Excellence in Research & Innovation - Europa

Excellencein Research& InnovationCOOPERATION opportunities between EUROPE and Singapore

European UnionExcellence in Research & InnovationContents05 Short guide on EU Research andHigher Education Programmes07 Belgium09 Denmark11 France13 Germany15 Ireland17 Poland19 Sweden21 Switzerland23 The Netherlands25 United Kingdom04

European UnionExcellence in Research & InnovationCooperation opportunities with Europe forSingaporean researchers – a short guideEuropean funding for research and innovation excellenceThe EU 7th FrameworkProgrammeThe 7th Framework Programme(FP7) is the EU’s main instrumentfor funding research in Europe andthe largest of its kind in the world.FP7 is a highly competitive scheme,designed to respond to Europe’semployment needs, competitivenessand quality of life. It runs from 2007to 2013 and has a total budget ofover €50 billion, with about €7 billionin 2012.The broad objectives of FP7have been grouped into fourcategories: Cooperation, Ideas,People and Capacities. For eachtype of objective, there is a specificprogramme corresponding to themain areas of EU research policy.All specific programmes worktogether to promote and encouragethe creation of European scientificexcellence. Some of the prioritisedresearch areas of FP7 are: Health,Biotechnology, Information &Communication Technologies,Nanotechnologies, Energy, Transportand Environment, including Climatechange.For more information on FP7:http://cordis.europa.eu/home_en.htmlFP7 welcomes internationalcollaboration between researchersaround the world. Virtually allcalls for proposals are open toSingaporean participants. Althoughparticipating organisations fromindustrialised countries are notnormally eligible for funding byFP7, scientists from all leadingcountries see their participation inthe EU programmes as an uniqueopportunity to work with the bestresearchers in Europe and worldwide.To search for FP7 calls and toparticipate: http://ec.europa.eu/research/participants/portal/page/homeOf special interest to researchersat any level of their career are thevarious Marie Sklodowska-Curiefellowships for researchers movingboth from and to Europe, as wellas the European ResearchCouncil (ERC) grants, which haveenabled many researchers acrossthe world to enhance their careersin Europe. For instance, theMarie Sklodowska-Curie InternationalIncoming Fellowships schemeprovides funding to top-classforeign researchers to work onresearch projects in Europe forduration of 12 to 24 months,while the Marie Sklodowska-CurieCareer Integration Grants allowexperienced researchers from anycountry in the world, with at least 4years’ full-time research experienceor a doctoral degree, to come andwork in Europe for 2 to 4 years.For more information on MarieSklodowska-Curie schemes:http://ec.europa.eu/research/mariecurieactions/Schemes managed by the ERCinclude the Starting IndependentResearcher Grants that supportup-and-coming research leaders ofany nationality who are about toestablish or consolidate a researchteam and to start conductingindependent research in Europe inthe fields of life sciences, physicalsciences & engineering, andsocial sciences and humanitieswith up to €2 million per grant,while the advanced investigatorsgrants provide up to €3.5 millionto researchers who have alreadyestablished themselves asindependent research leaders andhave a recent research track-recordand profile which identifies them asleaders in their respective field ofresearch.For more information on the ERCgrants, which are open to topresearchers of any nationality or agewho wish to carry out their frontierresearch in Europe: http://erc.europa.eu/The Erasmus MundusProgrammeErasmus Mundus – Masters’ &Doctoral Scholarships05

European UnionExcellence in Research & InnovationThis scheme supportshigh-quality joint masters anddoctoral programmes offered bya consortium of European, andpossibly third countries’ highereducation institutions, scholarships/ fellowships for third countries’and European students / doctoralcandidates to follow ErasmusMundus joint masters’ courses anddoctoral programmes, andshort-term scholarships for thirdcountries’ and European academicsto carry out research or teachingassignments as part of joint mastersprogrammes. Duration: 3 months to3 years.Erasmus Mundus – CooperationPartnershipsThis schemes supports theestablishment of partnershipsbetween European institutions andinstitutions in other countries, withthe objective of developing mobilityschemes.For more information on ErasmusMundus: http://eacea.ec.europa.eu/erasmus_mundusEURAXESS Links Singapore –helps researchers on the moveEURAXESS Links Singaporenetwork was launched in November2010 and currently has about870 members from Europe andSingapore. The purpose of thenetwork is to assist individualresearchers on the move byinforming on research developmentsand news, as well as career andfunding possibilities in Europe andSingapore. The community is alsoopen to companies, organisationsand policymakers with a generalinterest in research and innovation.The network will soon expand to alsocover other countries in the dynamicSoutheast Asia region.The monthly newsletter and the website, including a members-only area,are EURAXESS Links Singapore’smain channels of outreach. Theelectronic newsletter providesresearch and innovation news,event information, as well asfunding, collaboration and careeropportunities. For more informationvisit the EURAXESS Links Singaporeweb site: http://ec.europa.eu/euraxess/links/singapore/index_en.htmThe EURAXESS Links communityis open to all researchers, in allindustries and of all nationalities. Theinitiative is funded by the EuropeanCommission and membership is freeof charge. To become a memberplease register here: http://europa.eu/sinapse/directaccess/euraxess_singapore/joinOutside of Europe, five EURAXESSLinks networks currently exist,namely in the US, Japan, China,Singapore and India. Soon newinternational networks will belaunched.EURAXESS also has a careerdatabase – EURAXESS Jobs –advertising thousands ofEurope-based fellowships and jobsvacancies in research and innovation.For more information: http://ec.europa.eu/euraxess/index.cfm/jobs/indexEURAXESS Services is a networkof more than 200 centres situatedin 38 European countries. If you area researcher planning to relocateto Europe, EURAXESS Servicescan assist you and your family inevery step of your move. This freepersonalised service is here to makeyour life easier. For more information:http://ec.europa.eu/euraxess/index.cfm/services/indexHorizon 2020Horizon 2020 is the financialinstrument replacing FP7 from 2014.It will run until 2020 with a proposed€80 billion budget.For more information on Horizon2020: http://ec.europa.eu/research/horizon2020/index_en.cfmFor recent updates on the European Union’s Research, Innovation and Science policieshttp://ec.europa.eu/commission_2010-2014/geoghegan-quinn/index_en.htm06

European UnionExcellence in Research & InnovationBelgiuma key player in biotechnology in EuropeBelgium accounts for a remarkably high proportion of Europe’sturnover in biotechnology. It represents 16% of the Europeanbiopharmaceutical industry, making our country a key player atworld level.The Biotechnological sector inBelgiumBelgium is one of the most openeconomies in the world, and this istrue for the biotechnology sectortoo. Although the country representsonly 3% of the economy of the EU27,it accounted for 17% of EU exports ofbiopharmaceuticals in 2008.In addition, Belgium accounts fora remarkably high proportion ofEurope’s turnover in biotechnology.It represents 16% of the Europeanbiopharmaceutical industry, makingour country a key player at worldlevel.Belgian biotechnology providesdirect employment to more than30,000 people in Belgium, mainlyin the health sector (80%). Theseworkers are particularly wellqualified, and training in scienceand technology in Belgium isamong the best in Europe, both atsecondary level and in universities.Belgian workers are among the mostproductive in Europe.Belgian workers are among thetop 5 most productive in the worldaccording to recent OECD statisticsand the International LabourOrganisation. But it is especially inthe biotechnology sector that thecountry stands out:• In Belgium the number of drugsin development per millioninhabitants is the highest inthe world, ahead of the UnitedKingdom or the United States.• The regions of Flemish Brabantand Walloon Brabant haverespectively 61% and 58% ofscientists in their economicallyactive, placing them in the top10 European regions in thisregard.• The number of activeresearchers in thepharmaceutical industry inBelgium is growing rapidly.Between 2002 and 2007, it rosefrom 3,591 FTEs to 4,838, anincrease of 35%.• Belgium consistentlyoutperforms the OECD average,in terms of researchersper thousand employees,the number of science andengineering graduates as apercentage of degrees awarded,the proportion of employmentin science and technology intotal employment, or scientificarticles published per millionpopulation (OECD, 2010).07

