Institute of Technical Education (ITE) is setting up an Aquaculture Technology Hub, within their College East campus, as a capability building strategy to support Singapore’s ’30 by 30’ food security vision. The hub, set to be ready by first quarter of 2023, features a Recirculating Aquaculture Systems (RAS) for the training of engineering skill sets related to the aquaculture industry. Augmented Reality (AR) for the predictive maintenance of the aquaculture machinery and equipment, IoT and data analytics for water monitoring and optimization of fish feeding are some examples of technologies that will be deployed to improve efficiency of farming operations.

James Cook University (JCU) Singapore is recognised internationally as a leader in aquaculture research and training, with research expertise that specialises in the sustainable production of tropical aquaculture species, including finfish, marine shrimp, abalone, and ornamentals. The staff at the JCU Singapore campus are world-class experts in aquaculture selective breeding, nutrition and feed development, hatchery production and aquatic animal health. With a strong focus on industry-relevant outcomes JCU is ready to partner to conduct high-quality scientific R&D with commercial industry, government institutions, universities, polytechnics and other stakeholders.

Nanyang Polytechnic (NYP) host the Centre for Aquaculture Diagnostics and Vaccines (CADV) within the School of Chemical & Life Sciences. In this centre, isolation and identifications of microbial pathogens from diseased aquatic animals can be conducted. The centre has the capability to do microscopy, molecular biology, protein technology, and microbial fermentation for the purpose of making prototype vaccines. CADV also holds a licence to Possess Veterinary Biologics (For Research & Development Purpose) obtained from the Animal & Veterinary Service, NParks. The centre undertakes projects such as development of autogenous fish vaccine, development of technologies for mangrove crab grow-out, fattening, and meat quality assessment

Nanyang Technological University (NTU) hosts two national research centres of excellence – the Earth Observatory of Singapore (EOS) and Singapore Centre for Environmental Life Sciences Engineering (SCELSE) – that are tackling important questions in environmental sustainability and public health. The university also offers a Food Science and Technology programme to train students with adequate skills needed for the demands of national food security and associated new food industry, by developing modern technology for urban farming (agriculture and aquaculture) and increasing environmental sustainability.

National University of Singapore (NUS)’s Department of Biological Sciences is a research-intensive department with a focus on developing multi- and inter-disciplinary research platforms using various organism models, from plants to animals, that thread across different scales, i.e., from atomic, molecular, cellular, tissue, systems to organismal levels. It hosts both freshwater and marine aquarium facilities, used for the study of hatchery technology, feed development, spawning and rearing of marine fish. For larger running seawater aquariums, NUS has access to the facilities of the Tropical Marine Science Institute (TMSI) on St John’s island, thus extending the possibilities at NUS for multidisciplinary marine research.

Ngee Ann Polytechnic (NP) hosts a Centre for Aquatic Science and Technology within their School of Life Sciences and Chemical Technology, established to help improve farm productivity and explore new initiatives in sustainable aquaculture through research and consultancy projects, in areas such as feed development and recirculating aquaculture systems (RAS). NP has expertise in molecular DNA and protein analysis, water purification technology, microbiology, and feed formulation for aquaculture.

Republic Polytechnic (RP) hosts a 180-square-metre Aquaculture Centre within their School of Applied Science, featuring both an indoor and outdoor laboratory, which supports research in marine science and aquaculture technologies. A joint-laboratory agreement was signed with James Cook University (JCU), which saw part of the aquaculture facility retrofitted with equipment for marine conservation and exploration cum surveillance work. The centre undertakes projects which include fish feed formulation, horseshoe crab and coral conservation, water quality management, anti-fouling and mathematical modelling approaches to optimise aquaculture.

Singapore Institute of Technology (SIT) was established as the Nation’s fifth Autonomous University, with vision to be a leader in innovative university education by integrating learning, industry and community. SIT espouses an applied learning pathway and offers degrees with a focus on science and technology. Our academic staff work closely with the industry in translational research and innovation as well as consultancies to address industry challenges. Through our nexus with industry, our graduates are exposed to deep skills/ industry training and attuned to the needs and demands of the future economy. In the urban agrifood and aquaculture sectors, SIT has deep expertise in technologies spanning the engineering and infocomm tech disciplines such as advanced sensors and instrumentations, Internet-of-things, data analytics, artificial intelligence, efficient energy utilisation, coating technology, and asset management and maintenance to enhance production yield, optimise land and water use, and reduce manpower needs. SIT also has expertise in food technology and nutrition, in particular food processing technologies and scale up to complement our engineering knowhow in advancing agrifood and aquaculture growth. The SIT new campus in Punggol, which will be powered by renewable energy resources and modern information technology infrastructure, will be an ideal testbed to support and scale smart urban farming and agritech initiatives, working closely with the industry and agencies.