The writer outlines the most effective ways Singapore can attract international talent to help develop its science and technology. He believes that with more conducive environment, Singapore can take the lead among the Asian nations.
Attracting talent, especially talent in science and technology and entrepreneural talent, is Singapore's most urgent task at hand. The Singapore government recently set up two high-level committees to handle this task. One is the Technopreneur 21 Ministerial Committee （T21MC） chaired by Deputy Prime Minister Dr Tony Tan. The other is the Singapore Talent and Recruitment （Star） committee chaired by Information and the Arts Minister Brigadier-General George Yeo. It is obvious that the Singapore government regards attracting talent in science and technology as one of its most important policies.
As mentioned in my article published in the Commentary Section of the Lianhe Zaobao on December 3, Singapore is a small country, and it is insufficient to rely solely on local talent to increase production output and to push the economy forward. Therefore, there is a need to import foreign talent, especially technopreneurial talent, to help develop the economy and the industrial and commercial sectors.
However, attracting foreign talent involves heavy responsibilities and is a complex and multifaceted issue. This is so especially since Singapore is a small and young nation, unlike China and India which have hordes of overseas students who have been working in North America and Europe for a long time. Singapore thus faces an uphill task in attracting foreign talent. In the last 10 years, under the leadership of the government, we invested much effort and money in high technology and research and development （R & D）。
These investments are starting to bear fruit, especially in the area where the government has placed emphasis-the area of applied science and technology, such as bio-technology, computers and micro-electronics. This proves that the government was right in investing in these areas. These efforts were led mainly by the National Science and Technology Board.
I would like to express some of my personal views on this matter of attracting talent in science and technology.
First of all, we must create a conducive environment for scientific research. As mentioned in my previous article, Singapore should learn from Switzerland, Denmark and Sweden, where they devote much attention to applied technology as well as the tradition of scientific research. What must be emphasised here is that Switzerland, Denmark and Sweden are able to attain world-class scientific and technological achievements despite being small countries. To a certain extent, it is because they are a part of Europe. After the Renaissance and the Industrial Revolution, the developments of culture and the arts, and science and technology in Europe meshed into one. Besides having sound national policies of their own, Switzerland, Denmark and Sweden also absorbed talent from other European countries. For instance, German-born Albert Einstein was educated in Switzerland. His subsequent research into physics was nothing short of earth-shattering. Danish Nobel Prize Laureate Bohr's“Copenhagen School” also attracted the best brains in nuclear physics from all over Europe.
Singapore is an important hub in Asia and a multiracial country. How it can attract Asian talent in science and technology to do research and to live in Singapore is a very important question indeed.
We can foresee that in the 21st century, Asian scientists will play a pivotal role in the development of science and technology. Chinese and Indians form the bulk of the Asian scientists. How Singapore can attract a batch of Chinese and Indian talent in science and technology to live and work in Singapore is, to a certain extent, dependent on whether Singapore can develop into a society where different eastern cultures co-exist together. There will be more exchanges between Asian cultures in the 21st century, just like Europe in the beginning of the 20th century.
The human element is a multifarious issue. Human beings are different from a product in an assembly line. It is also not as simple as “marketing a product”。 In attracting talent, we have to consider both the material as well as the intellectual aspects. To the talented, an intellectual environment steeped in eastern cultures is a prerequisite. Intellectual life is a long-term thing. Whether or not foreign talent are willing to reside permanently in a country is usually dependent on the intellectual life and cultural milieu of that country, not merely material gain and money. This is because science and technology talent are usually people of higher education, they need to have a living environment that is rich in culture.
Singapore has a good education system and excellent students. However, due to the influence of traditional eastern education methods, the cultivation of the young is not comprehensive enough. As a result, young Singaporeans often clamour after immediate successes and short-term gains. An excellent report card alone does not mean a foundation in science education. Steeped in a rich culture and a tradition of scientific and technological excellence, Denmark and Switzerland place much importance on basic science and culture in their educational systems. They also emphasise the cultivation of independent thinking.
