds of support from financial incentives such as tax reduction, exemption, grant funding, and matching funds to non-financial measures such as capacity building, networking, business matching and technical support,” Dr Kasititorn asserts.
Increasing Thailand’s Digital Transformation for Future Landscape
According to Dr Kasititorn, digital transformation is the process of inducing and designing changes that are required to disrupt present processes or practise – at the organisational, industry, or national levels – and is supported by digital innovation. It is necessary to take a comprehensive strategy for transformation, and technology is only one component of what must be done.
At the national level, it frequently entails changes in the thinking of all players involved, notably leaders, as well as laws and rules governing how the country and government operate. In terms of technology, one must recognise that digital is not just an enabler but also a disruptor, necessitating a new way of thinking and planning.
“To drive Digital Transformation in Thailand to make big changes, we should not be only technology users but also be able to build the capacity to create and generate digital innovation along the way. With this, we need to build human capital in both qualitative and quantitative terms,” Dr Kasititorn says emphatically.
She has been involved in at least five national ICT policies during his nearly 20 years of research. The latest and current one is the 20-year Thailand Digital Economy and Society Development Plan, driving towards Digital Thailand. She believes that all her research contributes somewhat to the policy-making process and categorises his research into two different groups.
The first group is the research conducted with the drafting of ICT policy or plans as the objective from the outset.
The second group of research is to conduct research on specific issues ranging from research on the current and future situation of the ICT industry and markets to an international trade negotiation affecting the ICT and digital industry. “Normally, we provide policy recommendations which translated into internal policy or strategy preparation. We are not typically part of the negotiation process, though.”
As a part-time lecturer, Dr Kasititorn teaches courses on either ICT public policy or the socioeconomic implications of technology. “I frame my course in such a way that I will use my practitioner’s experience working in the policy arena to extend the student’s breadth of thinking, rather than theory.”
In this approach, she hopes that learners would grasp Thailand’s digital ecology and terrain, as well as the rapid changes that occur. She wants people to deeply comprehend the socioeconomic progress that digital technology has driven or influenced. “However, I intend to demonstrate how society can determine the path of technology, as well as the interplay between many elements and stakeholders. I like to bring global and national phenomena into the classroom to spark discussion.”
By 2027, most Thais should have inexpensive access to wired and wireless (4G/ 5G service networks), as stipulated by the 2nd Digital Economy Promotion Master Plan (2023–2027), led by the depa, and possess a suitable level of digital literacy. With almost 100,000 digital-based businesses, Thailand’s real-world industries are expected to reach the 3.0–4.0 stage of digital adoption.
The foundation of practical applications that result in long-term socioeconomic effects will be digital technologies such as 5G, IoT, Big Data, AI, Robotics, Blockchain, AR/VR. Robots and AI, for instance, will replace labour-intensive industries like agriculture, manufacturing, and even the service sector, increasing productivity and revenue.
“As a result, we anticipate integrating digital technology and innovation across all sectors – agriculture, manufacturing, and services – to boost the GDP of the nation,” Dr Kasititorn explains.
Included in the 5-year term, the 2nd Digital Economy Promotion Master Plan (2023 – 2027) has been developed to focus on 4 strategies.
- Reskill, upskill, and fill a digital talent pool to create 500,000 digital workers for the digital economy and society;
- Transform the traditional economy into a high-value digital economy, with targets of 100,000 digital-based firms and all actual sectors, including local communities, reaching a Digital Density Index level of 3.0;
- Create new opportunities and inclusive economic development, with one city ranking among the top ten livable smart cities in the world and around 95% of people having digital access and literacy; and
- Optimise the usage of digital infrastructure with the goal of establishing two new significant digital infrastructure projects to build up deep-tech capability and attract three global technology companies to invest in Thailand.
Dr Kasititorn added that to ensure long-term growth, they are constructing a digital ecosystem with the necessary infrastructure. Thailand Digital Valley (TDV), a 12-acre digital innovation centre located in Thailand’s Eastern Economic Corridor (EEC), has been built for this aim.
The TDV consists of five cutting-edge buildings equipped with the necessary infrastructure, innovation labs, and a digital ecosystem for world-leading technology firms and Thai digital startups to coexist, fostering the kind of synergy that will aid in the development of new digital products and services that to be sold in both domestic and global markets.
