Singapore 2000 Tour

(subject to change)

	Mon Nov 13	Tue Nov 14	Wed Nov 15	Thu Nov 16	Fri Nov 17
Sunrise	Start on the Right Foot	Start on the Right Foot	Start on the Right Foot	Start on the Right Foot	Start on the Right Foot
Morning	Orientation	Economic Development	Ministry of Manpower	e-Biz Hub	Centre for Wireless Communications
Midday	Tour of Singapore	Jurong Island	Ministry of Education		Changi Airport
Afternoon		Kent Ridge Digital Labs	Bukit Merah Skills Development Centre	Institute of High Performance Computing
Late Afternoon					Wind-up Not To Be Missed
Evening			River Cruise and Dinner

Day One - Monday, Nov 13

Jet lag can be cruel. One of the best ways to deal with it is to work through it - exercise. Whether you prefer a brisk walk or jog, there is no better way to start your day in Singapore than along the paths of the River. Every morning before we start the day we will depart the hotel for a daily exercise routine that will help to give you endurance for the rest of the day.

While you are getting your exercise you will watch how the various cultures of Singapore ready themselves at the dawning of a new day.

GET YOUR STRENGTH FROM THE MORNING SUN!

The whole smart tour begins Day One with getting aquatinted with Singapore.

• Overview of the Five Day Tour
• A presentation by Kim Froggatt on 'How to Behave While In Singapore'
• A briefing by The Canadian High Commission in Singapore
• A Canadian's Perspective of Singapore by Simon Grimley - Alberta Research Council
• Investment and Venture Capital Opportunities in SE Singapore and Asia by David Wynne - Senior Vice President - Transpac Capital - one of Asia's largest private Venture Capital funds. David is a former Senior Trade Commissioner at the Canadian High Commission.

A special tour of Singapore will be provided courtesy of the Singapore Tourism Board. This in-depth tour will show you the cultural richness and diversity that combined make up one incredible city. We will stop along the way so you can taste the food and culture and most importantly absorb the spicy smells of Singapore that will only add to the richness and enjoyment of the day.

See Schedule

Day Two - Tuesday, Nov 14

Tuesday is a power day. You will be meeting with the real powerhouses of economic development and trade in Singapore - Singapore Economic Development Board, Ministry of Trade and Industry and the Trade Development Board. In Singapore knowledge is the corner stone of economic development strategy. The Economic Development Board believes that "knowledge is the way forward". Also, "there is a whole new world of opportunities in a knowledge based economy" and that "knowledge will increasingly become a strategic asset for economic growth".

The morning sessions will cover four main areas:

• The economic history of Singapore and how the island state has gone from a third world to first world country in just 35 years.
• Industry 21 - A blueprint for economic success. Hear an overview of the Economic Development Board's Industry 21 strategy which will lead Singapore into the 21st Century.
• A presentation on Singapore's trade strategy and the benefits of using Singapore as an entry port into to Asia.
• What interest Singapore has in Canada. What are they interested in selling to Canada and in return buying from Canada.

A causeway links Jurong Island to mainland Singapore. Jurong Island is an engineering marvel built on reclaimed land and is the centrepiece for Singapore's chemical industry. Singapore aims to be a world-class hub for the petroleum and petrochemical industry, generating an output of more than $75 billion by the year 2010.

Kent Ridge Digital Labs is a leading Asian incubator of information technology start-ups focusing on Internet, devices and life science opportunities.

Kent Ridge Digital Labs creates core technologies, which are channeled into the high tech start-ups it incubates. It operates an open incubator that actively collaborates with companies pioneering new business concepts, and entrepreneurs and professionals with start-up experience and domain knowledge.

This will get the brain cells going for sure. It will be a spell binding morning as you hear and see the future unfold before you.

See Schedule

Day Three - Wednesday, Nov 15

A Presentation by the Ministry of Manpower

The most precious [only resource for that matter] in Singapore are human resources. Singapore is a small island with only 3.8 million people. The only way they are able to become a global powerhouse - and they are - is through their people. Hear how they plan for the future and continue to - Just do it.

In Singapore they refer to their Ministry of Manpower as MOM. They even encourage you to call mom. An interesting nurturing approach to delivering manpower services.

When you open their publication it states right at the very beginning that - everyone is a talent - and

"Mom's business is to maximize the potential of every individual."

The Ministry of Manpower's logo is a symbolic reflection of their objectives: innovation, flexibility and responsiveness. These objectives are symbolized by the upward swirl that reflects an organization that is continuously looking for new solutions and creative ideas in its operations.

Hear how MOM delivers on their mission: "To develop a globally competitive workforce and foster a highly favourable workplace environment, in partnership with workers and employers, to achieve sustainable economic growth for the well-being of Singaporeans. "

A Presentation by the Ministry of Education

The Ministry of Education changes its curricula every 10 years. Each student is being taught for the future - the next generation - not for the present or the past.

