Singapore-Stanford Biodesign and South Korea’s Dongguk University sign a three-year agreement to develop talent in medical technology biodesign and innovation
Singapore — Singapore-Stanford Biodesign (SSB) and Dongguk University (DU) signed a three-year ‘SSB-Korea Innovation Partnership’ (SKIP) that aims to foster development of talent in medical technologies innovation and gain insights into the medtech ecosystem in Singapore, Korea and the region. The Collaboration Agreement is a major milestone in the A*STAR-KHIDI Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) agreement signed in December 2013.
Under the SKIP programme, SSB will conduct three Biodesign workshops for 15 Korean students from DU for three years. The Korean students will get to understand Singapore’s clinical needs challenges and be trained to become medical device innovators. In exchange, Singapore’s SSB Fellows will attend clinical immersion sessions facilitated by DU at Korean hospitals for them to identify unmet clinical needs in the South Korean healthcare system and to develop medical technologies for the country.
Apart from the talent exchange, the SKIP programme helps enrich the content taught at the SSB Innovation Class. DU will send faculty members to Singapore to provide participants with insights into the Korean medtech market and innovation landscape. In exchange, SSB faculty members will be sent to South Korea as advisor to key Korean medtech stakeholders at meetings facilitated by DU.
A/Prof TAN Sze Wee, Deputy Director, Biomedical Research Council, A*STAR said “We have seen tremendous progress since the signing of the A*STAR-KHIDI MOU slightly over a year ago. The Korean Health Industry Development Institute-A*STAR Medtech Development Centre was set up in Biopolis last year with the aim of attracting South Korean medtech companies to Singapore. There are currently four Korean medtech companies co-innovating here, thanks to the Centre. The SKIP programme focuses on the other aspect of the MOU, namely talent development. Today’s signing event strengthens the already strong Singapore-Republic of Korea partnership by cementing the ways in which SSB and Donggkuk University will institutionalise the training of future medtech innovators of the region.”
Professor Sung Min Kim, Chair of the Department of Medical Device Industry stated, “We expect Korea’s medical device industry to experience massive growth in the near future. To fuel this, we are training more manpower skilled in medtech innovation to help lead the industry on to the global stage. Today’s signing between Dongguk University and SSB is a big step in that direction by sending our brightest to Singapore to enrol in the best education programme on medical technology innovation.”
Mr. Kevin Lai, Executive Director, Biomedical Sciences and Consumer Businesses, Singapore Economic Development Board (EDB) said, “Singapore is committed to support the growing medical technology sector in the region through initiatives such as the Singapore-Stanford Biodesign (SSB) programme. The SSB programme aims to develop specialised talent for innovating and commercialising new healthcare solutions for Asia and beyond. We welcome this partnership with Dongguk, and we are confident that this will strengthen SSB’s expertise and networks to the region.”
Since its inception in 2010, SSB has trained 259 students and professionals in Singapore on the programme’s unique biodesign methodology on medtech innovation.
For media queries and clarifications, please contact:
Angeline Ng
Assistant Manager, Corporate Communications
Agency for Science, Technology and Research
Tel: +65 6419 1148
Email: angeline-ng@scei.a-star.edu.sg
Dr Ji Yean Kwon
Research Professor
Department of Medical Device Industry
Dongguk University
Tel: +82 31-961-5601
E-mail: jykwon@dongguk.edu
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