European UnionExcellence in Research & InnovationR&D in the biotech sectorSpending on research anddevelopment is high in relation to thecountry’s size, as confirmed by thelatest OECD figures:• Fifth-highest level in the OECDof public funding (direct andindirect) and tax incentives forR&D in the business sector in2008.• Fourth country in the world interms of biotechnology R&D perfirm.• Third country in Europe in termsof biotechnology R&D per capitain the business sector.• Second highest proportion ofbiotechnology R&D in totalnational R&D in the world.• World number one for R&Dintensity (R&D / production) inthe pharmaceutical industry(EFPIA, 2008).A leading country for researchThe network of academic institutionsand research centers in Belgium isnot only dense, but features someinternationally renowned institutions.Four Belgian universities wererecently included among the 100 bestEuropean research institutions. Twoof them, the Université Catholiquede Louvain (UCL) and the KatholiekUniversiteit Leuven (KUL), wereeven included among the 20top-performing universities inEurope. Our small country boaststhree of Europe’s top 25 universitiesfor life sciences (Academic Rankingof World Universities 2010).Whether in medicine, biotechnologyor engineering, Belgian universitiesare among the best.One look at the budget allocatedto these universities and researchcenters points to a clear conclusion:in Belgium, researchers performbetter than elsewhere, and withfewer resources. How can theseoutstanding results be explained?• A high concentration ofquality universities andincubators:the 14 Belgian campuses (5 inFlanders, 5 in Wallonia and 4in Brussels) are geographicallyclose and organised intoeffective networks. There arealso 22 research centers and amultitude of incubators, all easilyaccessible.• An effective clusteringpolicy, promoting exchangesbetween universities andbusinesses:the clusters of Ghent, Leuven,Liège, Charleroi, Brussels, Namurand Gembloux help universitiesexchange knowledge and interactwith companies.• Science and mathematicsteaching of internationalquality:more than 50,000 studentsare enrolled in biosciencesand in pharmacy schools inBelgium. In addition to meetinghigh academic standards, theyenjoy a solid basic education, asevidenced by the above-OECDaverage Belgian results asmeasured in PISA.• Effective inter-universitystructures:VIB and Welbio are the twomost important academicbiotechnology networks inBelgium, and their internationalreputation is well established.• The support of federal andregional authorities:support for academic researchcan be relied on in each Belgianregion. Politicians and theBelgian population are fullyaware of the importance ofbiotechnology in the economicfabric of Belgium.VIB and WelbioBelgian universities are federatedwithin institutions that bringtogether virtually all stakeholdersin the sector.The two most important are VIB andWelbio.Combining four of the country’s fiveDutch-speaking universities andnumerous incubators, VIB is themain contact point for research inFlanders. Nearly 1,170 researchers ofmore than 50 nationalities share theobjective of achieving exceptionalresearch results and bringing theirproducts to market. VIB receivesnearly €75 million. http://www.vib.beWelbio is a new initiative thatdemonstrates the dynamismand the networking strengths ofBelgian universities. Combiningthe three Walloon academies, theagency’s mission is to support thebiotechnology sector in Wallonia bytraining scientists and by speedingeffective launch of discoveries.€15 million was released to launchthe initiative, and the first call forproposals was a great success.http://www.welbio.orgA recent brochure on the complete Belgian Biotech landscape is available on www.abh-ace.be, from which the information presented on thispage was sourced.08

European UnionExcellence in Research & InnovationFranceSingapore and France for excellence inresearch, technology and innovationFrance and Singapore, two knowledge-based economies, aim at boostingresearch, innovation and entrepreneurship. Both countries havedeveloped bilateral fruitful partnerships and continue to strengthen theirties through the development of new joint laboratories and high levelcooperation.Prof. Claude Cohen-Tannoudji (1997 NobelPrize in Physics) introducing his scientificinterests and educational backgroundto students from the prestigious RafflesInstitution in July 2010French company ArianeSpace owes 60% ofthe global market for launching satellites intogeostationary orbit with around 267 launchesR&D Key facts and figuresFrance devoted more than €42.7billion representing 2.2% of its GDPto Research and Development in2009. Private companies fund 55%of the R&D budget and run 63% ofthe R&D activities. There are morethan 230,000 full-time scientists, 25national public research institutions,e.g. CNRS and the more specialisedones: INRIA, CEA, INSERM, CNES...Worldwide, France is ranked• 6th in the number of scientificpublications and researchers,• 4th in R&D investment,• 4th in the number of NobelLaureates (57) in all fields.Prof Jules Hoffmann wasawarded the 2011 Prize forMedicine.• 2nd worldwide for the FieldsMedals with 11 laureates.To boost France’s research,innovation and competitiveness, the“Grand Emprunt” or Big Loan wasintroduced in 2010 to inject €11 billionand €8 billion into higher educationand research respectively. This is inaddition to the annual budget forresearch and education.Innovation & industries ofinterest to SingaporeFrance’s leading industrial sectorsare aerospace, automobiles andland transport, electronics andinfo-communication technology,chemicals and pharmaceuticals.France’s expertise in these sectorsis well represented throughcutting-edge companies based inSingapore such as Veolia, Gemalto,Bouygues, Alstom, Essilor, Thales,ST Microelectronics or Sanofi.Franco-Singaporean scientificcollaborationsFunding• ANR – A*STAR ProgramSince 2010, the Agence Nationalede la Recherche (France)and the Agency for Science,Technology and Research,A*STAR (Singapore) have beenfunding joint research projectsbetween French and Singaporeanlaboratories.• Merlion Program, annual call forjoint projectsInaugurated in 2006, the MerlionProgram is co-financed by theFrench Ministry of Foreign andEuropean Affairs, the FrenchMinistry of Higher Educationand Research and the respectiveSingaporean partner: theNational University of Singapore,Nanyang TechnologicalUniversity, SingaporeManagement University,A*STAR, Temasek Life SciencesLaboratory and the SingaporeEye Research Institute.11