In this respect, Israel provides a good example. It emphasises the research of the basic sciences in its secondary schools, universities as well as its research institutes. Even in the throes of a wartime environment, the country still puts a lot of effort into developing the basic sciences, cultivating talent and creating a conducive research environment to push ahead the development of the applied sciences.
Singapore is definitely able to become the Switzerland of Asia, but it has to learn from countries like Switzerland, Denmark and Israel. It must implement a far-sighted policy in science and technology where the emphasis for short-term commercial gains is juxtaposed with a long-term commitment towards basic sciences and culture.
Besides the above-mentioned points, we must also emphasise other issues. First of all, Singapore must continue to selectively develop certain technologies. If we can focus our investments on computers, bio-technology and micro-electronics, and make Singapore a world-class research centre, it will help in attracting talent in these fields. Undoubtedly, investments in R & D are made mainly in applied technology and other economics-related fields, and this should constitute 85 per cent of all R & D work. The other 15 per cent should be allotted to research into the basic sciences.
Secondly, Singapore should continue being a cosmopolitan city with excellent infrastructure, public order and modern facilities. These are also important elements to attract foreign talent. Although Singapore is a predominantly Asian society, it should look to the whole world and seek out talent of all ethnicities to work in Singapore.
In this, Singapore enjoys a great advantage in having English as its first language. Lastly, we cannot run away from the fact that in order to attract science and technology talent, we must offer generous returns and good service so as to be able to compete with neighbours like Hong Kong and Taiwan.
Although we are currently facing the Asian economic crisis, we firmly believe that in the 21st century, Asia will be the region that leads the world in the development of science and technology. And Singapore can be like Switzerland, taking the lead among the Asian nations.
（The writer is a visiting professor at the NUS Physics Department and a member of the Singapore Chinese Newspaper Resource Panel）
新加坡應(yīng)如何吸引科技人才
作者分析我國現(xiàn)有的科研環(huán)境,以及吸引國際科技人才的辦法,并認(rèn)為我國可發(fā)揮帶頭作用,領(lǐng)導(dǎo)本區(qū)域推進(jìn)科技發(fā)展。
吸引優(yōu)秀人才,尤其是吸收科技和現(xiàn)代化企業(yè)人才,是新加坡當(dāng)前的急務(wù)。最近,新加坡政府成立了兩個(gè)高層次的委員會(huì)來負(fù)責(zé)這項(xiàng)重任。一個(gè)是陳慶炎副總理領(lǐng)導(dǎo)的21世紀(jì)科技企業(yè)委員會(huì),另一個(gè)是由新聞及藝術(shù)部長楊榮文準(zhǔn)將領(lǐng)導(dǎo)的吸引人才委員會(huì)。由此可見,新加坡政府把吸取科技人才當(dāng)成了最重要的政策之一。
