Prime Minister's Office (National Research Foundation)

The National Research Foundation (NRF) works with research performers, companies and Government agencies, such as MTI, MOE, MOH, MND, MEWR and MCI, to build R&D capabilities, encourage innovation and grow technology enterprises. Together with our partners, NRF seeks to develop Singapore as a knowledge economy and society, creating good jobs and improving well-being for Singaporeans.

Through the combined efforts of NRF and its partners, Singapore has achieved a good standing in R&D internationally. Our two top Universities have risen rapidly in international academic rankings. They have also established 15 research groups with 10 leading universities from the US, Europe and Asia at the Campus for Research Excellence and Technological Enterprise (CREATE). The A*STAR research institutes conduct high quality research with an industry focus, helping to anchor large corporations in Singapore. We have also seen MNC corporate laboratories setting up in Singapore.

NRF, together with partner Ministries, has broadened the research focus to other sectors where Singapore has the potential to make significant contributions globally. These include Translational and Clinical Research in Biomedical Sciences, Interactive and Digital Media, Environmental and Water Technologies, and, more recently, Marine and Offshore, and Satellite Technology. Through the National Innovation Challenges, we are also developing unique national solutions in the areas of energy, as well as land and liveability. There is also a new programme in cybersecurity, aimed at raising Singapore's capabilities to defend ourselves from cyberattacks.

We have invested in growing a strong pool of science and engineering researchers. The NRF Fellowships bring young, bright scientists to conduct research in Singapore. The new NRFInvestigator-ships provide opportunities for established scientists in Singapore to pursue ground-breaking, high-risk research. Our scheme to attract overseas Singaporean scientists home to continue their research careers and eventually take up leadership positions here, will help grow the Singaporean core of researchers. The scientific community here has matured, with our national science and engineering academies prepared to play a larger role in the science and technology ecosystem.

We are also developing an enabling ecosystem for startups, including venture capitalists, incubators and financing.

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As we embark on planning for the next five-year science and technology plan, or Research, Innovation and Enterprise (RIE) 2020, NRF's focus is twofold.

First, we will sustain strong performance across the different entities in our ecosystem through sound governance and accountability. NRF has worked with MTI, MOE and MOF to improve coordination within Government so that we achieve more effective R&D outcomes. We instituted changes to whole-of-Government structures to improve strategic planning and oversight. As part of the RIE2020 planning, stakeholder agencies are working together with research and industry partners to develop coherent strategies for each research domain from advanced manufacturing to the digital and biomedical sciences, establish clear national objectives for each sector, and draw up the plans and appropriate performance indicators. We will focus on areas where we can develop researchers who can conduct world-class research which leverages on our national strengths so that investments have a high chance of generating value for our economy and society.

Second, we will join up the entire value chain of players in our innovation ecosystem – scientists, entrepreneurs, venture funds and corporations – so that we are better at turning scientific discovery into useful innovations, and translating technological breakthroughs into growth companies. Companies with major manufacturing stakes in Singapore, like Rolls Royce and Keppel, have set up corporate research labs at our Universities, strengthening industry-science linkages.

We are working with economic agencies to grow clusters of innovative firms, in areas such as diagnostics and membrane technologies. NRF will support closer engagement between our Universities and home-grown companies, to facilitate technology transfer and help them develop future products and markets. In addition, we will work with large local enterprises to grow a strong technology ecosystem around them, so that we create jobs, scale production and spur growth, not just in new sectors, but also established and traditional ones.

Strengthening the linkages between research, innovation and enterprise will help Singapore to remain competitive in the knowledge-based future economy. Our goal is for our investments in R&D to translate into economic growth for Singapore and give rise to more innovative companies that continually create good jobs of the future for Singaporeans.

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