European UnionExcellence in Research & InnovationThe Airbus A380 is a double-deck, wide-body,four-engine jet airliner, the largest air carrier(up to 853 passengers) manufactured by theEuropean corporation Airbus, a subsidiary ofEADSJoint laboratories• Sondra, a Franco-Singaporeanlaboratory in DefenseTechnology based in Francehttp://www.supelec.fr/sondra/SONDRA was created in 2004,involving Supelec (The French“Grande école” forerunner inthe information, energy andsystems sciences), Singapore’sDSTA, France’s Aerospace Lab(ONERA) and NUS. They joinforces to carry out non-classifiedresearch in Signal processing andElectromagnetism for defenseradar applications.• IPAL, the firstFrench-Singaporean jointlaboratory for Image &Pervasive Accesshttp://ipal.i2r.a-star.edu.sg/In 2006, IPAL (Image &Pervasive Access Lab) becamethe first CNRS UMI (CNRSInternational Mixed researchUnit) in Singapore. The UMIagreement was signed betweenCNRS, I 2 R - A*STAR, NUS and theUniversity Joseph Fourier. SinceFebruary 2011, two new partnershave joined IPAL: the renownedUniversity Pierre and Marie Curieand the Institut Telecom.Capitalising the IPAL experienceon natural and medicalimage / information access,IPAL focuses its researcharound two main axes: MedicalImage Understanding andPervasive Access and WellbeingManagement.• The first InternationalAssociated Laboratory (LIA) oninfectious diseasesIn May 2009, a LIA called“Laboratory of Immunologyagainst Malaria” was set up toadvance in the fight against thedisease. The partnership wasconsolidated between SIgN atA*STAR, and a joint researchunit from INSERM (Health andMedical Research NationalInstitute) and the UniversityPierre and Marie Curie (UPMC,Paris 6 University).The research focuses on theidentification and validationof immune protection againstmalaria.• CINTRA for Nanophotonicsthrough public-private joint Labhttp://cintra.ntu.edu.sg/Pages/default.aspxIn 2009, the CNRS, Singapore’sNTU and Thales Groupestablished a joint internationalresearch unit called CINTRA(CNRS International-NTU-ThalesResearch Alliance). Thesethree highly inter-connectedpartners focus their researchon nanocomponents and newcircuit architectures. This is doneto meet future requirementsin the field of communications,computing and sensors(electronics, biological andmedical applications, etc).• CAFS on mechanobiologyIn 2011, a joint laboratory titledCell Adhesion France-Singapore(LIA CAFS) was created tofacilitate bilateral collaborationsin mechanobiology, optics,modeling, surface chemistryand micro / nano fabrication.Partners of this laboratory arethe Mechanobiology Institutelocated at NUS, National Centrefor Scientific Research (CNRS),ParisTech Industrial Physics andChemistry Higher EducationalInstitution (ESPCI), Paris DiderotUniversity and Bordeaux 2Segalen University.• FSQL on quantum technologiesThe France-Singapore QuantumPhysics and InformationLaboratory (LIA FSQL) wasinaugurated in 2011 and willenhance collaboration betweenthe Centre for QuantumTechnologies and researchcentres affiliated with CNRS. Theother French partners involvedare Nice Sophia AntipolisUniversity, Pierre and MarieCurie University, École NormaleSupérieure, Paris-Sud University,Institut d’Optique GraduateSchool and Paris DiderotUniversity.Embassy of France - http://science.ambafrance-sg.org/sciencetech-platform/Merlion Program - http://science.ambafrance-sg.org/sciencetech-platform/merlion/National Agency for Research (ANR) - http://www.agence-nationale-recherche.fr/en/project-based-funding-to-advance-french-research/National Centre for Scientific Research (CNRS) - http://www.cnrs.fr/index.phpCEA - http://www.cea.fr/english_portalMinistère de l’Enseignement supérieur et de la Recherche - http://www.enseignementsup-recherche.gouv.fr/12

European UnionExcellence in Research & InnovationGermanyGermany and Singapore –Excellence in Research and DevelopmentLike in Singapore, research and development (R&D) are the cornerstonesof the future of the German economy. Generous public funding programscontribute to the excellent conditions allowing universities, researchinstitutions and companies from all over the world to cooperate withtheir German partners and carry out their R&D in Germany.The public and private sectors havemade a significant commitmentto spend around three percentof national GDP per year on R&Dactivity (today 2.8% of GDP). Thisamounts to approximately €70 billionR&D spending annually.Research in Germany -Land of IdeasA strong research communityis characterised by its globalcompetitiveness and internationalattractiveness. In the age ofglobalization, research and educationwould be unthinkable withoutinternational cooperation. Hence,networking in these areas withpartners worldwide is of utmostimportance to Germany as a keybusiness location. On behalf of theFederal Ministry of Education andResearch, its International Bureausupports German universities,research institutions and companiesin the development of internationalcontacts and networks.It is also the first contact point forSingaporean based researchers,universities, institutions andcompanies to establish links withthe German research landscape.High Tech StrategieThe High-Tech Strategy, which waslaunched in August 2006, was thefirst national concept to rally the keystakeholders involved in innovationaround a common idea. In 2010Germany decided to continuealong this successful path. The newHigh-Tech Strategy 2020 ensures thecontinuity of the overall approachand, at the same time, sets newpriorities.The aim of the High-Tech Strategy(HTS) is to create lead markets,intensify cooperation betweenscience and industry, and continueto improve the general conditions forinnovation.Germany pursuits the goal ofbecoming the leading provider ofscience- and technology-basedsolutions in the areas of climate /energy, health / nutrition, mobility,security, and communication.The HTS focuses on these areaspartnering in internationalcooperations.Singapore’s strategic R&D areassuch as biomedical sciences,environmental and watertechnologies for clean water andenergy as well as interactive anddigital media cover the same fieldsas Germany’s HTS.Top Level University ResearchGermany’s R&D landscape ischaracterised by a close cooperationbetween science and economy.It is based on the dense anddecentralised network of morethan 400 universities and technicalcolleges.13

European UnionExcellence in Research & InnovationThe private industry uses thesevaluable opportunities forcooperation and the access channelsto fundamental and applied researchat the universities. The findingsof the work performed there areeffectively used for industrialimplementation. Scientists can easilybe integrated into the corporateteams of developers and researchers.In addition, laboratory equipment isincreasingly made available by theinstitutes.Renowned Research InstitutesIn a worldwide comparison, Germanyholds a unique position thanks toresearch communities outside theuniversities.The application-orientedresearch communities,Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft andLeibniz-Gemeinschaft, provide mainlysmall and medium-sized companieswith access to top research.Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft invests € 1.6billion of research money in its morethan 80 facilities and over 17,000employees. A major part of the fundsis generated by contractual researchin collaboration with the industry.Leibniz-Gemeinschaft’s networkcomprises 83 institutes and almost14,000 employees.And the most renowned institutes forfundamental research in the worldare located in Germany as well.Max-Planck-Gesellschaft andHelmholtz-Gemeinschaft enablecompanies to outsource costlyfundamental research, thusreducing the risk associated with thedevelopment of new products anddecreasing R&D expenditure.German-Singaporean MobilityProgrammeThe Federal Ministry for Educationand Research is planning withSingaporean partners to create andto strengthen existing scientificcooperation between Germany andSingapore. The programme from2012 onwards will promote thefurther development of existingcooperation and support individualscientists and institutions inidentifying new research partnersand initiating new projects aswell as support activities whichserve as a preparation for acomprehensive application forGerman and Singaporean nationalfunding programmes or the fundingprogrammes of the European Union(EU).Existing German-SingaporeancooperationsApart from over 50 Germanuniversities collaborating withuniversities, polytechnics andinstitutions in Singapore, somecooperations have gone a stepfurther, to name but a few:The newly established FraunhoferIDM Centre @ NTU is a projectcentre for Interactive Digital Media(IDM) operated jointly by NanyangTechnological University (NTU)and the Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft.Facilitated by the multi-agencyInteractive Digital Media R&DProgramme Office at MediaDevelopment Authority (MDA) andfunded by the National ResearchFoundation, the centre fostersinternational research activitiesthrough its network of partneruniversities.Technical University Munich (TUM)has etablished itself in Singaporesince 2002. 2010 TUM joined theNRF funded CREATE programmewith a comprehensive CREATEproject electro mobility – E-mobilityfor tropical megacities. In the jointcentre with NTU 40 faculty staff andover 80 PhD students are workingon sustainable solutions for urbanmobility in the future.National University ofSingapore and the Federal StateBaden-Württemberg are jointlyorganising since 2007 JointScientific Conferences In LifeSciences. With its fourth editionrecently held in November 2011 at theUniversity of Freiburg. Again a fineexample for a steady and sustainablecooperation in a research area inwhich both Singapore and Germanyhave defined their priorities.Federal Ministry of Research and Education (BMBF) - www.bmbf.de/en/Ministry.phpInternational Bureau of the BMBF – International Funding Schemes - www.internationales-buero.de/en/Research in Germany – Gateway to the German R&D landscape - www.research-in-germany.de/Germany Trade & Invest – R&D contact for companies - www.gtai.com/homepage/Hightech Strategy for Germany – Ideas, Innovation, Prosperity - www.hightech-strategie.de/en/index.phpExcellence Initiative – Top Level Universities - www.dfg.de/en/research_funding/programmes/excellence_initiative/index.htmlEmbassy of the Federal Republic of Germany Singapore - www.singapore.diplo.de14

