Institute flourishes as cooperation increases

The Sino-Singapore International Joint Research Institute has become a key engine to the innovation-driven industry and home to world-class human resources for the past five years.

The institute was jointly set up by the China-Singapore Guangzhou Knowledge City Administrative Committee, South China University of Technology, Nanyang Technological University and China-Singapore Guangzhou Knowledge City Investment and Development in 2015.

The institute has brought in more than 200 high-tech professionals, including more than 30 from Singapore.

Focusing on the key industries in Guangzhou, the institute launched six research and development platforms, namely, the life and health, new materials, artificial intelligence, new energy, pollution prevention and environmental recovery and green building and smart city.

It introduced 45 industrial projects, including 25 such projects in cooperation with South China University of Technology and Nanyang Technological University and produced a series of technological innovation achievements.

It initiated 17 projects working together with the local government, applied for 40 patents, produced 44 new products and new processes and published 88 papers.

Leveraging the experience from Singapore's practice, the institute has established an operation mechanism suitable for worldwide technology commercialization, which has melted away the worries of the IP owners.

At the same time, the institute is promoting in-depth cooperation with local enterprises, investors and investment companies.

At present, it has secured and incubated 20 enterprises and one of them was recognized as a national-level high-tech enterprise.

According to Yu Long, director of the institute, the purpose of the institute is to deepen scientific and technological cooperation between China and Singapore, to attract Singapore's high-tech achievements to China.

Yu said that as a major scientific project collaborated by the governments of China and Singapore, the research institute provides a good platform for researchers from South China University of Technology and Nanyang Technological University.

Through the application of laboratory results, it has become a representative project for scientific and technological cooperation and industrial incubation in the China-Singapore Guangzhou Knowledge City.

Yu said besides the high-tech projects, the China-Singapore Guangzhou Knowledge City can also strengthen cooperation in management and IP protection with the institute, and China can learn more from Singapore.

Chin Phei Chen, board director of Sino-Singapore Guangzhou Knowledge City Investment and Development Co Ltd, said the Guangzhou Knowledge City project has drawn on Singapore's experience in urban planning, industrial development and investment promotion.

It has also benefited from "software transfer" including talent attraction and development, intellectual property protection and application, as well as social management, which are critical for the development of knowledge-based economy.

"As for the second phase of development, we will build on the foundation laid over the last 10 years to bring in more Singapore and international elements to make Guangzhou Knowledge City a preferred place to work, live and play," Chin said.

A staff member from the Sino-Singapore International Joint Research Institute checks up a research facility at a lab.