Singapore government to give clean energy industry a leg up

Chen Huifen, Business Times 13 Nov 07;

Scholarship scheme to help nurture industry leaders

(SINGAPORE) The government will be setting up a clean energy scholarship programme, in a bid to keep up with the demands of new growth industries with high technology requirements.

Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong announced the plan yesterday in a speech at the opening ceremony of the Global Entrepolis @ Singapore 2007 (GES) event.

He said that with Singapore's intention to move into the new growth area of clean energy, steps will be taken to ensure that the new industry will have sufficient manpower.

'Our polytechnics and universities are beginning to offer diploma and degree courses with specialisations in this field,' Mr Lee said.

'On top of that, we will need to nurture a pool of industry and technology leaders. To facilitate this, the government will be establishing a clean energy scholarship programme to fund some 130 Masters and PhD students over the next five years for study and research in local and top foreign universities.'

The move follows a $6.3 billion solar plant investment that the Republic attracted almost three weeks ago.

It is in line with Singapore's basic strategy - which includes keeping the economy open, upgrading capabilities and investing in its people.

Mr Lee said by being open to the cross currents of global interactions, Singapore becomes attractive to people of diverse backgrounds, and therefore extensive expertise, creativity and new ideas.

In terms of building up its capabilities, Singapore is investing in R&D to seed the next generation of industries.

'Our high standards of intellectual property protection give us an edge for R&D in Asia,' Mr Lee said.

'Our compact size is also an advantage, because we are able to create a truly integrated environment to harness the synergies of interdisciplinary research.'

The third piece of Singapore's strategy lies in maximising the potential of its human capital.

'Our emphasis on science and engineering will help keep our economy flexible,' he said.

'For an education in engineering trains the mind to tackle and solve problems, wherever they may appear. Such skills are relevant not just in engineering or technical fields, but also in areas as diverse as financial services, logistics and communications.'

In his speech, Mr Lee also touched on the recent turbulence in financial markets around the world.

While it makes the near term outlook uncertain, he said it does not alter the picture of a dynamic and resilient Asia.

'It is too early to say how the US economy will be affected by the problems with sub-prime mortgages, and the fallout from that on financial institutions and the housing market,' he said.

'Should the US economy slow down sharply, Asia will certainly feel the drag. But Asia's fundamentals are strong, and this will continue to drive confidence and optimism over the medium-term.'

Held at the Suntec Singapore International Convention and Exhibition Centre, the GES is an annual business networking platform presented by the Economic Development Board and the Singapore Business Federation.

The four-day event will feature almost 40 conferences, plus exhibitors from more than 30 countries. Thousands of participants from more than 70 countries are expected to attend.

S$25m scholarships launched to boost manpower in clean energy
Channel NewsAsia 16 Nov 07

SINGAPORE: The Clean Energy Programme Office (CEPO) has launched a S$25 million scholarship programme to boost Singapore's manpower needs in clean energy.

About 130 students will be awarded scholarships to pursue related post-graduate degrees over the next five years.

These scholarships come under the National Research Foundation (NRF)'s S$170 million plan to build up Singapore's R&D and manpower capabilities in clean energy.

There are two specific scholarships.

The first one is called the NRF (Clean Energy) PhD Scholarships, which are government-funded.

The PhD scholarships are research-focused and scholars will have the opportunity to work with renowned experts in the field.

The second one is the NRF (Clean Energy) Company Scholarships, which are supported by both the government and industry.

Under this programme, both Masters and PhD scholarships are offered.

Upon graduation, scholars will work for partner companies and help in technological development.

CEPO is also working with the universities and polytechnics on specialised Clean Energy programmes at the diploma and degree levels.

Together with the scholarship schemes, these efforts are expected to produce up to 250 skilled manpower for the industry each year.

More information is available at www.cepo.sg.

- CNA/so