Investors in this special economic zone are also entitled to tax and non-tax benefits such as up to 13 years of exemption from the company and personal income tax, flat-rate personal income tax, and Smart VISA privileges.
Thailand’s primary priority is expected to be digital transformation. The final objective cannot be accomplished just by the government but must be accomplished in partnership with alliances and partners both at home and abroad.
“Our digital vision for Thailand 4.0 is solid, but the sharing of ideas and views is critical to the mission’s success,” says Dr Kasititorn.
The country is looking to explore partnerships and relationships that contribute to the country’s development as well as the world at large. In this vein, she is excited to collaborate with OpenGov Asia and its international networks to identify new opportunities and projects to help Thailand realise its digital potential.


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Having robust, effective, and easily accessible healthcare is essential for enhancing the standard of living, achieving better treatment results and increasing lifespan. Tech-enabled progress made in the field of medicine has been a boon, with groundbreaking innovations and discoveries paving the future of healthcare.
The healthcare sector is witnessing a rapid transformation, with the emergence of new technologies that promise to tackle the most pressing global healthcare challenges. MedTech has become increasingly crucial in this context and has opened up a plethora of possibilities for healthcare professionals to advance their skills and knowledge and expand their reach to underserved regions.
The advent of innovative healthcare technology has empowered doctors to provide better care to a greater number of people, irrespective of their geographical location and help prevent and combat emerging diseases effectively.
Technological advancements offer more effective medication, more accurate diagnostics and improved drug delivery systems giving hope for better patient care and prognoses. Integrating healthcare components through technology can also lead to more efficient and accessible healthcare services while lowering costs.
The healthcare industry hugely benefits from technology, which has been the driving force behind the significant progress made thus far. Technology will continue to play a crucial role in catalysing further advancements in healthcare, enabling healthcare professionals to provide better care, develop innovative treatments and improve patient outcomes.
The Impact of Digital Technology on Healthcare
“The outbreak has brought about a significant transformation in the digital healthcare landscape. With social distancing measures in place, teleconsultations have become increasingly prevalent, and patients, as well as healthcare providers, have had to adjust to this new format of healthcare delivery,” Prof Lawrence explains.
While the adoption of teleconsultations has seen a good uptake, other digital systems such as digital identification for tracking hospital entry and exit have encountered hurdles during implementation.
Prof Lawrence has identified the lack of an integrated healthcare ecosystem as a major challenge to the successful implementation of telemedicine. While video consultations are prevalent, the scarcity of examination tools and delays in medication delivery remain major obstacles. The limited access to medical information and the inability to provide detailed explanations or drawings further impede the progress of telemedicine.
Additionally, elderly patients, and other segments of society, may have difficulty using technology. Moreover, telemedicine cannot replicate the nonverbal and emotional aspects of in-person interaction. To overcome these obstacles, he feels, telemedicine in healthcare consultations and visits must be refined and expanded.
Prof Lawrence emphasises the need for the medical industry to evolve and improve its diagnostic and treatment capability. Current diagnostic techniques are limited to the five senses but there is a significant potential to collect more accurate and comprehensive patient data through the integration of sensors and artificial intelligence (AI) technology. This could lead to more precise diagnoses and tailored treatment plans, ultimately improving patient outcomes.
“Telemedicine may have some advantages, such as reduced travel time and longer appointments, but it will only be successful if patients see it as a viable alternative to face-to-face consultations,” Prof Lawrence reiterates. “It is important to have a gradual evolution and improvement in the medical industry, as opposed to dramatic changes driven by hype.”
He believes current medical developments primarily focus on the developers and creators rather than the end-users. This approach needs to be reoriented towards a more user-centric model for future medical development, including its cost-effectiveness.
Systems should be developed that take into account the specific needs and preferences of patients, healthcare providers and other stakeholders. This would ensure that healthcare development is better aligned with the needs and goals of those who will ultimately benefit from it
Academia should be incentivised to look out for interests outside of its own research driven solely by academic interests such as self-serving publications and ranking are no longer practical nor justifiable by public funding. There is a growing consensus that the focus of research should shift towards the development of practical applications.
In addition, he stresses the importance of investors in promoting innovation and addressing gaps within the healthcare ecosystem. He suggests that investors should prioritise addressing population-level issues, rather than focusing solely on niche areas.