正如我于12月3日登載于《聯(lián)合早報(bào)。言論》版的一篇文章中所提到的,新加坡國家小,單依靠本地培養(yǎng)的人才來提高工業(yè)生產(chǎn)、推動(dòng)經(jīng)濟(jì)發(fā)展是遠(yuǎn)遠(yuǎn)不夠的,因而要引進(jìn)外地人才。尤其是科技企業(yè)人才,來協(xié)助經(jīng)濟(jì)發(fā)展,推動(dòng)工商業(yè)。然而,人才的吸引是一件任重而道遠(yuǎn)、復(fù)雜而多層面的問題。特別是新加坡是一個(gè)年輕的小國,不像中國大陸、印度等,有著龐大的留學(xué)生隊(duì)伍長期在北美和歐洲工作。
所以說,新加坡要吸引外地的優(yōu)秀人才,是十分具挑戰(zhàn)性的工作。在過去10年里,在政府的領(lǐng)導(dǎo)指引下,我們在高科技和研究與發(fā)展方面做了許多工作,也投入了很多資金,這些政策已經(jīng)逐漸收到成效,其成果尤其反映在政府所著重發(fā)展的應(yīng)用科技如：生物技術(shù)、電腦、微電子幾方面。這證明政府在這些領(lǐng)域的投資是正確的。這些工作主要由國家科技局領(lǐng)導(dǎo)。
下面我希望談?wù)剬ξ萍既瞬诺囊恍﹤€(gè)人看法。
首先,我們必須創(chuàng)造一個(gè)良好的科研環(huán)境。新加坡應(yīng)該學(xué)習(xí)瑞士、丹麥和瑞典,在重視應(yīng)用技術(shù)的同時(shí)也重視基礎(chǔ)科學(xué)研究的傳統(tǒng)。
在此,必須強(qiáng)調(diào)的是：瑞士、丹麥和瑞典雖然是小國卻能取得的科技成果,從一定意義上說,這是因?yàn)樗麄兪菤W洲的一部分。
歐洲在文藝復(fù)興以及工業(yè)革命之后,在文化藝術(shù)以及科技的發(fā)展上融匯成一體。瑞士、丹麥和瑞典除了擁有本國健全的政策外,也吸納了其他歐洲國家的優(yōu)秀人才,例如：出生在德國的愛因斯坦,在瑞士受教育并做出驚天動(dòng)地的物理研究；丹麥籍諾貝爾獲獎(jiǎng)人波爾所成立的“哥本哈根學(xué)派”,也吸納了歐洲各國在核物理領(lǐng)域秀的人才等等。
因此,新加坡作為亞洲的一個(gè)重要中心、作為一個(gè)多元種族的新興國家,如何吸引優(yōu)秀的亞裔科技人才來新加坡進(jìn)行科研工作和定居,是一個(gè)非常重要的問題。
我們可以預(yù)見到在21世紀(jì),亞裔科學(xué)家將在世界的科技發(fā)展中扮演著更舉足輕重的角色。亞裔科學(xué)家以華族和印族為主。如何能吸引一批優(yōu)秀的華裔、印裔科技人才來新加坡工作及定居,在很大的程度上取決于新加坡能否發(fā)展成為擁有不同東方文化傳統(tǒng)的社會(huì),這個(gè)條件才是吸引人才的重要因素,21世紀(jì)的亞洲文化是會(huì)更相互交流,趨向于20世紀(jì)初的歐洲。
人的因素是一個(gè)多樣性的問題,因?yàn)槿瞬煌谏a(chǎn)過程中的某個(gè)產(chǎn)品,也不像“如何推銷產(chǎn)品”那么簡單。人才既有物質(zhì)條件的一面,也有精神生活的一面。對吸引人才來說,具有東方傳統(tǒng)的良好的精神生活環(huán)境,是一個(gè)必須的條件,精神生活是永久性的,外來的人才能否長期的定居下來,很多時(shí)候是取決于精神生活和文化環(huán)境,而不是單單依靠物質(zhì)或者金錢的因素。因?yàn)榭萍既瞬哦鄶?shù)是受高等教育的一群,他們需要有一個(gè)具有文化氣息的生活環(huán)境。
新加坡有良好的教育制度,和優(yōu)秀的學(xué)生,不過往往限于受東方傳統(tǒng)教育方法的影響,因而在培養(yǎng)年輕人的素質(zhì)不夠全面。使得年輕人往往好功近利,追求眼前利益。單是優(yōu)良的考試成績并不代表建立了科學(xué)教育的基石,有良好的文化、科技傳統(tǒng)的丹麥和瑞士,其教育制度就非常重視基礎(chǔ)科學(xué)和文化修養(yǎng),以及注意培養(yǎng)獨(dú)立的思考的能力。
這方面以色列也是一個(gè)好例子,它能重視中學(xué)和大學(xué)和研究院基礎(chǔ)科學(xué)的研究。即使在戰(zhàn)亂的環(huán)境中,仍然大力發(fā)展基礎(chǔ)科學(xué)和人才的培養(yǎng),創(chuàng)造優(yōu)良的科研究環(huán)境,從而推動(dòng)了應(yīng)用科學(xué)的發(fā)展。
新加坡肯定可以成為亞洲的瑞士,不過一定要好好地學(xué)習(xí)瑞士、丹麥、以色列等國,制定高瞻遠(yuǎn)矚的科技政策,既重視眼前的工商業(yè)利益,又有長遠(yuǎn)的對基礎(chǔ)科學(xué)文化有關(guān)的投入。
除了上述的幾點(diǎn)之外,我們也必須強(qiáng)調(diào)其他幾方面的問題：首先,新加坡必須繼續(xù)有選擇地發(fā)展一些科技項(xiàng)目,如果我們能重點(diǎn)投資如電腦、生物技術(shù)及微電子等行業(yè),使之成為世界的科研中心,必將有助吸引到這方面的一流人才。
毫無疑問,研究與發(fā)展的投資主要在于應(yīng)用技術(shù)以及與經(jīng)濟(jì)相關(guān)的領(lǐng)域,這方面也許應(yīng)占研究與發(fā)展全部投入的85%,另外的15%則應(yīng)靈活運(yùn)用到與基礎(chǔ)科學(xué)有關(guān)的研究。
其次,新加坡應(yīng)繼續(xù)發(fā)展成為國際性的都市,擁有良好的設(shè)施、治安、及現(xiàn)代化的各種條件。這些也是吸引人才的重要因素。雖然新加坡是以亞裔為主的社會(huì),但在吸引人才方面應(yīng)放眼世界,廣邀所有種族的優(yōu)秀人才來新加坡工作。以英文為第一語言是新加坡成為國際性城市的另一大優(yōu)勢。
最后,不可否認(rèn)吸引科技人才也離不開豐厚的待遇及優(yōu)良的服務(wù)條件,方能與鄰國,尤其是香港、臺(tái)灣等地區(qū)競爭。
雖然目前正值亞洲經(jīng)濟(jì)危機(jī)之際,但我堅(jiān)信,21世紀(jì)的亞洲將是領(lǐng)導(dǎo)整個(gè)世界科技發(fā)展的區(qū)域,而新加坡則可以像瑞士那樣,在亞洲起帶頭作用。
（作者為新加坡國立大學(xué)物理系客卿教授、華文報(bào)咨詢團(tuán)成員）
