IDA has a national role to identify and facilitate the adoption of infocomm technologies to enhance Singapore's competitiveness. It fulfils this role by analysing and monitoring the trends and development of infocomm technologies, as well as promulgating and encouraging the adoption of infocomm standards in Singapore.
Backed by its strong domain knowledge of how infocomm can be applied to the vertical sectors of the economy, IDA is well placed to function as the national Infocomm champion. It has also deployed - and continually upgrades - a pervasive and robust infocomm infrastructure, for the effective deployment and adoption of infocomm as a key economic driver.
To provide a conducive environment that facilitates the growth of key industry sectors and to encourage infocomm adoption, IDA has an array of programmes to meet industry needs and develop new areas of growth.
With the convergence of media, telecommunications and computing, the digital media and entertainment (DME) sector has undergone rapid changes in the last decade. Digital media will pervade not only the entertainment industry, but also other sectors such as education, healthcare and lifestyle.
With a robust infrastructure, high-speed connectivity and a strong intellectual property rights regime, together with its strategic geographic location, Singapore is well-positioned to take advantage of the tremendous growth opportunities offered by the sector.
The government aims to develop Singapore into a global interactive and digital media capital, to help propel the country's economy forward and enhance the quality of life.
Singapore intends to strategically deploy infocomm technology (ICT) in education to provide a learner-centric and collaborative learning environment that extends beyond the classrooms. To create such an environment, IDA is spearheading the thrust towards ICT adoption in the following areas:
- Including dynamic digital content as critical components integrated with approved curriculum and learning resources for flexible learning and interactivity
- Empowering students by providing easy access to content, applications, fellow students and guidance from teachers
- Enabling learning beyond the school so that the student is able to learn anytime, anywhere
As financial services are information and technology intensive in nature, technology will play a key role in shaping the way the financial institutions transform their businesses and infuse their legacy operating models with unprecedented functionality. Singapore's strengths in infocomm and market infrastructure will provide a comparative advantage to capture the emerging growth opportunities for financial services in Asia.
Healthcare is an information intensive sector with complex care delivery processes and effective use of patients' medical data and direct integration of lab results would help increase quality of healthcare, minimise medical errors and lower cost. Through the use of infocomm, patients' medical information can be better managed and made accessible to healthcare providers at all points-of-care. Infocomm can also enable the re-engineering of processes and workflows through the development of a patient-centred and hassle-free healthcare delivery system to address the current challenges faced by the sector.
IDA actively engages healthcare institutions and the infocomm industry to develop innovative applications for the sector to improve the quality of healthcare provided, lower cost, increase productivity as well as to enable the paradigm shift in healthcare delivery.
IDA aims to turn Singapore into a high value manufacturing hub and supply chain nerve centre, powered by infocomm.
The Collaborative High-Tech Manufacturing Plan was conceived by IDA to develop integrated and responsive high-tech manufacturing supply chains in Singapore, linked by ICT and providing end-to-end services from product design to customer management. It aims to build dynamic end-to-end collaborative supply chains through the use of ICT as a strategic tool.
In a high-touch service industry like our Tourism, Hospitality and Retail (THR) sector, infocomm can be exploited to create new ways of delivering better services to our visitors and customers. It can also help to improve the efficiency of the companies and operators in the THR sector, thereby enhancing service, enriching experience and differentiating Singapore to further entrench Singapore's attractiveness as a travel and shopping destination of choice.
Championing ICT adoption in the government sector are the eGovernment Policies & Programmes Division (EPPD) and the Government Infrastructure & Technology Division (GITD). Together they architect and plan government infrastructures that meets the changing needs of the public service, and manage cum operate these infrastructure efficiently and effectively.
The action plans for e-Government have evolved in tandem with each National IT plan to bring about exciting changes to the way Singapore Government works, interacts and serves the public.
To expand and grow your business, SMEs can make use of infocomm technology to promote your products and services anywhere without having to be there physically and improve your operations.
As our future becomes more and more digitally-driven, particularly with the iN2015 vision to turn Singapore into an Intelligent Nation, infocomm becomes a powerful leveler that can help the needy, the elderly and the disabled enrich their quality of life. IDA's aim is to bridge the digital divide and create an integrated society in Singapore where infocomm awareness is pervasive and infocomm access is available for one and all.