As people’s lifespans continue to extend, addressing the requirements of an ageing population has become increasingly critical. It is crucial for startups to thoroughly explore this market and develop innovations specifically tailored to the needs of this demographic.
Drawing on the example of Singapore, which has implemented technology to support its elderly population, he suggests investors consider this increasingly important and growing segment when evaluating potential startups for investment.
“To effectively address the complexity national healthcare poses, a systems approach to problem-solving is necessary, where sustainability and equality take precedence over profits,” advocates Prof Lawrence. “Rather than focusing on building more structures, it is important to prioritise addressing issues of affordability and inequality through technology.”
Urban Ideas and Solutions Through LKYGBPC
The Lee Kuan Yew Global Business Plan Competition (LKYGBPC), which began in 2001, is a biennial global university start-up competition hosted in Singapore. Organised by Singapore Management University’s Institute of Innovation and Entrepreneurship, focuses on urban ideas and solutions developed by student founders and early-stage start-ups.
Prof Lawrence, who serves as a member of the judging panel, believes assigning mentors to teams based on their area of expertise can offer valuable guidance and support. This is just one of the many initiatives undertaken by the panel to foster, encourage, and sustain the entrepreneurial drive of the LKYGBPC participants.
In his view, when discussing the fundamental contrast between innovation and entrepreneurship, he feels that innovation involves tackling issues with fresh perspectives and novel ways, while entrepreneurship requires both discipline and adaptability in managing growth.
“Many people fail in business because they lack discipline and work independently,” says Prof Lawrence. “Cultivating a larger community of individuals who are adaptable and capable of working as part of a team is critical to entrepreneurship success.”
He considers seeking advice and collaborating with others crucial to surmount obstacles in innovation and entrepreneurship. Innovators should be willing to seek the assistance and counsel of others, particularly those with expertise in areas such as regulation or commercialisation.
People must understand that there are unique challenges at each stage of the process and bringing them to the right people to help solve them is important. Moreover, entrepreneurship demands financial discipline that benefits from the guidance and mentorship of multiple individuals.
Singapore’s drive to remain competitive in the global arena is a case in point. The country, he says, serves as a springboard, connecting people and providing access to other countries. To attract and retain talent and expand into new markets, he recommends leveraging Singapore’s strengths, such as its robust education system and its position as a hub for the Asian ecosystem.
Prof Lawrence co-invented the revolutionary Master and Slave Transluminal Endoscopic Robot (MASTER), which has now been incorporated into Endomaster.
He has mentored three startups in the fields of photonics and medical technology to identify potential failures and early warning signs through his own experiences.
Prof Lawrence has served as co-chair for the Gut & Obesity in Asia (Go Asia) Workgroup, which investigates the correlation between obesity and gastrointestinal and liver ailments in Asia.
In summation, he stresses the importance of perseverance in the face of adversity, as it enables individuals to learn and prepare for future challenges.
“Those who have never failed or struggled in the trenches may not be able to achieve long-term success,” Prof Lawrence concludes.
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Kemajuan teknologi dan sains telah membawa efektivitas dan efisiensi industri kesehatan sehingga bisa menjangkau lebih banyak orang di pelosok wilayah. Kemudahan akses pada layanan perawatan kesehatan ini diharapkan bisa meningkatkan kualitas hidup dan umur warga.
Telemedicine menjadi salah satu perkembangan terbaru di industri ini yang populer imbas pandemi COVID-19. Saat itu, telemedicine berhasil membantu pasien untuk berkonsultasi dengan dokter, melakukan diagnosis, dan pengobatan dari jarak jauh.
Perkembangan kecerdasan buatan (AI) ikut berkontribusi memodernisasi layanan kesehatan. AI berpotensi membantu dokter untuk membuat diagnosis yang lebih cepat dan akurat, memprediksi hasil kesehatan, dan melakukan asistensi rencana perawatan. Layanan berbasis AI seperti chatbots dan asisten virtual, juga bisa dimanfaatkan untuk menjembatani komunikasi layanan kesehatan dengan pasien.
Pengobatan yang efektif, teknik diagnostik yang lebih akurat, dan sistem pemberian obat yang lebih baik diarahkan untuk memperbaiki sistem perawatan, pengobatan, dan prognosis pasien. Selain itu, kemajuan teknologi juga diharapkan bisa mengurangi biaya perawatan kesehatan lantaran operasional yang makin efisien.
