On 26 June 2018, the delegation of the study visit to Singapore by officials from ASEAN and China visited Singapore Public Service Division (PSD), Singapore University of Technology and Design (SUTD), and met with officials from Singapore National Research Foundation (NRF) and Enterprise Singapore.

Mr. Mohammed Jalees, Senior Assistant Director (Transformation) of Public Sector Transformation Group of PSD briefed on the mandate of PSD with a vision to provide first class public services for a successful and vibrant Singapore. Its mission is to enhance leadership, responsibility and public services of the civil servants so as to build a future-ready government organization with high quality and public credit. He said along with the social development and progress of Singapore, its citizens request the government to deepen understanding of the demand of its citizens so as to provide better services, while improving efficiency and shouldering responsibility. To this end, the PSD has been constantly making creative reforms to increase communications with Singapore citizens and improve efficiency and effectiveness at the same time. He also briefed on Singapore’s initiatives to promote innovation at governmental, institutional and personal levels, and shared recent cases of Singapore government using smart phone applications to provide one-stop online services for its citizens. The delegation exchanged views with Mr. Jalees on information sharing among the public sectors in Singapore, problems encountered by the government in the process of promoting smart phone applications and the establishment of the innovation officer system in various departments.

Prof. Lim Seh Chun, Associate Provost Office of Student Affairs of SUTD briefed that SUTD is the fourth public university in Singapore and there are currently 1,600 students, 27% of whom are foreign students. The courses of the university focus on four major areas including development of engineering products, architecture and sustainable design, information system and technology design and engineering system and design. It is dedicated to nurture leaders and innovators with scientific and technological background. At present, the university has established strategic cooperation relations with many famous international universities and looks forward to more exchanges with universities in ASEAN and China in the future. The two sides also exchanged views on inter-school joint researches and supporting for students’innovation and entrepreneurship initiatives. Accompanied by Dr. Lin Wuzhong, Associate Program Director of Undergraduate Programmes Office of Education, the delegation visited the classrooms, laboratories and other campus facilities with great interest.

Dr. Pauline Tay, Senior Deputy Director (Innovation & Enterprise/ Strategy) of NRF briefed that the foundation serves Singapore’s goal of building itself into a science, technology and innovation hub. NRF coordinates the research and development of public sectors, formulate relevant policies and provide financial support to promote the realization of knowledge-intensive, innovation-driven and entrepreneurial economy. She also introduced the main innovation initiatives of Singapore on supporting national innovation capability and sustainable development in four major areas: advanced manufacturing and engineering, health and biochemical science, urban solutions and sustainability, and services and digital economy. Ms. Lim Seow Hui, Deputy Director (Startup & Global Innovation Alliance) of Enterprise Singapore briefed on its efforts to support Singapore start-ups, including making supportive policies, building business parks for start-ups, providing training and guidance, and coordinating public sectors, private enterprises, universities and research institutions to provide a favourable entrepreneurial environment for start-ups, all of which have effectively promoted vitality of social entrepreneurship and innovation. During the meeting, members of the delegation actively interacted with officials above on the funding of small and medium sized enterprises and the transformation of innovation achievements. They expressed their desire to further strengthen communication with relevant authorities of Singapore, learn from their successful experience, and make new efforts to promote innovation driven development of respective countries and deepen ASEAN-China cooperation on science, technology and innovation.