The Singapore Maritime Institute (SMI) and the University of Turku (UTU), Finland, have renewed their Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) and will continue to jointly promote and develop maritime research and development (R&D) activities. The MoU, which was first initiated in November 2016, was renewed by SMI Executive Director, Mr Tan Cheng Peng, and UTU Rector, Professor Jukka Kola.

Under this agreement, SMI UTU will
• continue to jointly promote and develop maritime research and development (R&D) activities
• deepen existing initiatives and explore new maritime research activities over the next five (5) years to foster bilateral maritime R&D collaboration between academic research entities from Finland and Singapore.

A key highlight and outcome under the MoU was the Finland-Singapore Maritime Innovation Camps organised in Singapore in 2018 and 2020. The Innovation Camp seeks to cultivate maritime innovation among university students in Singapore and Finland, while creating value for industry partners and to grow the maritime innovation ecosystem in both countries.

Quotes
Mr Tan Cheng Peng, Executive Diector, SMI, said “SMI is pleased to extend our research partnership with UTU to deepen bilateral cooperations between Finland and Singapore’s maritime research community and jointly advance our maritime R&D capabilities. I look forward to a fruitful international collaboration between SMI and UTU.”.

Professor Kalle-Antti Suominen, Vice-Rector (Research), UTU, said “UTU greatly values the collaboration with SMI to the benefit of the maritime research community and the maritime sector in both countries – Singapore and Finland. It is our pleasure to take our collaboration with SMI to a new phase.”.