but never pay us NS slaves decent wages.
KNN. Really sway to be born a singaporean.
===========
Record $6b spent on R&D
Govt is 'fully committed' to investment as it is a key driver of economy for the future, says PM
By Liaw Wy-Cin
ST PHOTO: DESMOND WEE
FUNDING from the Government for scientific research and development, which helped push it to a record 2.6 per cent of gross domestic product last year, will not be cut in the current economic downturn, Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong promised yesterday.
He said the Government remained 'fully committed' to its investment in R&D as a vital driver of the economy for the future.
LONG-TERM VIEW
'The current global financial turmoil has clouded Singapore's economic outlook. Our economy has gone into recession. We must expect slower growth and greater uncertainties at least over the next year, maybe longer. But our R&D programme takes a longer-term perspective. It will proceed despite these immediate ups and downs. Its funding will not be affected.'
PM Lee, on the prospects for R&D funding
... more
RELATED LINKS
GROSS DOMESTIC EXPENDITURE ON R&D
GROWING NUMBER OF RESEARCHERS
Speaking at the opening of science and technology research centre Fusionopolis, Mr Lee said: 'Our R&D programme takes a longer-term perspective. It will proceed despite these immediate ups and downs. Its funding will not be affected.'
R&D spending here ballooned by 26 per cent, from $5 billion in 2006 to $6.33 billion last year, its largest annual increase.
One-third of this came from the Government.
'Our steady commitment will continue to draw researchers to set up and root their research activities in Singapore and give investors the confidence to establish high-tech industries and corporate R&D centres here,' said Mr Lee.
Spending is well on track to hit its target of 3 per cent of GDP by 2010, he added, and the private sector's huge share is a good sign.
'This balance assures us that we are on the right track and that the R&D being done in Singapore is market-oriented and productive,' he told the audience of about 400 scientists and industry players.
Fusionopolis, the second major research hub to be built in five years, will group together institutes in the physical sciences, engineering and digital technology.
It is the high-tech mirror to its sister in the biomedical sciences, Biopolis, 600m away on North Buona Vista Road.
Biopolis, conceived as a fertile breeding-ground for research, now boasts six research institutes and 10 companies doing research in stem cells, infectious diseases and bioengineering, among others.
The national Agency for Science, Technology and Research (A*Star), which leads science research here, has the same high hopes for Fusionopolis.
Said its chairman, Mr Lim Chuan Poh: 'It could happen over lunch or a chance encounter in the lift, or even at formal meetings. There are many opportunities for ideas to spark when scientists talk to each other.'
Though the scale of Singapore's R&D effort is new, R&D itself has played an important role in Singapore's industrial development, Mr Lee said.
As an example, work from the Data Storage Institute, which has now moved to Fusionopolis, helped propel Singapore's disk drive industry.
More than 20 years ago, Singapore had a 45 per cent share of the global hard disk drive market.
Today, it has a close to 80 per cent share of the world's market for high-end enterprise disk drives, thanks to the R&D investments in the field.
So far, 13 companies have joined three research institutes at Fusionopolis, said PM Lee.
Another advanced digital sciences centre will be set up in January by the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, partnering with A*Star.
The Media Development Authority is also providing $12 million in funding to 15 projects in interactive digital media R&D.
'Our public research institutions are the bridge that translates public R&D into useful outcomes for the economy and society,' noted Mr Lee.
They have done this by intertwining their research programmes with the needs of industry, providing companies access to new knowledge and competitive innovative technologies, he said.
To help companies bring their ideas to market, or spark interest in potential investors, the Standards, Productivity and Innovation Board and the Economic Development Board will also set up shop in Fusionopolis.
Along with Biopolis, it brings together in one location - one-north - the major research areas that Singapore has earmarked for higher-value economic growth, to complement its manufacturing sector.
The number of researchers in Singapore last year hit a record of 27,301, up from 25,033 in 2006. About 60 per cent are in the private sector.
It is the meshing of high-quality research and industrial links in one location that is a selling point of Fusionopolis, say its tenants.
Said the vice-chancellor for research at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Mr Ravi Iyer: 'It is a great advantage to have companies who are interested in our work also located in Fusionopolis. Plus, we have access to A*Star's scientists and research facilities.'