Attracting talent, especially talent in science and technology and entrepreneural talent, is Singapore's most urgent task at hand. The Singapore government recently set up two high-level committees to handle this task. One is the Technopreneur 21 Ministerial Committee （T21MC） chaired by Deputy Prime Minister Dr Tony Tan. The other is the Singapore Talent and Recruitment （Star） committee chaired by Information and the Arts Minister Brigadier-General George Yeo. It is obvious that the Singapore government regards attracting talent in science and technology as one of its most important policies.
As mentioned in my article published in the Commentary Section of the Lianhe Zaobao on December 3, Singapore is a small country, and it is insufficient to rely solely on local talent to increase production output and to push the economy forward. Therefore, there is a need to import foreign talent, especially technopreneurial talent, to help develop the economy and the industrial and commercial sectors.
However, attracting foreign talent involves heavy responsibilities and is a complex and multifaceted issue. This is so especially since Singapore is a small and young nation, unlike China and India which have hordes of overseas students who have been working in North America and Europe for a long time. Singapore thus faces an uphill task in attracting foreign talent. In the last 10 years, under the leadership of the government, we invested much effort and money in high technology and research and development （R & D）。
These investments are starting to bear fruit, especially in the area where the government has placed emphasis-the area of applied science and technology, such as bio-technology, computers and micro-electronics. This proves that the government was right in investing in these areas. These efforts were led mainly by the National Science and Technology Board.
I would like to express some of my personal views on this matter of attracting talent in science and technology.
First of all, we must create a conducive environment for scientific research. As mentioned in my previous article, Singapore should learn from Switzerland, Denmark and Sweden, where they devote much attention to applied technology as well as the tradition of scientific research. What must be emphasised here is that Switzerland, Denmark and Sweden are able to attain world-class scientific and technological achievements despite being small countries. To a certain extent, it is because they are a part of Europe. After the Renaissance and the Industrial Revolution, the developments of culture and the arts, and science and technology in Europe meshed into one. Besides having sound national policies of their own, Switzerland, Denmark and Sweden also absorbed talent from other European countries. For instance, German-born Albert Einstein was educated in Switzerland. His subsequent research into physics was nothing short of earth-shattering. Danish Nobel Prize Laureate Bohr's“Copenhagen School” also attracted the best brains in nuclear physics from all over Europe.
