GovTech Partners with Eight Institutes of Higher Learning to Develop Deep Technical Capabilities

13 FEB 2017

GovTech Partners with Eight Institutes of Higher Learning to Develop Deep Technical Capabilities in Students to Help Build a Smart Nation

13 Feb 2017

The Government Technology Agency of Singapore (GovTech) announced the signing of six individual Memorandums of Understanding (MOU), and two Memorandums of Intent (MOI) with eight Institutes of Higher Learning (IHLs) today.

These agreements between GovTech and each IHL will share a common goal – to develop the technology ecosystem by enhancing the capabilities and competencies of the students, IHLs, and commercial entities through opportunities offered by the public sector to work on smart technologies.

Providing Hands-on Opportunities for over 300 Students

GovTech aims to provide training opportunities for over 300 students, through these agreements. GovTech will provide students exposure through internships, attachments, final-year projects, and tech-related competitions in which they will work on technological solutions for problems faced by public agencies. Students will also be invited to seminars, workshops and courses organised by GovTech. They will work on areas including cyber security, data analytics, internet-of-things and other emerging technologies. Such work exposure aims to complement the recent Committee on the Future Economy recommendations for young workers to attain deep skills and industry-relevant expertise in order to give them an edge in a technology driven future.

The IHLs (in alphabetical order) are:

  • Institute of Technical Education
  • Nanyang Polytechnic
  • Ngee Ann Polytechnic
  • Republic Polytechnic
  • Singapore Institute of Technology
  • Singapore Polytechnic
  • Singapore University of Technology and Design
  • Temasek Polytechnic

Integrating the IHLs into the Current Partnership Ecosystem

GovTech will continue to tap on its current InnoLeap programme, which provides platforms for IHLs, Research Institutes (RIs) and commercial entities to work together to transform challenges faced by public agencies into innovative solutions in a technology ecosystem. The sharing of such challenges is carried out through thematic workshops, sharing sessions and one-to-one consultation clinics. Since its launch in August 2014, InnoLeap has conducted 21 sessions, involving about 1,000 participants from over 70 organisations and close to 90 public agencies. GovTech will work closely with these eight IHLs in the subsequent sessions.

Ms Jacqueline Poh, Chief Executive, GovTech, said, “We believe that an active partnership between public agencies, academia and commercial entities can help us create the best digital services for citizens and smart solutions for our city. This set of agreements will not only give us the opportunity to do that, but also allow us to help develop our next generation of tech talent, which is key to building Singapore into a Smart Nation.”

Press release issued by Government Technology Agency of Singapore