Menggali potensi dari celah di teknologi kesehatan
“Jika Anda menggunakan konsultasi video, Anda hanya dapat melihat tapi Anda tidak dapat memeriksa. Tentu saja pemeriksaan adalah hal yang penting. Semestinya kita bisa memiliki kemampuan yang sama serupa dengan pertemuan tatap muka. Menurut saya, alat pengujian untuk melakukan diagnosa masih kurang pada layanan telemedicine,” jelas Lawrence dalam wawancara dengan CEO & Pemimpin Redaksi OpenGov Asia, Mohit Sagar.
Kedua, layanan telemedicine masih harus mematangkan ekosistem pendukung, salah satunya terkait dengan pengantaran obat. Di Singapura, layanan pengantaran obat bisa dikirim dalam satu minggu. Hal ini tentu akan menghambat proses pengobatan ketimbang langsung datang dan diberi obat ketika melakukan kunjungan tatap muka.
Meski demikian, Lawrence menyebut layanan telemedicine masih dilakukan di masa setelah COVID-19 untuk pasien yang kondisinya sudah cukup stabil di rumah. Sementara sebagian besar pasien sudah kembali melakukan kunjungan tatap muka seperti biasa.
Selain itu, penjelasan yang bisa dilakukan lewat telemedicine menurut Lawrence masih terbatas. Ia merasa kesulitan jika harus melakukan penjelasan dengan tambahan gambar yang dengan mudah dilakukan dalam pertemuan tatap muka secara langsung.
Selain itu, ia pun menaruh perhatian pada kesulitan akses teknologi yang dialami oleh pasien lanjut usia. Telemedicine sulit untuk membaca dan menyampaikan aspek nonverbal dan emosional dari interaksi langsung.
Ia menekankan industri medis perlu mengembangkan dan meningkatkan metode untuk mendiagnosis dan merawat pasien. Ia berharap telemedicine bisa mendukung diagnosis dengan memanfaatkan sejumlah panca indera untuk memeriksa gejala. Dalam pertemuan tatap muka, dokter bisa langsung mengukur detak jantung dengan stetoskop, merasakan dengan sentuhan jari, pendengaran, atau diagnosis sensoris lain untuk mendapat data dari pasien. Kesamaan proses diagnosis seperti inilah yang perlu dikembangkan untuk layanan telemedicine ke depan.
Untuk memperbaiki layanan perawatan medis jarak jauh, semua kekurangan itu perlu ditambal. Tambahan sensor, metaverse dan kecerdasan buatan (AI) dapat dimungkinkan untuk melakukan hal ini dan membantu menganalisa data pasien yang lebih akurat dan komprehensif. Ia optimis kemajuan teknologi bisa mengatasi semua kelemahan itu karena saat ini kita sedang berevolusi untuk meningkatkan layanan telemedicine secara bertahap.
Sebagai seorang investor, menurut Lawrence, inovasi itu menjadi pendorong inovasi yang cukup besar. Namun, agar bisa lebih berdampak, menurutnya baik inovator, akademisi, dan startup mesti benar-benar menyentuh permasalahan di akar rumput. Selama ini, penelitian-penelitian yang dilakukan para edukator kurang peka dengan kebutuhan masyarakat. Mereka melupakan mengapa mereka ada di institusi akademis yang semestinya menelurkan solusi bagi masyarakat. Begitupula dengan para investor. Mereka pun mesti memiliki visi untuk melayani dan menyelesaikan masalah di masyarakat terlebih dulu sebelum menajamkan sasaran ke ceruk pasar yang lebih sempit.
LKYGBPC untuk majukan entrepreneurship
Bagi Lawrence, inovasi berangkat dari inisiatif untuk menyelesaikan masalah dan mengeksekusi ide solusi itu dengan kedisiplinan. Disiplin dalam memperbaiki produk, mengelola konsumen, membangun tim dan organisasi, serta mengelola keuangan. Lawrence menganggap kompetisi bisnis internasional seperti LKYGBPC bisa memberikan kesempatan bagi para pebisnis muda untuk melakukan ekspansi pasar ke negara lain.
