Dundee joins UK-Singapore Universities Alliance for Entrepreneurship and Innovation

The UK-Singapore Universities Alliance for Entrepreneurship and Innovation (UKSAEI) is welcoming the University of Dundee alongside top universities from across the UK and Singapore.

This is the first alliance of its kind to accelerate collaborations in entrepreneurship and innovation between the two countries. The University of Dundee is one of ten UK universities that has been invited to join the UKSAEI.

The alliance was launched on 8 April 2021, witnessed by H.E. Kara Owen, British High Commissioner to Singapore, and H.E. Lim Thuan Kuan, Singapore High Commissioner to the UK.

UKSAEI is bringing together world leading universities from the UK (Bath, Coventry, Cranfield, Dundee, Edinburgh, Glasgow, King’s College London, Newcastle, Nottingham, Manchester and Strathclyde) and Singapore (Nanyang Technological University Singapore, National University of Singapore, Singapore Institute of Technology, Singapore Management University, and Singapore University of Technology and Design) to share knowledge and facilitate collaboration in commercialisation and innovation.

Dr David McBeth, Director of Research and Innovation Services (RIS) represented the University at the launch event as signatory. He was joined by Professor Kim Dale and Anne Muir, Head of IP for the RIS.

Professor Kim Dale from the School of Life Science said, “We are absolutely delighted to have been invited to join this exciting and ambitious alliance. We have a long history of successful partnerships with a variety of institutions in Singapore, in particular NUS with whom we have a joint UG degree in Biological and Biomedical sciences. We are keen to grow on this solid foundation to expand partnership opportunities in Singapore in the areas of technology transfer and commercialization where Dundee has world renowned reputation”

Enabling knowledge exchanges on technology transfer and commercialisation, cross-border licensing of technologies, and training the next generation of entrepreneurs, the Alliance will boost efforts in accelerating ideas to market and value capture, and deepen cooperation between innovation ecosystems in the UK and Singapore.

The Alliance will aim to:

•  Facilitate, share knowledge and co-operate in the respective efforts of UK and Singapore universities in the areas of technology transfer and commercialization through active engagement with government and industry.
• Develop cross-border licensing of technologies and human capacity building as well as to support and encourage innovation.
• Act as the catalyst for commercialisation activities.
•  Actively facilitate and enable collaboration between universities, public research institutes, Government and industry players in the innovation ecosystem in Singapore and the UK to co-create value.

H.E. Kara Owen, British High Commissioner to Singapore said “Both the UK and Singapore are strongly committed to investing in R&D, innovation and enterprise, and recognise the importance of collaborating internationally in these areas to support economic growth.

“Collaboration in knowledge and education is a top priority for the SG-UK Partnership for the Future, with science and innovation at its heart.

“The Alliance builds on the extensive links between UK and Singapore universities to make a practical contribution to the role innovation and enterprise development will play in post-Covid-19 recovery. Congratulations to everyone on the launch of this Alliance.”

H.E. Lim Thuan Kuan, Singapore High Commissioner to the UK said, “I am honoured to be able to witness the launch of the UK-Singapore Universities Alliance for Entrepreneurship and Innovation.

“Since the signing of the Singapore-UK Innovation & Research Partnership Agreement in 2014, Singapore’s collaboration on research, innovation and enterprise with the UK has been growing from strength to strength.

“I welcome this ground-up initiative and the aim of the Alliance to facilitate commercialisation and innovation among our IHLs. I wish them every success. Congratulations to all involved on the launch of the Alliance.”

The Alliance is supported by the British High Commission Singapore, the UK Science and Innovation Network in Singapore, and the UK Universities in Singapore Network.