Singapore is an important hub in Asia and a multiracial country. How it can attract Asian talent in science and technology to do research and to live in Singapore is a very important question indeed.
We can foresee that in the 21st century, Asian scientists will play a pivotal role in the development of science and technology. Chinese and Indians form the bulk of the Asian scientists. How Singapore can attract a batch of Chinese and Indian talent in science and technology to live and work in Singapore is, to a certain extent, dependent on whether Singapore can develop into a society where different eastern cultures co-exist together. There will be more exchanges between Asian cultures in the 21st century, just like Europe in the beginning of the 20th century.
The human element is a multifarious issue. Human beings are different from a product in an assembly line. It is also not as simple as “marketing a product”。 In attracting talent, we have to consider both the material as well as the intellectual aspects. To the talented, an intellectual environment steeped in eastern cultures is a prerequisite. Intellectual life is a long-term thing. Whether or not foreign talent are willing to reside permanently in a country is usually dependent on the intellectual life and cultural milieu of that country, not merely material gain and money. This is because science and technology talent are usually people of higher education, they need to have a living environment that is rich in culture.
Singapore has a good education system and excellent students. However, due to the influence of traditional eastern education methods, the cultivation of the young is not comprehensive enough. As a result, young Singaporeans often clamour after immediate successes and short-term gains. An excellent report card alone does not mean a foundation in science education. Steeped in a rich culture and a tradition of scientific and technological excellence, Denmark and Switzerland place much importance on basic science and culture in their educational systems. They also emphasise the cultivation of independent thinking.
In this respect, Israel provides a good example. It emphasises the research of the basic sciences in its secondary schools, universities as well as its research institutes. Even in the throes of a wartime environment, the country still puts a lot of effort into developing the basic sciences, cultivating talent and creating a conducive research environment to push ahead the development of the applied sciences.
Singapore is definitely able to become the Switzerland of Asia, but it has to learn from countries like Switzerland, Denmark and Israel. It must implement a far-sighted policy in science and technology where the emphasis for short-term commercial gains is juxtaposed with a long-term commitment towards basic sciences and culture.
Besides the above-mentioned points, we must also emphasise other issues. First of all, Singapore must continue to selectively develop certain technologies. If we can focus our investments on computers, bio-technology and micro-electronics, and make Singapore a world-class research centre, it will help in attracting talent in these fields. Undoubtedly, investments in R & D are made mainly in applied technology and other economics-related fields, and this should constitute 85 per cent of all R & D work. The other 15 per cent should be allotted to research into the basic sciences.
Secondly, Singapore should continue being a cosmopolitan city with excellent infrastructure, public order and modern facilities. These are also important elements to attract foreign talent. Although Singapore is a predominantly Asian society, it should look to the whole world and seek out talent of all ethnicities to work in Singapore.
In this, Singapore enjoys a great advantage in having English as its first language. Lastly, we cannot run away from the fact that in order to attract science and technology talent, we must offer generous returns and good service so as to be able to compete with neighbours like Hong Kong and Taiwan.
Although we are currently facing the Asian economic crisis, we firmly believe that in the 21st century, Asia will be the region that leads the world in the development of science and technology. And Singapore can be like Switzerland, taking the lead among the Asian nations.