Prof Lawrence menjadi investor di tiga startup. Pertama adalah Master and Slave Transluminal Endoscopic Robot (MASTER). MASTER kini telah diintegrasikan menjadi Endomaster, startup MedTech yang paling banyak mendapat kucuran dana di Asia pada 2017. Ia pun mendanai startup di bidang fotonik dan bioteknologi yang mengembangkan peringatan dini dibidang kesehatan.
Berdasarkan pengalaman memiliki tiga startup teknologi kesehatan, Lawrance menyarankan agar startup perlu fleksibel dan membuka diri. Mereka mesti bersedia menerima masukan dari konsumen, tim, dan mereka yang lebih ahli. “Saya merasa bahwa beberapa inovator sangat protektif terhadap produk mereka sendiri, mereka pikir ini adalah bayi mereka.”
Sebab, dari berbagai masukan itu, founder dan tim bisa memetakan dengan cepat berbagai tantangan yang mungkin mereka hadapi di sepanjang jalan. Setelah itu, mereka mesti menemukan orang yang tepat untuk memecahkan tantangan tersebut.
Mereka pun harus berjuang untuk mewujudkan apa yang mereka janjikan dari konsep yang diajukan. Menurut Lawrence, beberapa orang lebih jago menuliskan ide mereka di kertas dan Power Point ketimbang terjun langsung ke lapangan.
“Para pejuang kertas dan Power Point sangat sulit untuk berhasil. Anda harus benar-benar melakukannya hingga berdarah-darah, hingga Anda menguasai dan memenangkan pertempuran,” tegasnya.
Tantangan berikutnya untuk startup kesehatan adalah soal regulasi. Startup perlu menemukan ahli untuk membantu merancang uji klinis agar lolos berbagai uji klinis dan regulasi.
Tantangan yang terakhir adalah masalah komersialisasi produk. Bagaimana menghasilkan pendapatan dari produk yang akan dijual.
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The Singapore University of Technology and Design (SUTD) and an online delivery company have formed a three-year partnership to provide students with the digital skills they will need in the future. This collaboration, which is part of SUTD and Ecole 42’s collaboration programme, will give SUTD’s 42 Singapore students access to the online delivery firm’s mentorship and internship opportunities, with the goal of providing tech talent with a launchpad to enter the tech industry once they graduate.
This collaboration is part of the online delivery firm’s PowerUp! Tech Academy, which includes programmes and partnerships to expand the tech talent pool and strengthen the tech ecosystem.
With a SG$600,000 contribution to SUTD’s 42 Singapore programme, the company reaffirmed its commitment to the partnership. This is Singapore’s first tuition-free, no-instructor programme. The funds will be allocated over a three-year period, from 2022 to 2024, and will be used to organise skill-development initiatives such as workshops and events.
According to the SUTD provost, Professor Phoon Kok Kwang, as Singapore strives to realise the full potential of its digital economy, they are eager to collaborate with the online delivery company. Their timely support and collaboration with 42 Singapore programmes enable SUTD to provide a transformative digital skills development path for future tech talent.
SUTD’s mission is to equip and continuously shape socially conscious, adaptable, and responsible talent who will have rewarding careers and catalyse positive change in a world that is rapidly changing.
By bringing together students with aspirations and mentors who share the same passion, the company is committed to creating an inclusive tech ecosystem that they believe will help drive and advance digitalisation not only in Singapore but throughout Asia.
Recent research indicates that Singapore’s Internet economy has the potential to increase by 19% and reach USD 22 billion by 2025, with the highest proportion of digital consumers in the region. Therefore, merchants are more likely to expand their use of digital services.
Therefore, this partnership is essential for the development of a robust tech talent pipeline to support the imminent expansion of Singapore’s digital economy. The three-year partnership encompasses the following:
- Internship opportunities: The online delivery firm will offer 42 Singaporean students internship opportunities in its tech teams over the course of three years. This will allow aspiring talent to gain professional working experience within a world-class technology team and learn how to apply their knowledge to real-world scenarios.
- Mentorship programmes: Students will be able to enrol in the online delivery firm’s mentorship programme, which will provide them with direct access to the tech team’s resources and executives. The firm’s one-on-one interactions with senior leaders aim to not only equip them with the necessary digital skills but also to inspire talent.
