Coaching Researchers to Help Them Relate Better to Business Needs

Debated in Parliament on 13 Sep 2016.

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Thomas Chua Kee Seng asked whether research scientists and engineers from public research institutes can be trained to better communicate and relate to SMEs' business needs.
S Iswaran highlighted that SMEs are vital to Singapore's economy and that government programs like GET-Up connect them with research expertise, while A*STAR offers training to improve researchers' communication skills and has an SME Office to reach out to businesses.
A*STAR has trained over 600 researchers in communication, deepened engagement with SMEs, and reported a 40% increase in projects with SMEs from 2011 to 2015, along with specific secondments and advisory support.
The government will continue aiding SMEs through innovation, while urging SMEs to proactively utilize available public research capabilities.

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Thomas Chua Kee Seng

Mr Thomas Chua Kee Seng asked the Minister for Trade and Industry (Industry) whether research scientists and engineers from public research institutes can be trained and coached to improve their presentation and communication skills so that they can relate better to the business needs and thinking of SMEs.

S Iswaran

Small and medium enterprises (SMEs) are important to Singapore's economy, comprising 99% of enterprises and employing 70% of Singapore's workforce. The Government is committed to helping our SMEs tap on innovation and technology to optimise business processes, improve productivity and enhance competitiveness. SMEs are able to gain access to research expertise and advice at the public research institutions through programmes such as Growing Enterprises through Technology Upgrading (GET-Up), which provides secondment of research scientists and engineers (RSEs) to SMEs, technical advice, and operation and technology road-mapping (OTR) services.

To help researchers improve their communication skills, the Agency for Science, Technology and Research (A*STAR) organises regular training sessions and master classes on science communication and presentations. More than 600 researchers have attended these sessions since their inception in March 2015.

A*STAR also has a team of technology transfer and industry development professionals who link companies to relevant technologies that meet their business needs. In particular, A*STAR has established an SME Office to proactively reach out to SMEs.

These efforts have resulted in deeper and broader engagement between A*STAR’s research institutes and our SMEs. Projects with SMEs have increased by 40% from 2011 to reach 737 in 2015. Under GET-Up, A*STAR has seconded 657 RSEs to 356 SMEs, appointed 148 technical advisors to 100 SMEs and conducted 227 OTR projects for 194 SMEs as of 31 July 2016.

The Government will continue to help our SMEs to innovate. Our SMEs must also play their part by taking the initiative to tap on the capabilities and assistance available in our public sector research institutes, to develop and deploy technology solutions that can drive their transformation and growth.

Summary written by AI (learn more)

Thomas Chua Kee Seng asked whether research scientists and engineers from public research institutes can be trained to better communicate and relate to SMEs' business needs.
S Iswaran highlighted that SMEs are vital to Singapore's economy and that government programs like GET-Up connect them with research expertise, while A*STAR offers training to improve researchers' communication skills and has an SME Office to reach out to businesses.
A*STAR has trained over 600 researchers in communication, deepened engagement with SMEs, and reported a 40% increase in projects with SMEs from 2011 to 2015, along with specific secondments and advisory support.
The government will continue aiding SMEs through innovation, while urging SMEs to proactively utilize available public research capabilities.

Questions identified by AI (learn more)

Coaching Researchers to Help Them Relate Better to Business Needs | PAPERCUTS

Coaching Researchers to Help Them Relate Better to Business Needs

Debated in Parliament on 13 Sep 2016.

Summary written by AI (learn more)

Thomas Chua Kee Seng asked whether research scientists and engineers from public research institutes can be trained to better communicate and relate to SMEs' business needs.
S Iswaran highlighted that SMEs are vital to Singapore's economy and that government programs like GET-Up connect them with research expertise, while A*STAR offers training to improve researchers' communication skills and has an SME Office to reach out to businesses.
A*STAR has trained over 600 researchers in communication, deepened engagement with SMEs, and reported a 40% increase in projects with SMEs from 2011 to 2015, along with specific secondments and advisory support.
The government will continue aiding SMEs through innovation, while urging SMEs to proactively utilize available public research capabilities.

Questions identified by AI (learn more)

Full Transcript

Thomas Chua Kee Seng

S Iswaran

Summary written by AI (learn more)

Thomas Chua Kee Seng asked whether research scientists and engineers from public research institutes can be trained to better communicate and relate to SMEs' business needs.
S Iswaran highlighted that SMEs are vital to Singapore's economy and that government programs like GET-Up connect them with research expertise, while A*STAR offers training to improve researchers' communication skills and has an SME Office to reach out to businesses.
A*STAR has trained over 600 researchers in communication, deepened engagement with SMEs, and reported a 40% increase in projects with SMEs from 2011 to 2015, along with specific secondments and advisory support.
The government will continue aiding SMEs through innovation, while urging SMEs to proactively utilize available public research capabilities.

Questions identified by AI (learn more)

Coaching Researchers to Help Them Relate Better to Business Needs

Summary

Questions Identified

Full Transcript

Thomas Chua Kee Seng

S Iswaran

Summary

Questions Identified

Coaching Researchers to Help Them Relate Better to Business Needs

Summary

Questions Identified

Full Transcript

Thomas Chua Kee Seng

S Iswaran

Summary

Questions Identified