SINGAPORE - University athletes and their supporting team of physiotherapists and doctors can look forward to a series of educational workshops during the upcoming Asean University Games (AUG) to gain more awareness about anti-doping regulations.

The workshops, which will be conducted by the Southeast Asia Regional Anti-Doping Organisation (Searado), are part of Searado's's Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) signing with the 18th AUG Organising Committee (Augoc) at Singapore Management University on Monday.

Additionally, as part of the MOU, an AUG athlete's Therapeutic Use Exemption (permission to use a prohibited substance for medical reasons) application will be reviewed by a Searado committee of medical professionals.

Should any athlete test positive for a prohibited substance, a "due process" will be adhered to, followed by a hearing conducted by a neutral Searado results management committee, according to Searado's director general Gobinathan Nair.

Searado's chairman Patrick Goh said: "This MOU provides the framework for Searado to assist the Augoc in ensuring that the Asean University Games' anti-doping programme and practices are consistent with standards contained in the 2015 World Anti-Doping Code and International Standards."

In light of recent high-profile doping incidents such as Russia's athletics doping scandal, the agreement is the first time an anti-doping MOU has been adopted for the 18th edition of the AUG.

Augoc chairman Tan Eng Liang said: "This partnership will ensure that we instill the right values in our athletes not just in sports but in life.

"There is no legal short cut or quick fix to getting ahead in sports...it is our responsibility to educate our students so that they will do the right thing in any given situation."

About 1,600 student athletes from the region will compete in 16 sports from July 10-19, in the Republic's third time hosting the event after 1986 and 1994.