- Employment opportunities: The online delivery firm will give those who finish the programme first consideration for jobs if there are any that match their qualifications. This makes it possible for the firm to grow its community and give the next generation the technical skills that will be valuable in a world that is becoming more digital.
- Industry guidance: A Chief Technology Officer (CTO) of the online delivery firm will join the Advisory Board of 42 Singapore, offering advice on key industry trends and advocating for other businesses to support the programme. His direction will also ensure that SUTD’s programmes are relevant and valuable to students and the broader tech community.
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There has been extensive usage of AI technology in the service of helping humanity. In the health sector, AI has been used to identify new illnesses and epidemics that have become a concern when they appear in different parts of the world. Therefore, it was decided to develop the necessary tools to assist the country in dealing with any future pandemic in Indonesia at the suggestion of Indonesia’s National Research and Innovation Agency (BRIN).
Given Indonesia’s limited infrastructure and medical workforce, a well-thought-out plan was crucial for overcoming such an emergency. As a result, the healthcare infrastructure in Indonesia, including hospitals, physicians, health workers, and the government, could be ready for any future pandemic.
Outbreaks can be identified using AI by extracting morphometric information from microscopy images. Anto Satriyo Nugroho, Director of BRIN’s Centre for Artificial Intelligence Research and Cybersecurity (PR KAKS), said that AI can greatly aid Indonesian healthcare workers in hot spots, for instance, malaria epidemics. The algorithm could determine whether a person has caught malaria based on whether their blood sample tested positive for the parasite outbreak.
“Artificial intelligence applications can also detect epidemics with high precision. With AI, we can get an accurate forecast 77.14% of the time, with a sensitivity of 84.37% and an F1 accuracy of 80.60%,” he revealed.
To promote such initiatives, the National Research, and Innovation Agency (BRIN) hosted a webinar with the topic “Utilising AI in Health”. A panel discussion with a resource person, the Director of the BRIN Institute’s Centre for Artificial Intelligence Research and Cybersecurity (PR KAKS), followed the webinar activity. Prof. Indi Dharmayanti, Head of the BRIN Health Research Organisation, and Alexander Svinin, Russian Trade Attache for Indonesia, shared some opening comments during this webinar.
Experts in artificial intelligence technology include Anto Satriyo Nugroho, Director of the Center for Artificial Intelligence at Innopolis University Russia Ramil Kuleev, and researcher from the Astutiati Nurhasanah National Agency for Research on Vaccines and Drugs Research Centre, Ruslan Lukin.
Meanwhile, Russian Trade Attaché Alexander Svinin has voiced his approval of the work being done in Indonesia in artificial intelligence, “When it comes to the use of AI in medicine, we will be extremely receptive to new ideas and findings. This will open the door for cooperation among many groups.”
Professor and Head of the Russian University of Innopolis’s Institute of AI According to Ramil Kuleev, artificial intelligence has been used in various spheres of Russian society, most notably the medical field, where it has been used to diagnose illnesses based on radiological examinations.
Indonesian organisations like the Metaverse Research & Experience Centre (MREC) and the Indonesia Metaverse Collaboration supports the metaverse effort alongside AI development. Denny Setiawan, Director of resource management for the Ministry of Communication and Information’s Directorate General of Resources and Equipment of Post and Information Technology, said this would be a crucial step in hastening the country’s digital transition.
The mission of the Metaverse Research and Education Consortium (MREC), a public-private partnership, is to foster these very activities inside the realm of the technological metaverse. The Metaverse Research and Experience Centre (MREC) may be in the middle of the action on the Telkom University Campus. The building will serve as a hub for metaverse technology-related R&D, engagement with industry, and capability development.
Academics, researchers, connectivity service providers, industry partnerships, and policymakers can all work together and build connections with the help of MREC’s resources. Launching MREC is a big deal for Indonesia’s digital economy since it shows the country is serious about capitalising on the rising international interest in metaverse technology.
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The Hong Kong Polytechnic University (PolyU) has formed a strategic partnership with a venture capital investment company to promote the integration of the university’s scientific research with innovative industries. The collaboration’s main objective is to support PolyU research teams and start-ups with high potential, while also advancing the practical application of scientific research and the commercialisation of technology. The partnership is expected to contribute to the innovation and technology (I&T) development of Hong Kong and the Greater Bay Area.