[email protected]
KNN. Really sway to be born a singaporean.
===========
Record $6b spent on R&D
Govt is 'fully committed' to investment as it is a key driver of economy for the future, says PM
By Liaw Wy-Cin
ST PHOTO: DESMOND WEE
FUNDING from the Government for scientific research and development, which helped push it to a record 2.6 per cent of gross domestic product last year, will not be cut in the current economic downturn, Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong promised yesterday.
He said the Government remained 'fully committed' to its investment in R&D as a vital driver of the economy for the future.
LONG-TERM VIEW
'The current global financial turmoil has clouded Singapore's economic outlook. Our economy has gone into recession. We must expect slower growth and greater uncertainties at least over the next year, maybe longer. But our R&D programme takes a longer-term perspective. It will proceed despite these immediate ups and downs. Its funding will not be affected.'
PM Lee, on the prospects for R&D funding
... more
RELATED LINKS
GROSS DOMESTIC EXPENDITURE ON R&D
GROWING NUMBER OF RESEARCHERS
Speaking at the opening of science and technology research centre Fusionopolis, Mr Lee said: 'Our R&D programme takes a longer-term perspective. It will proceed despite these immediate ups and downs. Its funding will not be affected.'
R&D spending here ballooned by 26 per cent, from $5 billion in 2006 to $6.33 billion last year, its largest annual increase.
One-third of this came from the Government.
'Our steady commitment will continue to draw researchers to set up and root their research activities in Singapore and give investors the confidence to establish high-tech industries and corporate R&D centres here,' said Mr Lee.
Spending is well on track to hit its target of 3 per cent of GDP by 2010, he added, and the private sector's huge share is a good sign.
'This balance assures us that we are on the right track and that the R&D being done in Singapore is market-oriented and productive,' he told the audience of about 400 scientists and industry players.
Fusionopolis, the second major research hub to be built in five years, will group together institutes in the physical sciences, engineering and digital technology.
It is the high-tech mirror to its sister in the biomedical sciences, Biopolis, 600m away on North Buona Vista Road.
Biopolis, conceived as a fertile breeding-ground for research, now boasts six research institutes and 10 companies doing research in stem cells, infectious diseases and bioengineering, among others.
The national Agency for Science, Technology and Research (A*Star), which leads science research here, has the same high hopes for Fusionopolis.
Said its chairman, Mr Lim Chuan Poh: 'It could happen over lunch or a chance encounter in the lift, or even at formal meetings. There are many opportunities for ideas to spark when scientists talk to each other.'
Though the scale of Singapore's R&D effort is new, R&D itself has played an important role in Singapore's industrial development, Mr Lee said.
As an example, work from the Data Storage Institute, which has now moved to Fusionopolis, helped propel Singapore's disk drive industry.
More than 20 years ago, Singapore had a 45 per cent share of the global hard disk drive market.
Today, it has a close to 80 per cent share of the world's market for high-end enterprise disk drives, thanks to the R&D investments in the field.
So far, 13 companies have joined three research institutes at Fusionopolis, said PM Lee.
Another advanced digital sciences centre will be set up in January by the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, partnering with A*Star.
The Media Development Authority is also providing $12 million in funding to 15 projects in interactive digital media R&D.
'Our public research institutions are the bridge that translates public R&D into useful outcomes for the economy and society,' noted Mr Lee.
They have done this by intertwining their research programmes with the needs of industry, providing companies access to new knowledge and competitive innovative technologies, he said.
To help companies bring their ideas to market, or spark interest in potential investors, the Standards, Productivity and Innovation Board and the Economic Development Board will also set up shop in Fusionopolis.
Along with Biopolis, it brings together in one location - one-north - the major research areas that Singapore has earmarked for higher-value economic growth, to complement its manufacturing sector.
The number of researchers in Singapore last year hit a record of 27,301, up from 25,033 in 2006. About 60 per cent are in the private sector.
It is the meshing of high-quality research and industrial links in one location that is a selling point of Fusionopolis, say its tenants.
Said the vice-chancellor for research at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Mr Ravi Iyer: 'It is a great advantage to have companies who are interested in our work also located in Fusionopolis. Plus, we have access to A*Star's scientists and research facilities.'
[email protected]
