IMDA announces a new Singapore Digital (SG Digital) Leadership Accelerator, which includes an expanded SG Digital Scholarship with a new focus area on future communications.
SINGAPORE – 23 AUG 2022
107 recipients were awarded scholarships by the Ministry of Communications and Information (MCI) and its statutory boards; as well as the Smart Nation Digital Government Group (SNDGG), today. This is the first joint scholarship award ceremony by the MCI and SNDGG families, which are both under the portfolio of Minister for Communications and Information and Minister-in-charge of the Cyber Security Agency and Smart Nation Initiative, Mrs Josephine Teo. This inaugural ceremony replaces separate events for each scholarship held by the six agencies1 in the MCI and SNDGG families in previous years. The scholarships are part of a collective effort to groom technology, media, library and archives services, communications and translation talents. A total of 6 scholarships were awarded. They are:
- IMDA SG Digital Leaders
- IMDA SG Digital Scholarship
- Smart Nation Scholarship
- MCI Information Service and Translation Scholarship
- MCI Postgraduate Scholarship
- NLB Scholarship
Inaugural Batch of SG Digital Leaders Awarded
At the joint scholarship awards ceremony held on 23 August 2022, Minister Teo announced the Infocomm Media Development Authority’s (IMDA) new SG Digital Leadership Accelerator, which aims to build a strong and sustainable local core of digital leaders who can drive Singapore’s digital future. To accelerate their development, IMDA will prime them for key leadership positions in local and global firms by unlocking opportunities for them to connect with other leaders, learn from the best in the industry and secure mentorship and career coaching in their professional leadership journey.
10 professionals from 8 companies will form the inaugural batch of SG Digital Leaders. These are high-potential technology and media professionals in the private sector, primed for senior leadership positions. IMDA will support their professional growth to become Singapore’s next core of digital leaders through a structured development programme that will allow them to build connections with leaders in the tech industry and have opportunities for leadership skill development.
IMDA has also expanded the SG Digital Scholarship with a new focus area to develop world-class translational research capabilities in future communications. Extended support will be given to post-graduate local students to pursue research and translational projects related to future communications technologies (e.g. 5G technologies and beyond).
Grooming Talents for the Technology, Media and Information Sectors
Other than the SG Digital Leaders awards that were given out, five other types of scholarships were also presented at the ceremony today.
(A) SG Digital Scholarship
52 recipients received the SG Digital Scholarship, an industry scholarship, which focused on grooming future leaders for Singapore’s technology and media industry. Recipients will have the flexibility to chart their own career with the industry and take on key roles in a tech or media-related field in the organisation of their choice and be a part of driving Singapore’s digital future. Additionally, 13 scholarships for the new focus area of future communications (e.g. 5G technologies and beyond) were given out this year.
(B) Smart Nation Scholarship
A total of 17 recipients were awarded the Smart Nation Scholarship (SNS). Among them were seven female recipients, a 5% increase from last year and the largest batch of female Smart Nation Scholarship recipients to date, reflecting an increased interest amongst diversified talents to contribute to Singapore’s digital and technology development. The SNS seeks to develop future technology leaders who are passionate in making a difference to our national digital transformation. Jointly offered by the Cyber Security Agency of Singapore (CSA), Government Technology Agency (GovTech), and the Infocomm Media Development Authority (IMDA), scholars will undergo structured training for a fast-tracked career development. They can look forward to a multifaceted career, specialising in a variety of tech domains and opportunities for job rotations across the different public agencies.
(C) MCI Information Service and Information Service (Translation) Scholarships
Three recipients received the MCI Information Service Scholarship and two recipients received the MCI Information Service (Translation) Scholarship. The Information Service Scholarship was introduced in 2008 to attract young talents with an interest in government communications. The Information Service (Translation) Scholarship was subsequently introduced in 2015 to groom talents with language proficiency and enhance translation capabilities in the public service. Information Service scholars will play an important role in public communications to ensure that citizens are heard and connected to the government – this includes enhancing communications through effective translation, engaging citizens on national and social issues through various channels, strengthening whole-of-government communications preparedness, communicating policies to the public and managing government media relations.
(D) MCI Postgraduate Scholarship
Five recipients received the MCI Postgraduate Scholarship. Beyond attracting and growing young talents, MCI also strives to develop in-service officers’ professional and specialised capabilities through the MCI Postgraduate Scholarship. This is awarded on a yearly basis to MCI officers to pursue postgraduate studies.
(E) NLB Scholarship
NLB seeks to build and nurture a multi-disciplinary talent pipeline in information literacy, knowledge creation and preservation to develop Singapore’s libraries and archives of the future. Two recipients received NLB scholarships, and they will kickstart their journey in playing a key role to realise NLB’s goal of transforming the reading and learning experience for all Singaporeans, and NLB’s roles of building a Learning Marketplace, nurturing an Informed Citizenry, inspiring Singapore Storytellers, and being an Equaliser, as envisioned through LAB25 (Libraries and Archives Blueprint 2025).
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