Two NTU Singapore agreements to deepen research and talent development in China were announced today at the 16^th Joint Council for Bilateral Cooperation (JCBC) meeting, the highest-level annual forum between China and Singapore.

The first is a S$61 million (RMB300 million) funding for the Sino-Singapore International Joint Research Institute (SSIJRI) in Guangzhou, China’s hub for IT, biomedical science, and robotics.

NTU Senior Vice-President (Research), Prof Lam Khin Yong, who co-chairs the SSIJRI’s Governing Council, said the SSIJRI leverages NTU Singapore’s strength in interdisciplinary research and strong credentials in technology innovations, which has resulted in a steady flow of innovative ideas that can be translated into real-world solutions.

“The Institute’s work is aligned with the NTU Smart Campus vision of using tech-enabled solutions to support knowledge discovery and promote better learning and living experiences, and allows the University to push the frontiers of research and translate it into beneficial outcomes to better society on a wider scale,” he said.

In the second initiative, NTU will set up the NTU China (West) Entrepreneurship and Innovation Base in the Yubei District of Chongqing to develop next-generation entrepreneurs. It will leverage the University’s brand of world-class entrepreneurship education and create an innovation-driven ecosystem, while tapping on the city’s resources as a burgeoning entrepreneurship and innovation hub.

NTU Deputy President and Provost, Prof Ling San said: “Pairing the University’s broad and vibrant approach to entrepreneurship with Chongqing’s industrial advantages creates an innovation ecosystem that nurtures next-generation entrepreneurs in China. This in turn creates a conducive environment for NTU students to experience the agility of the startup companies there.”