Singapore's New Innovation Graduate Programme
23 August 2016
Graduates, new professionals and mid-careerists will soon be able to advance their careers, through a new graduate programme in IP and Innovation Management, leading to a Masters.
The programlaunched at the IP Week @SG 2016 today and this skill- and practice-focused programme aims to value-add to local professionals’ careers and grow a pool of industry-ready IP professionals to spur Singapore’s future innovation-driven economy. Jointly developed by the Intellectual Property Office of Singapore (IPOS) and SIM University, enrolment for the highly anticipated graduate course will commence in July 2017.
Singapore’s demand for such specialized IP skills and knowledge is anticipated to increase by 500 over the next five years, in key innovation-based industries such as robotics, healthcare, information and communications technology , and urban sustainability solution. To further support this significant growth in home-based IP skillsets and expertise, IPOS and the Singapore Workforce Development Agency (WDA) will launch an IP Professional Conversion Programme (IP PCP) in early 2017.
IP PCP is a multi-disciplinary programme aimed at equipping mid-career professionals with skills and knowledge in the areas of IP law, business and technology. Successful individuals placed on the IP PCP will be trained in job roles such as patent agents, IP managers and IP technology consultants, to better apply the skills and knowledge that they have acquired into practice.
“As the business environment becomes more competitive and dynamic, companies are leveraging innovation to stay ahead of the game. Effective management of IP helps these companies take their innovations to markets successfully, while protecting their IPRs. This programme, which we are pleased to have jointly developed with IPOS, will give them the appropriate know-how,” says Cheong Hee Kiat, president of SIM University.
“Understanding and managing IP are key to supporting research and development work. Through the IP PCP, WDA is committed to partnering IPOS and SIM University to develop a pool of competent IP professionals who will play an integral role in this transformation. WDA will continue to work closely with our partners to develop IP and innovation expertise in Singapore," says Ng Cher Pong, chief executive at WDA.