The signing of the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) was witnessed by the Secretary for Innovation, Technology and Industry; the President of PolyU; and the Founding Partner of a global private equity firm. The Executive Vice President of PolyU and a partner at the global private equity firm signed the MoU.
During the same event, the Innovation & Investment Connect Panel Session was conducted. It gathered industry leaders and I&T stakeholders to participate in a stimulating panel discussion titled “How to facilitate research commercialisation from policymaker and investor perspectives.”
The panellists deliberated on the opportunities and challenges associated with the commercialisation of scientific research. Furthermore, two parallel thematic sessions were organised, where PolyU scholars and representatives from six investees at the venture capital investment company engaged in roundtable discussions on biomedical and sustainable innovation. The discussions highlighted the opportunities in the biomedical innovation ecosystem in Hong Kong, as well as the development trends in clean energy technologies and related industries.
According to the Hong Kong Innovation Activities Statistics 2021, Innovation plays a crucial role in promoting economic growth and development. It encompasses not only research and development (R&D) but also product and business process innovation, which are vital in enhancing competitiveness and business performance.
The Census and Statistics Department (C&SD) has been gathering various statistical indicators to measure the progress of innovation activities in Hong Kong. Among these indicators, the most significant ones are related to R&D activities.
Hong Kong’s gross domestic expenditure on research and development (GERD) in 2021, which includes total spending on in-house R&D activities performed locally in the business, higher education, and government sectors (including public technology support organisations), amounted to HK$27,827 million. This represents a 5% increase compared to 2020. During the same period, the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) increased by 7%. The GERD to GDP ratio slightly decreased from 0.99% in 2020 to 0.97% in 2021.
In recent years, the total spending on in-house R&D activities in the higher education sector has been consistently increasing. In 2021, the total expenditure on such activities in the higher education sector amounted to HK$14,735 million, representing a 4% increase compared to 2020.
On the other hand, the total expenditure on in-house R&D activities in the government sector, which mainly includes public technology support organisations, was HK$1,392 million in 2021, showing a 1% increase when compared with 2020.
The majority of in-house R&D activities in the business sector were focused on information technology and engineering technology. Specifically, computer software technology, information system and technology, and electrical and electronics engineering technology areas accounted for 21%, 17%, and 16% of the total expenditure on in-house R&D activities in the business sector, respectively.
Rather than being a significant performer of R&D activities, the government primarily serves a facilitative role in driving the economy’s technology and innovation advancement. This is achieved through the provision of funding support and technological infrastructure.
In 2021, the government sector, which primarily includes public technology support organisations, spent a total of HK$1,392 million on R&D activities. This amount represents a 1% increase compared to 2020. Additionally, the ratio of this expenditure to GDP remained the same at 0.05% in 2021.
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The government held a conference to review the first phase of the programme on the transition to Internet Protocol version 6 for state agencies (IPv6 for Gov) and discuss the implementation of the second phase of the plan.
The initial stage of the IPv6 for Gov initiative carried out between 2021 and 2022, centred around state agencies. During this period, approximately fifty per cent of the involved ministries, agencies, and localities planned transitional strategies to shift towards IPv6 for their portals. All of them are expected to roll out the plans in the second phase in 2022-2025.
In Vietnam, the IPv6 transition in networks, services, applications, and software will ensure there are Internet resources capacity and security requirements to support digital transformation and the development of e-government and smart city services. IPv6 is expected to meet Vietnam’s demand to offer new and quality services such as the Internet of Things (IoT), 4G-LTE, and 5G networks, contributing to digital transformation and digital government building.
To guarantee the effective execution of the program, the Ministry of Information and Communications (MIC) has collaborated closely with pertinent ministries, sectors, and localities. According to statistics from the Vietnam Internet Network Information Centre (VNNIC), as of December 2022, Vietnam’s IPv6 usage reached 53%, ranking 10th globally with more than 65 million Internet subscribers using IPv6 services. According to an official, the IPv6 for Gov programme has exceeded its set goals in the first phase as 94% of ministries, sectors and localities have issued IPv6 transition plans.
So far, as many as 78% of stakeholders have successfully converted to IPv6 for their portals and public services. More than 1,300 staff and experts have been trained on IPv6, 2.6 times higher than the training target for five years.