European UnionExcellence in Research & InnovationIrelandSingapore and Ireland – Innovation IslandsIreland is famous for its literary giants but it has also produced manyworld renowned scientists and engineers. Their contributions havelaid the foundations for modern chemistry, nuclear energy, computergraphics and even Internet search engines.Applied Optics GroupImmunology Group, Trinity College DublinToday, thanks to strategicinvestment, Irish science is stillshaping our view of the world— continuing a tradition thatstretches back thousands of yearsto the construction of the oldestastronomically orientated structurein the world, the 5,000 year oldpassage tomb at Newgrange. Theconstruction of this UNESCO WorldHeritage Site is an early example ofIrish interest in connecting with theworld around us.The Irish Government believes thatbiotechnology, information andcommunications technology andsustainable and energy-efficienttechnology represent the engines offuture growth in the global economy.€8.2 billion in Government spendingis committed to research in theseareas and R&D is a central tenet ofthe Government’s framework forsustainable economic recovery.An agency, Science FoundationIreland (SFI), has been established toadminister this funding and facilitatethe increasing connections betweenacademic research and industry.Today, over 82,761 people areemployed in companies linkedwith SFI researchers. Moreover,they generate in excess of €73billion in exports. A total of 4,978peer reviewed publications werepublished in 2010 by SFI-fundedresearchers and SFI Researchersare collaborating with companies in29 countries. There are 1,700 activeinternational academic collaborationsand SFI research partners are basedin 58 countries around the globe,including Singapore.Examples of Current Irish &Singaporean Cooperation inResearch & Development:• Regenerative MedicineInstitute (REMEDI)Based in the National Universityof Ireland, Galway campus, thevision underlying the creationof the Regenerative MedicineInstitute (REMEDI) is theestablishment of a world-classresearch institute as a significantcontributor to the way in whichmedicine in the future will beconceptualised, developed, anddelivered. Regenerative medicine,by unlocking the secrets of howthe body repairs and regeneratesitself at the cellular level, willreplace the current paradigm ofconventional medical practice.This work will lead to innovativetherapeutic strategies applied toa variety of human diseases usingminimally invasive approaches.This institute is operated inpartnership with the SingaporeStem Cell Consortium andindustry partners includingMedtronic, Creganna / Tactyx,Proxy Biomedical, ZielBiopharma, EnBio, Ovagen,Smith and Nephew and ProCureLaboratories.15

European UnionExcellence in Research & Innovation• Network of Excellence forFunctional Biomaterials (NFB)NFB has established stronglinks with the Tissue ModulationLaboratory (TML), NationalUniversity of Singapore, headedby Prof Michael Raghunath.NFB and TML are developingmeans to match the in vitromicroenvironment of culturedcells to the native tissuemicroenvironment from whichthe cells were derived from.This approach will enable usovercome current bottlenecksin ex vivo tissue cell culture andfacilitate wide acceptance andclinical translation of cell-basedtherapies. To-date, NFB andTML are collaborating in threeprojects. More projects are alsounder development.• Professor Alan Colman, ExecutiveDirector of the A*Star Stem CellProgramme in SingaporeProfessor Colman was fundedby the National University ofIreland, Galway to enable inducedpluripotent stem cells (iPS)technology to be establishedin Galway. This included thetraining of personnel at his lab inSingapore and the identificationof a suitable candidate forthe position of Chair in StemCell Biology at Galway. Theappointment to this positionof Dr Sanbing Shen will nowaccelerate the development ofthe IPS programme.Science Foundation IrelandCurrent ProgrammesAs part of its international strategy,SFI has identified Singapore as oneof the countries which will be givenpriority to competitive applicationsunder three current SFI funding calls.These are:E.T.S. Walton Visitor AwardsProgrammeThe E.T.S. Walton Visitor Awardsprogramme (named after the CountyWaterford-born recipient of the1951 Nobel Prize in Physics) enablesinternational academic and industrialresearchers to visit and collaboratewith Irish research groups. Theprogramme involves bringinghigh-calibre international individualsto Ireland to work with researchersin Ireland to carry out researchfor a fixed period of time. E.T.S.Walton Visitor Awards are offeredon a worldwide competitive basis.Prominent international researchersfrom academia and industry maybe nominated by a public researchbody in the Republic of Ireland.Applications may be submitted forresearch stays of between three andtwelve continuous months.SFI Short Term TravelFellowship SupplementThe Short Term Travel Fellowship(STTF) is designed to enableIrish-based researchers tocollaborate on research projects inacademic and industrial laboratoriesoutside the Republic of Ireland fora period of 1 month minimum to amaximum of 6 calendar months.STTF 2011 is available to SFI awardholders and team members workingin currently active SFI awards.Applications are also accepted fromteam members and lead-PIs fromnon-SFI awards subject to certainconditions.SFI Incoming Short Term TravelFellowshipSFI are now pleased to announcethe launch of the “Incoming – STTF”programme. The Incoming-STTFprogramme will enable currentlyactive SFI funded researchers toapply for a travel fund to host ateam member from an internationalacademic or industrial laboratoryfor a period of up to 6 months inIreland. The programme will facilitatecollaborations with world-classcentres of research excellence andraise international awareness andrecognition of Irish science andhigh-quality research.Dublin – City of Science 2012In 2012, Dublin will be the EuropeanCity of Science and will host theEuroscience Open Forum from 12to 16 July 2012. The five-day ESPFevent showcases science and looksto share it with the widest possibleaudience. It is hoped that 8,000Irish and international delegates willtake part and engage with 50,000local participants in the outreachactivities.For more details, please see the website of the Chief Scientific Adviser to the Irish Government:Website: www.chiefscientificadviser.ie or email info@chiefscienticfadviser.ieFor more details on SFI programmes and other funding calls, please visit http://www.sfi.ie/funding/funding-overview/16