（The writer is a visiting professor at the NUS Physics Department and a member of the Singapore Chinese Newspaper Resource Panel）
新加坡應(yīng)如何吸引科技人才
作者分析我國現(xiàn)有的科研環(huán)境,以及吸引國際科技人才的辦法,并認(rèn)為我國可發(fā)揮帶頭作用,領(lǐng)導(dǎo)本區(qū)域推進(jìn)科技發(fā)展。
吸引優(yōu)秀人才,尤其是吸收科技和現(xiàn)代化企業(yè)人才,是新加坡當(dāng)前的急務(wù)。最近,新加坡政府成立了兩個(gè)高層次的委員會(huì)來負(fù)責(zé)這項(xiàng)重任。一個(gè)是陳慶炎副總理領(lǐng)導(dǎo)的21世紀(jì)科技企業(yè)委員會(huì),另一個(gè)是由新聞及藝術(shù)部長楊榮文準(zhǔn)將領(lǐng)導(dǎo)的吸引人才委員會(huì)。由此可見,新加坡政府把吸取科技人才當(dāng)成了最重要的政策之一。
正如我于12月3日登載于《聯(lián)合早報(bào)。言論》版的一篇文章中所提到的,新加坡國家小,單依靠本地培養(yǎng)的人才來提高工業(yè)生產(chǎn)、推動(dòng)經(jīng)濟(jì)發(fā)展是遠(yuǎn)遠(yuǎn)不夠的,因而要引進(jìn)外地人才。尤其是科技企業(yè)人才,來協(xié)助經(jīng)濟(jì)發(fā)展,推動(dòng)工商業(yè)。然而,人才的吸引是一件任重而道遠(yuǎn)、復(fù)雜而多層面的問題。特別是新加坡是一個(gè)年輕的小國,不像中國大陸、印度等,有著龐大的留學(xué)生隊(duì)伍長期在北美和歐洲工作。
所以說,新加坡要吸引外地的優(yōu)秀人才,是十分具挑戰(zhàn)性的工作。在過去10年里,在政府的領(lǐng)導(dǎo)指引下,我們在高科技和研究與發(fā)展方面做了許多工作,也投入了很多資金,這些政策已經(jīng)逐漸收到成效,其成果尤其反映在政府所著重發(fā)展的應(yīng)用科技如：生物技術(shù)、電腦、微電子幾方面。這證明政府在這些領(lǐng)域的投資是正確的。這些工作主要由國家科技局領(lǐng)導(dǎo)。
下面我希望談?wù)剬ξ萍既瞬诺囊恍﹤€(gè)人看法。
首先,我們必須創(chuàng)造一個(gè)良好的科研環(huán)境。新加坡應(yīng)該學(xué)習(xí)瑞士、丹麥和瑞典,在重視應(yīng)用技術(shù)的同時(shí)也重視基礎(chǔ)科學(xué)研究的傳統(tǒng)。
在此,必須強(qiáng)調(diào)的是：瑞士、丹麥和瑞典雖然是小國卻能取得的科技成果,從一定意義上說,這是因?yàn)樗麄兪菤W洲的一部分。
歐洲在文藝復(fù)興以及工業(yè)革命之后,在文化藝術(shù)以及科技的發(fā)展上融匯成一體。瑞士、丹麥和瑞典除了擁有本國健全的政策外,也吸納了其他歐洲國家的優(yōu)秀人才,例如：出生在德國的愛因斯坦,在瑞士受教育并做出驚天動(dòng)地的物理研究；丹麥籍諾貝爾獲獎(jiǎng)人波爾所成立的“哥本哈根學(xué)派”,也吸納了歐洲各國在核物理領(lǐng)域秀的人才等等。
因此,新加坡作為亞洲的一個(gè)重要中心、作為一個(gè)多元種族的新興國家,如何吸引優(yōu)秀的亞裔科技人才來新加坡進(jìn)行科研工作和定居,是一個(gè)非常重要的問題。
