UNIVERSITIES have traditionally been strong in research, and polytechnics, in their link to industry and facilities to create prototypes from research ideas.
The National University of Singapore (NUS) and the five polytechnics here have now come together to speed up the process of turning a research idea into a commercial product.
NUS on Friday signed an agreement with Singapore, Republic, Ngee Ann, Nanyang and Temasek polytechnics to do this; it also inked a deal to work with local firm Tritech International Holdings on engineering projects.
Universities and polytechnics have been working with each other for some years now, but only on a one-on-one basis.
NUS has decided to streamline these partnerships into a larger one involving all the polytechnics, said Dr Lily Chan, the chief executive of NUS Enterprise, which promotes innovation and enterprise in the university.
Referring to polytechnics' facilities to create prototypes, which the university did not have, she said: 'This way, we don't duplicate resources,' she said.
Ngee Ann Poly's deputy principal Foo See Meng said the agreement would bring about the development of cutting edge technology by uniting would combine the university's research capabilities with the polytechnics' industrial developmental expertise.
Read the full story in Saturday's edition of The Straits Times.
