The Infocomm Development Authority of Singapore (IDA) has set aside about S$2m under the new Academic Exchange Programme to sponsor both local and overseas students for work attachments. The programme was launched this morning ...
Singapore, 20 September 2000 | For Immediate Release
The Infocomm Development Authority of Singapore (IDA) has set aside about S$2m under the new Academic Exchange Programme to sponsor both local and overseas students for work attachments. The programme was launched this morning by IDA's Chairman, Mr Lam Chuan Leong, when he opened the National University of Singapore's (NUS) School of Computing's Incubation Centre.
The Academic Exchange Programme will facilitate technology and knowledge exchange, thereby boosting the competitiveness of Singapore's infocomm industry. In addition, this programme will strengthen the ties between our Institutes of Higher Learning (IHLs) and top universities overseas.
Local students
The programme has two components - one for local students and the other for overseas students.
The programme reaffirms our nation's commitment in grooming local talents. Local students would be given the necessary support for overseas stints, exposing them to emerging technologies and infocomm skills available in other countries. Through the stay and job attachment, our students will acquire the latest infocomm skills and expertise, which will benefit Singapore's infocomm industry when those students join the workforce. The global orientation will give them the necessary industry and cultural exposure, which will enrich both their professional and personal development. Such overseas exposure will also make our students appreciate the intense global competition, which is important in today's borderless business environment.
Overseas Students
In light of the race for top global talent, Singapore needs to continuously attract qualified talent to augment our infocomm workforce. The Academic Exchange Programme will sponsor high-calibre infocomm students from top universities abroad1 for stints in Singapore companies. These overseas students will share their skills and expertise, as well as inject fresh ideas and approaches to enhance the competitiveness of their host companies.
During their stint in Singapore, the overseas talents will gain first-hand experience of Singapore's culture and way of life. The IDA also hopes that the attachment programme will serve to secure the overseas students' long-term commitment to work in Singapore. In addition, the Academic Exchange Programme will sponsor top overseas students who are selected to participate in project collaborations between IHLs and the infocomm industry.
"Investing in our people has always been a key strategy for national competitiveness, starting from our education system to the government's push for workforce training and lifelong learning. The Academic Exchange Programme will intensify capability development and knowledge acquisition in our infocomm industry and make Singapore a home to infocomm talent and learning", said Mr Lam Chuan Leong, Chairman, IDA.
Both local and overseas students nominated by their universities to participate in this programme will be eligible to claim for airfare. Attachments for overseas students typically span over nine months. There is no limit on the length of overseas attachment for the local students, but this is usually determined by the university semester calendar in Singapore. All IHLs are encouraged to use this programme to send local students overseas for work attachments as well as attract top overseas students to Singapore.
Mr Lam Chuan Leong's speech at this morning's opening of the NUS' School of Computing's Incubation Centre is available on www.ida.gov.sg, under the "Newsroom" section.
ISSUED BY CORPORATE COMMUNICATION DIVISION
INFOCOMM DEVELOPMENT AUTHORITY OF SINGAPORE
Note to Editor:
1 These include MIT, UCLA and Cornell University in the US, Australia's Monash University and Tsing Hua University in China
About Infocomm Development Authority of Singapore
The Infocomm Development Authority of Singapore (IDA) is a dynamic organisation with an integrated perspective to developing, promoting and regulating info-communications in Singapore. In the fast-changing and converging spheres of telecommunications, information and media technologies, IDA will be the catalyst for change and growth in Singapore's evolution into a vibrant global info-communications technology centre. For more information, please visit www.imda.gov.sg.
For media clarification, please contact:
Ms Chia Sher Ling
Manager, Corporate Communication
Infocomm Development Authority of Singapore
Tel : (65) 211-1840
Fax : ( 65) 211 2227
Email: chia_sher_ling@imda.gov.sg
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