European UnionExcellence in Research & InnovationPolandLarge market of opportunities in Research& DevelopmentThe potential of the Polish research and development (R&D)sector is substantial, mainly due to highly-developed specialistpersonnel. It is expected than in several years there will be anincreased interest in opening R&D centres, similar to the ones whichhappened in the BPO sector. BPO centres are currently generatingover 40,000 jobs, and there are over 300 of them.Warsaw, Copernicus Science Centre,Photo: Mariusz Cieszewski / www.fotcom.bizWarsaw, Copernicus Science Centre,Photo: Mariusz Cieszewski / www.fotcom.bizCopernicus Science Centre is a sciencemuseum in Warsaw. It contains over 450interactive exhibits that enable visitors tosingle-handedly carry out experiments anddiscover the laws of science for themselves.It is one of the most advanced institutionsof its type in Europe.It is hard not to mention thenecessity for commercialisingresearch results and thecooperation of the entire sectorwith entrepreneurs. The largestcompanies in the world have alreadystarted opening R&D centres inPoland, benefitting from the firstmover advantage, taking advantageof the availability of the bestpersonnel and cooperating withexisting R&D units.Excellent Human ResourcesThe capabilities of the Polish marketare proven by the potential of itshuman resources – the currentnumber of students is 1.9 millionpeople (on 458 higher educationinstitutes), over 420 thousandgraduates a year, and already 120thousand people working in the R&Dsector. This potential is confirmedby the successes achieved by Polishstudents in such competitions asThe Imagine Cup, Code Jam andthe Central European ProgrammingContest. 717 enterprises andinnovation centres have beenidentified in Poland, many of themrelated to training and consulting.Active Private SectorAccording to the latest data from theCentral Statistical Office, there were1,157 entities conducting researchand development activity in Poland,of which 697 were enterprises.Research and Development activityis becoming increasingly financedby the private sector. Interest amongglobal actors is also growing. Thefollowing companies have alreadyinvested in centres in Poland:Google, Siemens, Motorola, DelphiAutomotive, Nokia-Siemens, 3M,Intel, Motorola, Samsung, IBM,Oracle, Maersk, Philips, Accenture,HP, VolvoAVIO Group, AircfratEngines Aerospace and many others.The research activity conducted byinternational concerns proves thegrowing attractiveness of Poland.Still, these are figures definitelybelow its abilities. It is related tothe ease of finding the appropriatenumber of well-educated researchstuff. Companies are most willing toopen research centres operating inthe fields of IT, telecommunicationsand electronics. There are hugedevelopment opportunities in theareas of medicine and biotechnology.Due to historical industry trends andthe developed scientific facilities, themost attractive sectors for R&D workin Poland are aviation, automotive,electronics, telecommunications, IT,biotechnology, biochemistry, medicaland pharmaceutical engineering,construction, robotics andnanotechnology.Where to startIn the last few years, there has beena boom in science and technologyparks, in which a growing numberof innovative companies are17

European UnionExcellence in Research & Innovationbeing established. The parks are aconvenient place for cooperationwith universities. Polish and foreigncompanies are more and more willingto use this opportunity. In years tocome the rapid development of theresearch and development sectoris likely to occur, in particular in theelectronic and information industry.The National Science Centre (NCN)is a government executive agencyset up to fund basic research andsupervised by The Minister ofScience and Higher Education. Onepriority of the Centre is to supportand develop the scientific careersof doctoral as well as pre-doctoralresearchers. The Centre has devotedat least 20% of its budget towardsfunding research from this group ofscientists.The National Centre for Research andDevelopment (NCBiR) main task isto manage and implement strategicscientific research and developmentprogrammes, that translate directlyinto innovation development. Thetasks of NCBiR include supportfor commercialisation and otherforms of transferring the scientificresearch results to the economy,ensuring solid conditions forscientists development, particularlythe participation of young scientistsin research programmes andimplementation of internationalscientists mobility programmes. TheCentre is financed from the statebudget and the European Unionfunds.Why choose Poland as theplace for investment in the R&Dsector?If you are looking for the right placeto base your research projects,Poland is definitely a right choice. Itsadvantages make it a perfect partnerfor Singapore based institutionsand researchers. Polish Science andTechnology sector is distinguishedby:• Stable economic growth andsecurity of research;• High potential for employment– a large number of students onvarious majors;• Competitive advantage in skillsversus remuneration;• A large number of existing R&Dunits;• Science and technology parksfacilitating the establishmentand conducting of business andresearch activities;• A large number of opportunitiesfor obtaining technologicalsupport from various sourcesfor investments in fixed assets,and training;• Research centres not only in thelargest cities, but also in smallertowns;• Low barriers to entry, highsupport from local authorities;• Scientific successes of scientistsand students;• A large internal market andopportunities to cooperate withlocal companies and universities;• Examples of R&D centres ofcompanies such as ABB, Google,Microsoft, Unilever;• A comprehensive range of activerecreation and relaxation afterhard work.Poland and Singapore – greatprospect aheadIn 2011 Poland’s Ministry of Scienceand Higher Education (MSHE) andSingapore’s Agency for Science,Technology and Research (A*STAR)signed a 2nd Memorandum ofUnderstanding on Science andTechnological Cooperation. Newagreement lets both sides furthertheir research and technologicaldevelopment objectives and continuecurrent cooperation. The partiesintend to carry out collaborationthrough exchange of scientificand technical information as wellas collaborative research projectschosen within joint grant calls forproposals. Upon the agreementlast Polish-Singaporean callfor proposals’ area is linked todisruptive technologies and securityin cyberspace. In 2006 eight (8)projects have been awarded inMaterials, Chemicals and IntelligentSystems and in 2007 ten (10)projects have been awarded inInformation Technologies andEnergy.There are also agreements betweenSingapore’s National Universityof Singapore (NUS), SingaporeManagement University (SMU) andPolish universities: Warsaw Universityof Technology, Warsaw School ofEconomics, Cracow University ofTechnology, AGH University ofScience and Technology, JagiellonianUniversity in Cracow, KozminskiUniversity.The Embassy of the Republic of Poland in Singapore - www.singapore.polemb.netThe National Centre for Science - www.ncn.gov.plThe National Centre for Research and Development - http://en.ncbir.plPolish Information and Foreign Investment Agency - www.paiz.gov.pl/Text based on publication “The R&D sector in Poland” prepared by Lukasz Lesniewski, PAliIZ S. A.18

European UnionExcellence in Research & InnovationSwedenInventing tomorrow’s world!Sweden has been one of the countries investing the largestpercentage of its Gross Domestic Product (GDP) in Research andDevelopment (R&D) over the last decade. On average Swedish R&Dexpenditure totals about 3.6% of GDP, keeping Sweden toppedranked among the OECD countries.Many of the world’s importantinventions originate in Sweden,and the rapid pace of innovationshows no sign of slowing down.The Swedish government continueto invest more than ever inresearch and bright ideas.Alfred NobelPhoto: Ola Ericson/imagebank.sweden.seThe Nobel PrizeThe Nobel Prizes were a bequest from theSwedish scientist, inventor, entrepreneurand pacifist Alfred Nobel, to honour thosewho “have conferred the greatest benefiton mankind”. The prizes have been awardedevery year since 1901 for achievements inphysics, chemistry, physiology or medicine,literature and peace. In 1968, the Bank ofSweden instituted the Prize in EconomicSciences in Memory of Alfred Nobel. Moreinformation about the Nobel Prize, www.nobelprize.org.Some famous Swedish innovators- Sven Wingqvist invented themulti-row self aligning radial ballbearing in 1907. The same year SKF(Svenska Kullagerfabriken) wasestablished.- Nils Bohlin invented the three-pointseat belt which was introduced byVolvo in 1959. His invention pavedway for Autoliv, leading developer,manufacturer and supplier ofautomotive safety systems.- Niklas Zennström is a Swedishentrepreneur, co-founder of Skype.Sweden’s science infrastructureis world-class. High investmentin higher education and basicresearch has propelled Sweden toa prime position among Europeaneconomies in terms of universityenrolment, workforce skills andR&D. Synergies generated by theclose connection between Swedishuniversities, research institutes andthe private sector further leveragethe R&D output. R&D conducted bymultinationals in Sweden exceedsthe volume of publicly financedR&D three-fold.Sweden has an impressive trackrecord as a leading supplier ofinnovative solutions and productsin a wide rage of industry sectorson a global scale. The pacemaker,the safety match, the adjustablewrench, the zipper and theTetra Pak carton are just someexamples of Swedish inventions,being products of a long historyof scientific research anddevelopment.Uppsala Berzelii CenterPhoto: Melker Dahlstrand/imagebank.sweden.seBiotechnologySweden has a strong standingin biotechnology research, andpharmaceuticals are one of thecountry’s main exports. Swedishmedical innovations include theasthma medicines Bricanyl andPulmicort; the growth hormoneGenotropin; and the stomachulcer drug Losec. Research isnot confined to giants such asAstraZeneca and Pharmacia /Pfizer, many smaller biotechnologycompanies conduct internationallyrenowned research. Rapidlygrowing markets include medicaldevices such as, orthopaedicimplants, dialysis equipment,heart-lung machines and ECGequipment.Other prioritised research areasin Sweden are natural sciencesand technology, environment andclimate.19

