GERD of S$7.13 billion in 2008 was a 12.4% increase from the GERD of S$6.33 billion in 2007
1. The Agency for Science, Technology and Research reported in its latest National Survey of R&D, 2008, that Singapore’s gross expenditure on R&D (GERD) recorded a new high of S$7.13 billion in 2008[1]. This was 2.77% of GDP, putting the country on track to achieving our target of 3% by 2010. The figures were indicative of the intensity of R&D activities in Singapore.
2. The private sector increased its R&D spending by 20.9% year-on-year from S$4.23 billion in 2007 to S$5.12 billion in 2008[2]. Much of the private sector growth was driven by manufacturing R&D activity, particularly in the electronics sector. R&D spending by the electronics sector in 2008 was S$3.04 billion, an increase of 39.3% from S$2.18 billion in 2007.
3. Overall, GERD grew rapidly at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 11.2% from 2000 to 2008.
4. R&D manpower[3] in both the public and private sectors had also steadily increased by 2% from 27,301 in 2007 to 27,841 in 2008. The private sector was the major employer, employing 59.6% or 16,607 of all researchers in 2008. The public research institutes reported an increase of 13.5% in PhD numbers, from 1,286 PhDs in 2007 to 1,460 PhDs in 2008. From 2002 to 2008, overall R&D manpower grew at a commendable CAGR of 7.2%.
Revenue and Patenting Indicators
5. Sales revenues generated from commercialised products and processes attributed to R&D performed in Singapore have increased by 31.5% from S$16.4 billion in 2007 to S$21.5 billion in 2008. The public sector registered a 10.6% increase year-on-year in the number of primary patent applications, with 354 applications being filed in 2008 compared to 320 in 2007. The private sector made 1,227 primary patent applications in 2008 compared to 1,415 applications made in 2007.
Background
6. More than 1,000 organisations participated in the 2008 National R&D survey. They comprise private sector companies, government organisations, local institutions of higher learning and public sector research institutes. The full report can be download at A*STAR’s website at http://www.a-star.edu.sg/Portals/0/media/RnD_Survey/RnD_2008.pdf.
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About the Agency for Science, Technology and Research (A*STAR)
www.a-star.edu.sg
The Agency for Science, Technology and Research (A*STAR) is the lead agency for fostering world-class scientific research and talent for a vibrant knowledge-based and innovation-driven Singapore. A*STAR oversees 14 biomedical sciences, and physical sciences and engineering research institutes, and seven consortia & centre, which are located in Biopolis and Fusionopolis, as well as their immediate vicinity.
A*STAR supports Singapore's key economic clusters by providing intellectual, human and industrial capital to its partners in industry. It also supports extramural research in the universities, hospitals, research centres, and with other local and international partners.
[1] GERD increased by 12.4% from S$6.34 billion in 2007 to S$7.13 billion in 2008. GERD as a percentage of GDP increased from 2.52% in 2007 to 2.77% in 2008.
[2] The ratio of public sector to private sector R&D spending in 2008 is 1:2.5.
[3] All data on the number of researchers is quoted on a full-time-equivalent (FTE) basis unless it is explicitly indicated that it refers to the headcount number.
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