Singapore University Launches “ICity” Project

Singapore Management University is establishing a research lab for developing cloud-based IT solutions for cities across the globe, and especially in Asia. In a first in the Asia-Pacific region, SMU has inked a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Tata Consultancy Services for “integrating cloud technology with the relevant business know-how to create urban management IT solutions,” said Steven Miller, Dean, School of Information Systems (SIS), SMU.
Inaugurating the initiative, Singapore’s Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Finance and Manpower Tharman Shanmugaratnam commended both TCS and SMU and hoped that initiatives like these will take Singapore’s though leadership forward. He said though “Singapore is in a leading position in the region in providing an efficient, convenient and satisfied quality of life to its people, it is a never-ending journey and that it strives to develop and adopt best governance practices.”
He said Singapore strives to share its knowledge of developing better cities with its Asian counterparts and noted that this initiative had come at the right time when a “remarkable transformation” is happening across Asia, particularly in China and India. The project seeks to create “iCities” which are “integrated, interactive, inclusive, insightful and imaginative” cities. Girija Pande, chairman of TCS Asia Pacific, said: “Tomorrow’s cities will be specifically designed and built with a sophisticated IT backbone to enable integrated urban management, improved quality of life for citizens and inclusive economic, social and sustainable growth. “The TCS-SMU iCity lab is particularly relevant for fast growing economies like China, India and others in the region. Globally over US$100 billion is expected to be invested in the intelligent city segment over the next 10 years.”
He also mentioned about India’s plans to develop at least 10 such cities on the Delhi-Mumbai corridor. The initiative will also work out prototypes of new cloud-based IT service delivery solutions for delivering city services for health care, education, utilities, transport, and public safety and security, among others. The lab, to be located at the University’s SIS, will see TCS invest SGD 6 million over a period of three years. The investment, in part, will also give scholarships to SMU students. Miller said the University was flexible in its allocation of funds for scholarships and it will decide the amount and courses as it deems suitable.