European UnionExcellence in Research & InnovationBall-bearingPhoto: Sofia Sabel/imagebank.sweden.seAcademically, Sweden is known for itsinnovative approach, attracting manyinternational studentsPhoto: Ulf Lundin/imagebank.sweden.seSweden - an innovative countrySweden is the 2nd most innovative countryin the world, according to the GlobalInnovation Index 2011 published by Inseadin Paris.Singapore – SwedenResearch CooperationTo further promote exchanges inthe fields of education, researchand innovation between Singaporeand Sweden, a Memorandum ofUnderstanding (MOU) was signedon 18 October 2010.The MOU builds upon existingeducation and research linksbetween the two countries. TheNational University of Singapore(NUS), Nanyang TechnologicalUniversity (NTU) and SingaporeManagement University (SMU)have signed MOUs, academic andresearch collaboration agreementsand student exchange agreementswith more than a dozen Swedishinstitutions. Swedish Universitieshave collaborated with NUSand NTU to launch several jointdegree programmes. Both NUSand NTU currently offer jointPhD degrees with KarolinskaInstitutet (KI). Bilateral studentexchanges are extensive and some300 Singaporeans go to study inSweden every year.Research linkages betweenSingapore and Sweden arestrong. For example, a consortiumconsisting of KI, NUS and A*STAR’sGenome Institute of Singaporeis working on a Breast CancerResearch Programme. A*STAR alsohas graduate training tie-ups withSwedish institutes.A network of distinguished Swedishresearchers are conductingresearch in various universities inSingapore. The Swedish ProfessorBertil Andersson has the honourof being the President of NTU.The President of KI, ProfessorHarriet Wallberg-Henriksson,sits on the Singapore BiomedicalScience Executive Committee’sInternational Advisory Council.As science and innovation plays akey role in tackling challenges thatface us on a global and nationallevel, it is a high priority for Swedento engage with other governmentsto further research in prioritisesareas.Sweden – a hive of creativitySweden was ranked in top out of 82countries on their creativity, in the GlobalCreativity Index 2010 by Martin ProsperityInstitute. The Global Creativity Indexis based on three human factors: Howtechnologically savvy are they? Howcapable is their workforce? How open arethey to new ideas?Sweden.se - The official gateway to Sweden - www.sweden.se/eng/Nationwide Swedish research website - www.forskning.seThe Swedish Research Council - www.vr.seThe Swedish Foundation for Strategic Research - www.stratresearch.se/en/The Swedish Agency for Economic and Regional Growth - www.growthanalysis.se/en/Official website of the Nobel Foundation - www.nobelprize.org/The Swedish Space Corporation - www.ssc.seEuraxess - Researchers in Motion - www.euraxess.se/Embassy of Sweden, Singapore - www.swedenabroad.com/singapore20

European UnionExcellence in Research & InnovationSwitzerlandA global top player inResearch and DevelopmentSwitzerland is facing the same constraints as Singapore in terms ofnatural resources. Therefore Research and Development are key driversof the presently most competitive economy worldwide (WEF, 2011).“Science, technology and innovation are the real driving forces behind our modern economies.Open economies depend to a large extent on the translation of scientific discoveries into viablecommercial propositions. This is what ultimately determines the pace of economic and societalchange. And that in turn is what creates wealth. Switzerland is all the more dependent of thiskind of virtuous circle since it has no natural resources.”- Pascal Couchepin, former Federal Councilor for Economic AffairsThe Swiss Pavillon at the SingaporeInternational Water Week (SIWW) 2011If we compare Switzerland’s ScientificPublication index, i.e. the number ofscientific papers published in proportion ofthe country’s total population, Switzerlandis ahead of all other countries. The sameholds true in terms of the number of patentsfiled.The Swiss National Science Foundationis the most important instrument ofthe Confederation for the promotion ofresearch and the development of a newgeneration of scientists. Scientific researchat Swiss tertiary education institutionsand independent research institutes aresupported by the Foundation.The CTI is the Swiss Confederation’sinnovation promotion agency. For morethan 60 years it has supported thetransfer of knowledge and technologybetween businesses and universities.The CTI promotes the development andapplication of new technologies; its toolscan also be used by small and medium-sizedenterprises.Switzerland offers a very dynamic,conducive as well as competitiveeducation and research landscape,as testified by 27 Nobel Prize winnersfrom 1901 to 2002. The first SwissUniversity was founded in 1460 inBasel and today the country offersoutstanding higher education intwo Swiss Federal Institutes ofTechnology (ETH Zurich and EPFL),ten cantonal Universities and eightUniversities of Applied Sciences. TheETH Zurich ranks on the 15th positionworldwide (Times Higher EducationWorld University Ranking 2011).Additional Swiss Federal Institutesare famous around the world fortheir excellence. As an example,the Paul Scherer Institute (PSI) is amulti-disciplinary research centrefor natural sciences and technology,active in solid state physics, materialsciences, elementary particle physics,life sciences, nuclear and non-nuclearenergy research as well asenergy-related ecology.Competitive public funding is ensuredby two main research fundingagencies in Switzerland: the “SwissNational Science Foundation”(SNSF) and the “Commission forTechnology and Innovation” (CTI).Indeed, research activities conductedin Switzerland play a major part inthe most relevant internationalresearch programs, including theEuropean Research FrameworkProgrammes. Today, the Swisscompetences and skills in education,science and technology arerecognised internationally.Switzerland ranks among thetop investors in R&D, with theprivate sector ensuring two thirdsof the 3% of GDP invested. In thecurrent challenging environment,the Research and Developmentbudgets may be under pressureand adaptability as well asproductivity needs to be increased.This is achieved through strongcollaborative international networkswhich foster unique innovations.The Innovation Union Scoreboard(IUS) 2010 from the EU CommissionEnterprise and Industry ranksSwitzerland as the overall innovationleader. This is reflected by patentrevenues and patent applications insocietal challenges, as well as otherindicators including public-privatescientific co-publications and numberof PhD graduates per capita.21