This year, the country’s IPv6 usage rate is expected to reach 60-70%. In the second phase of 2023 – 2025, VNNIC set a goal to convert the national Internet network into IPv6. By 2025, it wants 100% of Internet subscribers to use the IPv6 service, and all IDC, cloud, and hosting businesses to provide services on IPv6 platforms.
Pham Duc Long, the Deputy Minister of Information and Communication, has urged stakeholders to hasten the transition to IPv6. VNNIC was tasked with boosting communication and training initiatives and providing support and oversight during the transition phase.
The country’s quality of Internet service has also improved following directives issued by MIC. Globally, Vietnam ranks 39th in terms of fixed Internet. As OpenGov Asia reported, the average broadband download speed in Vietnam in February was 89,73 Mpps, up 4.6% over January. Among the centrally run cities, Ho Chi Minh City had the highest fixed broadband download speed (96.55Mbps). The average fixed broadband upload speed of the whole country was 88.71 Mbps (up 4.7%).
The figures from both domestic and international sources indicated that there has been a significant improvement in Vietnam’s fixed Internet speed in February, a considerable achievement considering the several incidents surrounding the submarine fibre optic cables since late 2022. As a solution, MIC has directed telecom carriers to promptly apply measures to fix the problems to ensure smooth international Internet connection. Under the instructions of the Authority of Telecommunications (AOT), mobile network operators have negotiated to buy more mainland optical fibre capacity and share capacity with each other to overcome the crisis.
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Through a series of workshops, Taipei Tech College of Management is collaborating with the world’s largest software corporation and an artificial intelligence (AI) company to cultivate students’ core digital and AI competencies.
The workshop, according to Fan Shu-kai, Dean of Taipei Tech College of Management, will cover ChatBot and its application in digital marketing, generative AI technology, Azure Open AI service and its application, and API (application programming interface).
The workshop will show how generative AI technology can be used in education and research, as well as how students can use AI tools for their senior projects. It is in high demand among students and teachers, and registration fills up within 24 hours.
The future of higher education is being shaped by generative AI technology. The new technology has the potential to boost efficiency and productivity while also improving the quality of student projects. As a result, it was provided with the Azure Open AI service for the College of Management’s students and faculty to use and strengthen their application capabilities.
Taipei Tech Provost Huang Yu-hsien stated that in order to stay current and relevant, they should develop competency in working with AI tools. As a result, Taipei Tech intends to incorporate content from an AI application into existing courses on deep learning, natural language processing, and neural networks.
Likewise, Taipei Tech will launch a microprogramme on AI and cross-disciplinary applications this year, with the goal of developing students’ AI application skills and career readiness. Students will be encouraged to use AI technology as a learning aid in an effective and responsible manner.
Huang stated that teachers will evaluate student performance through oral reports or on-site written tests at least twice a semester to prevent plagiarism. Multiple criteria, including interviews, practical projects, and screening tests, will be considered in the recruitment process.
In addition, during the 2023 academic year, Taipei Tech will launch a new graduate programme in aerospace and system engineering. The new programme will address the growing demand for aerospace technical talent by focusing on technology development in the fields of the satellite system, communication payload, and earth stations in motion.
President Wang Sea-fue of Taipei Tech stated that Taipei Tech is the first technological university to offer a graduate programme in aerospace technology. The new programme will promote cross-disciplinary technology development by bringing together the resources and faculty of the Colleges of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science and Mechanical and Electrical Engineering.
Taipei Tech will collaborate with academic and industrial partners such as the Georgia Institute of Technology and computer firms, as well as government agencies such as the Institute for Information Industry and Taiwan Space Agency, to develop professional talents with strong aerospace engineering skills and knowledge.
The new curriculum will include courses in satellite engineering, space mission and system design, spacecraft dynamics, and aerospace system management. Students will be equipped with theoretical and practical knowledge in aerospace engineering through internships and research projects.
It is expected to prepare students for careers in the aerospace industry by providing practical training and equipping them with problem-solving and mission-planning skills.
In Taiwan, there are numerous initiatives and programmes aimed at improving students’ AI skills. AI for Youth Programme, AI Bootcamp for Students, and AI Education Project are a few examples. Taiwan’s commitment to developing AI talent and preparing its youth for the future workforce is exemplified by these programmes and initiatives.