A*STAR Scholarship Recipients' Research Fields and Bond Service Affected by Transitional Changes in Successive RIE Masterplans

Mr Kenneth Tiong Boon Kiat asked the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Trade and Industry (a) how many A STAR scholarship recipients have had their research fields deprioritised while serving their bonds, due to transitions across successive Research, Innovation and Enterprise masterplans; (b) what percentage of these scholars are currently in roles utilising their doctoral expertise; and (c) for scholars with no adjacent redeployment available, whether A STAR will consider bond release or industry transfer.

Mr Gan Kim Yong: About 80% of A*STAR scholarship graduates are employed in roles which leverage their doctoral expertise. These include roles in both academia and industry.

The remaining 20% have pivoted to a variety of other roles for reasons not necessarily due to deprioritisation of their research fields. These roles include corporate leadership and management positions across various sectors. It reflects how A*STAR scholars have gained knowledge and competencies that are transferable beyond the research ecosystem.

Where redeployment is required, A STAR facilitates transfers within A STAR as well as secondments or transfers to the Institutes of Higher Learning and the private sector.