European UnionExcellence in Research & InnovationIn Singapore, academic connectionsbetween Switzerland, Singapore and theregion are nurtured since 2004 by swissnexSingapore, a platform of the Embassy ofSwitzerland focusing on science, education,art and innovation. The swissnex networkcomprises platforms in Boston, SanFrancisco, Shanghai and Bangalore.Switzerland offers a HighlyCompetitive EconomyRanking no 1 on the World EconomicForum (WEF) – Global CompetitivenessReport (2011-2012).Excellent Conditions for InnovationSwitzerland is no 1 on the INSEAD / WIPOGlobal Innovation Index Report 2011 withSingapore ranking no 3, thanks to itsoutstanding scientific reputation, dynamichigh-tech sector, first-rate Universities andstrong protection of intellectual property.The Planet Solar boat: an internationaladventure conveying the message of GreenTechnology, the Swiss way (in Singapore inSeptember 2011)Outstanding performance andwell-trained, reliable employees,as well as the concentration ofhigh-quality niche products andservices are at the heart of theSwiss economy. The key areas forSwiss exports are high-technologydriven and include pharmaceuticals,biotechnology, micro andnanotechnology, environmentaltechnologies, as well as finance,design, luxury and hospitality.In Singapore, Swiss academicpresence is growing strong withthe Singapore ETH Center(SEC) for Global EnvironmentalSustainability and its Future CitiesLaboratory, joining other prestigiousinstitutions including among othersthe MIT (Massachusetts Institute ofTechnology), Technische UniversitätMünchen and Technion (IsraelInstitute of Technology), hosted bythe Singapore National ResearchFoundation at CREATE (Campusfor Research Excellence AndTechnological Enterprise).The Eccerobot, a soft robotics approach tounderstand human intelligence from theArtificial Intelligence Laboratory of theUniversity of Zurich (in Singapore in April2011)The first International SECConference was held in September2011 at the Nanyang TechnologicalUniversity. This was a great platformfor leaders of the SEC researchmodules and their PhD students toexchange with local and internationalpartners the latest achievements ofthe Future Cities Laboratory.The Canton of Vaud has mandateda representative based at swissnexSingapore to foster academiccollaborations between itsinstitutions of higher learning andthe Singapore counterparts in nichedomains such as Music, Health Care,Public Administration and Teacher’sEducation.The University of St. Gallen, rankedfirst worldwide by the FinancialTimes for its Master in ManagementProgram, is also well representedin Singapore and is presentlystrengthening its activities in the CityState with the official opening of theSt. Gallen Institute of Management inAsia. The Institute will play the role ofa hub welcoming alumni, researchers,and undergraduate, PhD, as well asexecutive students.Want to find out more?State Secretariat for Education and Research (SER) - http://www.sbf.admin.ch/swissnex Singapore - http://www.swissnexsingapore.orgFuture Cities Laboratory - http://www.futurecities.ethz.ch22

European UnionExcellence in Research & InnovationThe NetherlandsSingapore and The Netherlands:knowledge-based economiesThere is one key driver behind both Singapore’s and theNetherlands’ positions as global hubs & mainports – their sharedstatus as knowledge-based economies. To maintain and expandthese roles, it is logical that both countries exchange expertise.Singapore-Delft Water AllianceSingapore-Delft Water Alliance (SDWA)is a Research Centre of Excellence forWater Knowledge involving PUB, NationalUniversity of Singapore, Dutch Deltares andDelft University. SDWA research agendaadopts systemic approach to the waterproblem and addresses entire hydrologicalcycle in an interconnected fashion. Partof the SDWA, the Aquatic Science Centre(ASC) is one of its kind in Singapore as itadvocates an open research facility concept.It has several unique features including rainwater collection and in-house waste watertreatment capabilities.E-vehiclesIn 2009 the Dutch government initiated the‘Formule E-Team’, a governmental taskforcewith the task to stimulate the introductionof electric mobility at a larger scale andreduce the barriers for implementation. Theobjective for 2025 is for 1 out of every 10 carson the Dutch roads to be an electric vehicle.Besides that, the Netherlands aims to bethe European main port and internationaltest-bed for electric vehicles.Four priority sectorsIdentifying clear priorities iscrucial to the continued growthand progress of knowledge-basedeconomies. The Dutch governmenthas recently defined ten top sectors,and a fund of €500 millions will beallocated to encourage R&D andinnovation, more in particular forSME’s.Four of the top sectors have alsobeen chosen as focus areas by theSingapore government. Each sector- Water, Energy, Creative Industryand Life Sciences & Health – wascarefully selected to reflect along-term perspective. All fourcorrespond to emerging socialtrends, as well as to the questfor improved quality of life andsustainability.WaterWith about half of its surface arealess than one meter above sea level,and much of it actually below sealevel, the Netherlands has historicallybeen associated with watermanagement. The nation has anextensive range of dykes and dunesthat protects the low-lying areasfrom flooding.The high population density (493persons/m 2 ) together with aneconomy largely related to transport,navigation and ports, results inpressure on space and environmentthat has to be managed carefully.This is managed through the designof sustainable engineering and‘smart’ infrastructure for complexsettings.Water engineering is one of themost prominent sectors in the Dutcheconomy. The overall theme forthe Netherlands’ approach to thecooperation between Singapore andthe Netherlands in the water sectoris “cities, environment & climatechange”.Did you know…..?• Dutch water expertise was used in theengineering of the Marina Barrage.EnergyThe Netherlands has a strongstanding in the areas of renewableenergy and energy efficiency anda leading position in wind energyat sea, biomass processing andgreenhouse farming.The Netherlands has embraced acourageous vision: by 2050, thecountry will have a sustainable,reliable and affordable energysystem in which CO2 emissionshave been halved and 40 percentof electricity is derived fromsustainable sources. The remaining60 percent of electricity willcome from gas, nuclear fuel andmodern coal-powered plants usingCarbon Capture and Storage (CCS)technology.23

European UnionExcellence in Research & InnovationSerious gamingThe Dutch gaming industry is one of thefastest growing and most highly acclaimedin the world. The Netherlands also has oneof the most active online gaming markets inEurope. Of the top 10 game publishers, ninehave direct presence in the Netherlands.In 2011 Dutch based Ranj Serious Gamesand Singapore based NBDA Asia signed aMemorandum of Understanding (MoU). Thefinal objective is to establish a Singaporebased Serious Games unit for the production,marketing and sales of “educational gameswith a purpose”. Both parties are nowco-developing “Heartware”, a serious gamefor training retail assistants to engage betterwith their customers.Cardiovascular research collaborationFor more than five years there has been aninternational collaboration led by NTU andthe Interuniversity Cardiology Institute ofthe Netherlands (ICIN). Recently, their teamof scientists has discovered more than 10types of unique proteins which are commonlypresent in the blood of a person who recentlysuffered a stroke or heart attack. Thebreakthrough is a result of clinical samplesand data of NUH. The team will now expandtheir research to study the existence ofthese proteins, also known as bio-markers,in Singapore’s multi-racial population.Innovation and public-privatepartnerships are key to the Dutchapproach: the government, privatesector, and academia co-operateon topics such as green materials,built environment, sustainablemobility, chain efficiency, sustainableelectricity, new gas, and greenhousesas a source of energy.Did you know…..?• Dutch Philips is world industry leader in LEDlighting and responsible for the illuminationof the Singapore Flyer with a state-of-the-artLED lighting system.Creative IndustryThe Dutch creative industry iscurrently gaining considerableinternational acclaim and hasparticularly strong profiles in interiordesign, interactive digital media,(serious) gaming, fashion, andarchitecture.The strengths of Dutch design:pragmatic, open-minded, conceptual,out-of-the-box, and adhering tothe principle ‘less is more’. Dutchcreative thinking demonstrates thatcreativity can make businesses moreinnovative, attractive, competitive andprosperous.Dutch design is currently ridinga wave of success, as is Dutcharchitecture, with iconic architectRem Koolhaas at the helm. DutchTV production companies developand sell formats and programs suchas ‘Big Brother’ and ‘The Voice’around the world. The same stronginternational reputation is enjoyed byDutch game developers.Did you know…..?• Dutch architect Ben van Berkel isresponsible for the design of the newSingapore University of Technology andDesign (SUTD).Life Sciences & HealthBiomedical science is of the utmostimportance for the research agendasof the Netherlands and Singapore.Both countries are being confrontedwith a fast ageing population. Thesechanges influence the demand forcare. Furthermore the Netherlandsand Singapore have a multi-racialpopulation.Under the umbrella of the LifeSciences and Health innovationprogram the R&D in the Netherlandsfocuses on the key areas drugdevelopment, molecular diagnosticsand imaging, and biomaterials andregenerative medicine. Driven byindustry, and empowered by theMinistry of Economic Affairs, theinnovation program aims to doublethe industry’s turnover, as well as thenumber of R&D oriented companiesand products.Did you know…..?• The Dutch Life Sciences and Healthinnovation program injected €1 billion intomore than 100 separate projects over theperiod of 2008 to 2012.Netherlands Office for Science &Technology in SingaporeThe Netherlands Office ofScience and Technology inSingapore provides support to thegovernment, knowledge institutionsand business world in the quest fortechnical-scientific information andendeavours to establish internationalcontacts, exchange information andpresent initiatives for collaboration.It also promotes Dutch Science andTechnology in Singapore, presentsopportunities for Science andTechnology collaboration betweenSingapore and the Netherlands andfacilitates matchmaking.Netherlands Office for Science & Technology in SingaporeFor more information, please contact the Science & Technology Office at the Dutch Embassy - singapore@twanetwerk.nl24