The Ministry of Education has spent $2 billion over the past decade equipping the school system with computers. Their goal of one computer for every two students has been achieved. But they are not stopping there. They are spending another $4 billion building new schools and renovating existing structures to have an ultra modern school system. All this for an island of 3.8 million people.

The Ministry of Education has currently introduced a new curriculum into the school system for students 15 years and older. Singapore has led the world in student international testing scores in math and science. Their newest focus is teaching 'critical' and 'creative thinking'. Hear how this is being approached, delivered and being responded to by parents, students and teachers alike.

Bukit Merah means "red hills". So situated in the red hills of Singapore is the Bukit Merah Skills Development Centre. This is one of the top skills development centres in all of Singapore.

At the Bukit Merah Centre they ready students for the workforce. They help people with a variety of work and technology skill levels. One of the more interesting projects you will see is how they are teaching technology skills to people who have no experience or background with technology. It will be inspiring to visit this centre of excellence.

The veracious, intelligent and energetic Doreen Steidle is passionate about her job as Canada's High Commissioner in Singapore. She offers guests to her office Tim Horton's coffee and a friendly Winnipeg welcome. This is because Doreen is from Winnipeg. Her parents still live here. This evening with the High Commissioner and members of the Commission staff will be one of the highlights of the tour.

In this informal environment you can visit with them and discuss their views on opportunities for Manitoba businesses, institutions and people in Singapore.

The Canadian High Commission is very much looking forward to meeting and spending this evening with you in Singapore.

Every city should be seen from the water and Singapore is no exception!

See Schedule

Day Four - Thursday, Nov 16

Today is a good day to be grounded because you are going to have so many currents going through your body you will barely be able to contain your excitement.

Most of the Day will be spent at the 'e-biz hub' in the Technopark@Chai Chee formally known as the old post office in Singapore. Today it houses 1.2 million square feet of high-tech space with broadband access. As the name suggests, it is the hub for e-business in Singapore. You will meet and have presentations from some of the e-business success stories located in the hub.

You will be linked up to other sites around Singapore and other parts of the world. You will be webcast half-way around the world.

The hosting body for the most of the day will be One-Net Singapore. One-net manages and operates the Singapore One backbone - the national broadband infrastructure.

You will get an overview and a short tour of the e-biz park, you will have a variety of presentations about Singapore - the intelligent island. You will hear about how they use 'smart cards'. Also, there will be a few presentations from e-business entrepreneurs who are located in the 'e-biz hub'.

You will have an insightful look into e-learning, which is a major initiative to increase Internet based learning among key sectors of the Singapore economy.

And finally e-government. The Singapore e-government system is considered the world's best model. You will have a presentation that will allow you to see first hand how it works.

As if the 'e-biz hub' wasn't enough you are going to be stopping at a place that will blow your mind. The Institute of High Performance Computing is the final stop for the day. The Institute has the most powerful computer in all of SE Asia and you are going to meet it head on. You are going to have a demonstration in virtual reality from one of the world's leading edge institutions in advanced computational techniques.

The Institute has some 160 engineers who undertake upstream and industry-inspired research in about a dozen key areas including advanced visualization and virtual product development.

You will be dreaming in Technicolor after this mind altering adventure.

See Schedule

Day Five - Friday, Nov 17

Today we break with the earth and prepare to take to the air. First, we cut the wires that tie us down at the Centre for Wireless Communications of the National University of Singapore. This is a national centre focussed on conducting strategic and industry-relevant research and development in telecommunications, and the training of suitable R&D manpower for the local telecommunications industry.

CWC occupies some 5300 m² of space in the TeleTech Park building within Singapore's Science Park II. Work includes research, design and prototyping of systems in the technology areas of Advanced Modulation and Multiple Access, Signal Processing, RF, Antenna and Propagation, Network Protocols, Internet and Mobile Computing.

Yes we are going back to the Changi Airport, but not to depart but rather to tour what has been rated as the best airport in the world for business travel for the past 12 consecutive years. We promise "you have never seen anything like it"!

A candy dish awaits your arrival on the desks of customs agents. They call it "a sweet welcome to Singapore"

Changi Airport handles in excess of 25 million passengers a year and doesn't show the wear. Changi Airport consists of two terminals and terminal three is currently being planned. It promises to rival the other two - if that is possible.

From the moment you arrive in Changi Airport you realize you are in a very special place.

Changi Airport has retail shopping for the most sophisticated of shoppers. And a space that has been creatively designed with the absolute comfort and entertainment of the traveling public in mind.

Get behind the scenes and see the nerve centre of Changi Airport. See it work from the inside - out.

To bring the entire smart-tour to a proper close we will be gathering back at the Hotel Inter-Continental for a soiree. This gives everyone a final opportunity to casually recount the experiences of the past week and to make plans for the evening. This event should not be missed because it to will make you step out of the box.

See Schedule