04
August
2016
|
13:57
Asia/Singapore

Singapore, US ties through NUS

The University’s entrepreneurial pursuits in the US is seen as one of the many collaborations resulting from strong bilateral ties between Singapore and the US. 

US President Mr Barack Obama highlighted this aspect as he honoured the friendship and shared interests between Singapore and the US at the White House during Singapore Prime Minister Mr Lee Hsien Loong’s official state visit from 31 July to 5 August.

Calling Singapore a “solid-rock partner”, the US President made special mention of Block 71 San Francisco, managed by NUS Enterprise, when he spoke about the close bilateral ties that extends to the realm of entrepreneurship. “We see our friendship in the collaborations between our innovators and entrepreneurs, from Silicon Valley to Singapore’s Block 71,” said Mr Obama. Block 71 San Francisco was set up in 2015 as a co-working space to foster closer ties between start-ups in Singapore and the US.

Mr Lee also included NUS in his address at the White House state dinner. Praising the US for their dynamism, vibrancy and capacity for self-renewal, Mr Lee said that Singapore aims to emulate its spirit of innovation and entrepreneurship. “NUS has set up Overseas Colleges in Silicon Valley and New York, so that our students can intern with high-tech start-ups,” he shared.  

The state visit to the US — the first by a Singaporean Prime Minister in over 30 years — celebrates 50 years of diplomatic relations between the two countries.