European UnionExcellence in Research & InnovationUnited KingdomThe UK punches above its weight in many areas of science. With 2%of the world’s population, we produce 9% of the world’s scientificpapers, and have a citation share of 12% - second only to the US.We attract a higher share of research and development than anyother member of the G8.Among the 165 universities and higher education institutes in the UK, 3 rank in the top 10 in theworld and the best 3 universities in Europe are all British, with 5 UK institutions in the top 10 inEurope. In total, they produce more than 300,000 graduates, over 100,000 Masters graduatesand 125,000 Doctoral postgraduates each year.Science and innovation play a keyrole in promoting prosperity andimproving our quality of life, as wellas tackling the challenges facing usnationally and globally. Science andinnovation are at the heart of UKgovernment strategy for promotingsustainable economic growth andinternational collaboration is a vitalpart of this. Further, challengessuch as pandemic disease, climatechange, and food security, requireengagement with other governmentsthrough sound science.The UK is committed to maintaininga world class research baseresponsive to users and theeconomy, with sustainable andfinancially strong universities andpublic laboratories, and a strongsupply of scientists, engineers andtechnologists.There is a long history of worldleading UK science ranging fromthe development of the foundationsof physics and the first workingsteam locomotive, to the discoveryof Penicillin, the molecularstructure of DNA, the first clonedmammal and the mapping of thehuman genome. This continuesacross the breadth of science andtoday the UK is still a world leaderin key areas.Every one of the world’s toppharmaceutical companies haslinks with the UK and, as a result,the UK has created one in four ofthe world’s top 100 medicines and45 percent of all pipeline productsin Europe. The UK is a global leaderon climate change and hosts thecritical infrastructure needed todeliver scientific breakthroughsand practical solutions. Thereis substantial research inadvanced materials whichsecures competitive advantagein traditional materials as well asdriving world-class developments innewer areas such as biomaterials,nanomaterials and polymers. AndreGeim and Konstantin Novoselovwere awarded the Nobel Prizefor physics in 2010 for their workat Manchester University on thegroundbreaking experiments on thetwo-dimensional material graphene.The UK’s outstanding universitiesare at the heart of this strengthin science. Their expertise andengagement with industry drivesnot only scientific discoveries, butthousands of new inventions andpatents every year. Many of theseare created through collaborationswith industry including high-tech,small and medium sized enterprisesas well as large multinationals fromaround the world.25

European UnionExcellence in Research & InnovationAffiliates of the University of Cambridgehave won more Nobel prizes than any otherEuropean institution – since 1904, 88 havewon Nobel prizes.The UK funds a network of ScienceOfficers in British Embassies, HighCommissions and Consulatesaround the world.In Singapore, the Science andInnovation Network (SIN) teamruns the UK-Singapore Partnersin Science programme withA*STAR, NRF, local universitiesand companies. The programmewas formalised in 2005 with anagreement signed by the PrimeMinisters of the two countries.Since then, more than 7,000 peoplehave attended 35 workshops andother events. There is continuedhigh level engagement between thetwo countries and the relationshipwith Singapore forms the basis ofthe work that the SIN team doesacross Southeast Asia.Recent successes of theUK-Singapore Partners inScience programme:S$5 million Joint UK-Singaporefund to fight Infectious DiseasesTo harness the best quality sciencein tackling the global threat ofinfectious diseases, the SIN teamfacilitated a funding partnershipbetween Singapore’s A*STARand the UK’s Medical ResearchCouncil. Following a series ofinfectious disease workshops andtravel grants, SIN worked withthe organisations to earmarkS$5 million for joint research.Six initial projects have beenselected to develop treatmentsand vaccines for diseases includinggastric flu, hepatitis B, dengue andtuberculosis, which should savethousands of lives each year.UK-EU-Southeast Asia teamreceive S$12 million to tackledengueA consortium including partnersfrom the UK, Vietnam, Malaysia,and Indonesia who met at aSIN organised workshop havejoined forces with partners fromCambodia and various LatinAmerican and EU countries andsecured in principle funding ofS$12 million from the EU to carryout an integrated programme ofresearch to tackle the dengue virus.The consortium will focus on riskassessment, management andsurveillance of the disease.New cancer insights fromUK-Singapore-SwedenpartnershipThe Science & Innovation teamorganised workshop on cancer: “p53:The Next 30 Years” which has led toseveral new collaborative initiativesand the resulting partnerships haveimproved understanding of themechanisms of cancer. OneUK-Singapore-Sweden collaboration(between the University ofCambridge, A*STAR and KarolinskaInstitutet) led to an article in theprestigious journal ‘Nature’.UK-Singapore-EU projectreceives S$6 million fromEU to fight mosquito-bornediseaseA UK-led consortium formed at theSIN-organised “EU-Southeast AsiaVector Borne Diseases” workshop,was successful in securing S$6million funding under the EuropeanCommission’s FP7 programme.The four-year project, led by theUniversity of Edinburgh, withcollaboration from A*STAR’sSingapore Immunology Network, willfocus on developing treatments forChikungunya. Previously confined toAsia and Africa, the first outbreak ofthe disease hit Europe in 2007.Get in touch with us to find out more about the UK, or link up with UK researchers:Website: http://ukinsingapore.fco.gov.uk/science Telephone: 6424 4200 or 6424 4322 Email: SEAsiaSI@fco.gov.uk or Mark.Anthony@fco.gov.uk26

European UnionExcellence in Research & InnovationTHE EUROPEAN UNION501 MILLION CITIZENS27 MEMBER STATESAustria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia,Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Latvia,Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, The Netherlands, Poland, Portugal,Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, United Kingdom23 OFFICIAL LANGUAGES7 EUROPEAN UNION INSTITUTIONSEuropean Parliament, European Council, Council,European Commission, Court of Justice of the European Union,European Central Bank, Court of AuditorsONE SINGLE MARKET - 4 FREEDOMSThe free movement of people, goods, services and capitalDo you want to know more about the EU?Visit our website atwww.europe.org.sg27

European UnionExcellence in Research & InnovationEUROPEAN UNIONDelegation of the European Union to Singapore250 North Bridge Road#38-03 Raffles City TowerSingapore 179101Tel : +65 6336 7919Fax : +65 6336 3394Email : delegation-singapore@eeas.europa.euwww.europe.org.sgPRINTED IN JANUARY 201228