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SINGAPORE: More young talented researchers are being wooed to Singapore through a fellowship scheme that will give them an opportunity to continue their work here.
It is part of Singapore's effort to further invest in human capital to build up a thriving research and development landscape, and to bring the country's economy to the next level.
Singapore's universities already have good programmes to train researchers up to the doctoral level.
But there is a need to ensure they can continue their work here, said the chairman of the National Research Foundation (NRF) Dr Tony Tan, when he launched the NUS Centre for Life Sciences (CeLS).
He said: "This NRF scheme is designed to fill that gap and we hope to make it more attractive and more feasible – first, for young Singaporeans who want to be research scientists to continue their work, and also as a means to attract people with PhDs who are working overseas to come to Singapore. After going through these fellowships, they may end up as staff in our universities or in our companies here. We don't have such a scheme in Singapore at the moment."
Dr Tan said details would be announced at the Research, Innovation and Enterprise Council (RIEC) meeting next month where a review of the past year's objectives in growing the biomedical sciences area would be done.
Dr Tan said human capital is the most critical part of developing Singapore's R&D landscape.
And it needs to nurture local talent, as well as attract foreign ones to sustain research activity in the long term.
One measure the National University of Singapore is already taking is providing seed funding of about S$500,000 over a 3-year period for deserving researchers through the Young Scientist Award.
"I hope that having NRF come in, the funds, maybe the number, the depth and the breadth may be much more extensive compared to the University. We are still restricted, to some extent, by our financial resources," said Professor Hew Choy Leong, Director, Office of Life Sciences, National University of Singapore.
The CeLS will focus on three main areas – cancer, cardiovascular diseases and ageing.
The Centre is NUS' latest investment in biomedical sciences and its first building that is fully dedicated to research in life sciences.
It brings together investigators and facilities from a whole spectrum of backgrounds and disciplines under one roof to tackle complex problems.
With such collaborations, the next breakthrough in science may just come from one of the labs.
The Centre, which used to house the Institute of Molecular and Cell Biology that has since moved to the Biopolis, had been retrofitted, renovated and expanded at a cost of S$40 million.
It already has 450 researchers, but hopes to expand to more than 600 eventually.
At the event, Dr Tan also commented on observations that Singapore's biomedical research resources are spread too thinly to generate results.
Nonetheless, he is confident that the biomedical sciences executive committee will take the appropriate actions if any change in direction is necessary.
"Filling up a viable biomedical industry is a long-term effort. You have to be prepared to put in an investment for many years, so it will be possibly another five to ten years before we will know definitely whether we have succeeded in building such an industry. It cannot be rushed," said Dr Tan.
He also said Singapore's investment in biomedical sciences has shown encouraging results, considering it started with almost nothing, five years ago.
It now forms 5 percent of Singapore's GDP and has created some 10,000 high value-added jobs.
At the event, Dr Tan also revealed that the second high-powered RIEC meeting next month would focus on building world-class academic research capabilities.
The international panel, chaired by Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong, advises the government on the promotion of all aspects of R&D and innovation.
Dr Tan, who is also the Council's vice-chairman, said that a year after it announced the setting up of an international research campus - Campus For Research Excellence and Technological Enterprise (CREATE) - another research institute would be joining its fold.
The US Massachusetts Institute of Technology was the first to join.
Now, ETH Zurich, the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology specialising in water technologies and energy, has indicated great interest.
CREATE, which aims to attract a small number of highly regarded research intensive universities in the world, will give Singapore an added competitive edge in the long term.
Dr Tan said: "Their researchers can interact among themselves as well as with the researchers from NUS and NTU, and in that sense, provide the magnet for further development of research work in Singapore as well as attract very talented people from around the world.
"We see CREATE as one of the principle means to provide a competitive edge for Singapore which will sustain us into the long term, even when at some stage, China and India will – with their larger population and more resources – give us stiff competition. If it succeeds, it will give Singapore an edge for 10 to 20 years." - CNA/so
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