我們可以預(yù)見到在21世紀(jì),亞裔科學(xué)家將在世界的科技發(fā)展中扮演著更舉足輕重的角色。亞裔科學(xué)家以華族和印族為主。如何能吸引一批優(yōu)秀的華裔、印裔科技人才來新加坡工作及定居,在很大的程度上取決于新加坡能否發(fā)展成為擁有不同東方文化傳統(tǒng)的社會(huì),這個(gè)條件才是吸引人才的重要因素,21世紀(jì)的亞洲文化是會(huì)更相互交流,趨向于20世紀(jì)初的歐洲。
人的因素是一個(gè)多樣性的問題,因?yàn)槿瞬煌谏a(chǎn)過程中的某個(gè)產(chǎn)品,也不像“如何推銷產(chǎn)品”那么簡單。人才既有物質(zhì)條件的一面,也有精神生活的一面。對吸引人才來說,具有東方傳統(tǒng)的良好的精神生活環(huán)境,是一個(gè)必須的條件,精神生活是永久性的,外來的人才能否長期的定居下來,很多時(shí)候是取決于精神生活和文化環(huán)境,而不是單單依靠物質(zhì)或者金錢的因素。因?yàn)榭萍既瞬哦鄶?shù)是受高等教育的一群,他們需要有一個(gè)具有文化氣息的生活環(huán)境。
新加坡有良好的教育制度,和優(yōu)秀的學(xué)生,不過往往限于受東方傳統(tǒng)教育方法的影響,因而在培養(yǎng)年輕人的素質(zhì)不夠全面。使得年輕人往往好功近利,追求眼前利益。單是優(yōu)良的考試成績并不代表建立了科學(xué)教育的基石,有良好的文化、科技傳統(tǒng)的丹麥和瑞士,其教育制度就非常重視基礎(chǔ)科學(xué)和文化修養(yǎng),以及注意培養(yǎng)獨(dú)立的思考的能力。
這方面以色列也是一個(gè)好例子,它能重視中學(xué)和大學(xué)和研究院基礎(chǔ)科學(xué)的研究。即使在戰(zhàn)亂的環(huán)境中,仍然大力發(fā)展基礎(chǔ)科學(xué)和人才的培養(yǎng),創(chuàng)造優(yōu)良的科研究環(huán)境,從而推動(dòng)了應(yīng)用科學(xué)的發(fā)展。
新加坡肯定可以成為亞洲的瑞士,不過一定要好好地學(xué)習(xí)瑞士、丹麥、以色列等國,制定高瞻遠(yuǎn)矚的科技政策,既重視眼前的工商業(yè)利益,又有長遠(yuǎn)的對基礎(chǔ)科學(xué)文化有關(guān)的投入。
除了上述的幾點(diǎn)之外,我們也必須強(qiáng)調(diào)其他幾方面的問題：首先,新加坡必須繼續(xù)有選擇地發(fā)展一些科技項(xiàng)目,如果我們能重點(diǎn)投資如電腦、生物技術(shù)及微電子等行業(yè),使之成為世界的科研中心,必將有助吸引到這方面的一流人才。
毫無疑問,研究與發(fā)展的投資主要在于應(yīng)用技術(shù)以及與經(jīng)濟(jì)相關(guān)的領(lǐng)域,這方面也許應(yīng)占研究與發(fā)展全部投入的85%,另外的15%則應(yīng)靈活運(yùn)用到與基礎(chǔ)科學(xué)有關(guān)的研究。
其次,新加坡應(yīng)繼續(xù)發(fā)展成為國際性的都市,擁有良好的設(shè)施、治安、及現(xiàn)代化的各種條件。這些也是吸引人才的重要因素。雖然新加坡是以亞裔為主的社會(huì),但在吸引人才方面應(yīng)放眼世界,廣邀所有種族的優(yōu)秀人才來新加坡工作。以英文為第一語言是新加坡成為國際性城市的另一大優(yōu)勢。
最后,不可否認(rèn)吸引科技人才也離不開豐厚的待遇及優(yōu)良的服務(wù)條件,方能與鄰國,尤其是香港、臺(tái)灣等地區(qū)競爭。
雖然目前正值亞洲經(jīng)濟(jì)危機(jī)之際,但我堅(jiān)信,21世紀(jì)的亞洲將是領(lǐng)導(dǎo)整個(gè)世界科技發(fā)展的區(qū)域,而新加坡則可以像瑞士那樣,在亞洲起帶頭作用。
（作者為新加坡國立大學(xué)物理系客卿教授、華文報(bào)咨詢團(tuán)成員）