Singapore & Korea Collaborate On Medtech Education

An extension of the A*STAR-KHIDI MOU signed last year, the SSB-Korea Innovation Partnership will focus on manpower training.

AsianScientist (May 7, 2015) – Singapore-Stanford Biodesign (SSB) and Dongguk University (DU) have signed a three-year ‘SSB-Korea Innovation Partnership’ (SKIP) agreement 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-Korea Health Industry Development Institute (KHIDI) Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) agreement signed in December 2013.

Under the SKIP program, 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 and 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 program 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 advisers to key Korean medtech stakeholders at meetings facilitated by DU.

Associate professor 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. There are currently four Korean medtech companies co-innovating here, thanks to the Center.”

“The SKIP program 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 institutionalize the training of future medtech innovators of the region.”

Professor Sung Min Kim, chair of the Department of Medical Device Industry, added on how the collaboration could benefit Korea’s young scientists:

“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 enroll in the best education program on medical technology innovation.”

Since its inception in 2010, SSB has trained 259 students and professionals in Singapore through the program’s unique biodesign methodology on medtech innovation.

———

Source: A*STAR.
Disclaimer: This article does not necessarily reflect the views of AsianScientist or its staff.

Asian Scientist Magazine is an award-winning science and technology magazine that highlights R&D news stories from Asia to a global audience. The magazine is published by Singapore-headquartered Wildtype Media Group.

Related Stories from Asian Scientist