EDB-Industrial Postgraduate Program (EDB-IPP)

The Singapore Economic Development Board (EDB) Industrial Postgraduate Programme (IPP) is an initiative by EDB to build a pool of postgraduate manpower in Singapore with critical R&D skill-sets for R&D roles in the industry through graduate training in a corporate R&D environment.

Participating companies in the industry partner with Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine (NUSMed) principal investigators to jointly scope and supervise IPP trainees graduate R&D projects. The IPP trainees work on these company-driven IPP projects while earning their PhD/MSc degree

The IPP Scheme
Eligibility of IPP Trainee
  • Be a Singapore Citizen or Singapore Permanent Resident
  • Possess a relevant Bachelor/ Master degree
  • Meets the School admission and academic requirements
  • Be an employee of the participating company
  • Not receiving concurrent funding under EDB grant schemes, or, regardless of the awarding body, any bursaries or scholarships.
Funding by EDB

EDB will provide funding support to the participating company and trainee, including the IPP trainee’s tuition fees. The support duration for each trainee is capped at 4 years per PhD, or 2 years per MSc.

Company’s Contribution
  • Supervision and hosting of IPP trainees at research facility
  • Disbursement of research grant to NUS PI for cost incurred at NUS
  • All other costs related to IPP Project and IPP trainee-incurred expenses (eg insurance, equipment, travel, conferences, publications)
NUS’ Contribution
  • Jointly scope out project of mutual interest with company
  • Thesis Advisor to ensure academic rigour
  • Research facilities

The award is governed by the following conditions:

  • The candidate must be a Singapore Citizen or Singapore Permanent Resident.
  • The candidate must meet the prevailing YLLSoM admission criteria for PhD.
  • There is no bond requirement. However, companies should have visibility of hiring the trainee as a full-time employee after the completion of the IPP project.
Application
  1. NUS PI is required to submit an application using a prescribed form (obtainable from Ms Yumi Li at yumili@nus.edu.sg) for approval by the School.
  2. If the application is approved, the NUS PI can start discussions with the company on the proposed IPP project and identify a suitable trainee for the project. The company can then proceed to send a formal application to the EDB for the IPP funding.
  3. NUS-PI should keep the University Point of Contact (POC), Ms Vivien Li (ngsllv@nus.edu.sg), Manager of NUS Graduate School and Ms Yumi Li (yumili@nus.edu.sg) at NUSMed Dean’s Office informed of the IPP application.
  4. The proposed MSc/PhD candidate must meet the School’s admission criteria for MSc/PhD and has to submit an official application online for PhD admission at the Application Procedure Page.
  5. The School will assess the candidate’s suitability for admission to the School MSc/PhD program.
  6. The main NUS thesis advisor should be a full-time staff member. An adjunct faculty member can be a co-thesis advisor.
  7. Once the IPP application is approved by the EDB and the MSc/PhD candidate is approved by the School, the NUSMed PI needs to keep the School and the University POC informed of the outcome of the IPP application. The NUS PI should then contact the Deputy President (Research and Technology) at the email address: iep-admin@nus.edu.sg to work on the draft for the NUS-Company Agreement for the approved project.
  8. After the NUS-Company Agreement has been prepared and endorsed by all parties, the NUS PI has to inform the Dean’s Office and Ms Ivy Wee at NUS Graduate School accordingly.
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