28/07/2022
iN.LEARN 2.0 Launched to Accelerate Development and Adoption of Innovative Solutions in the Training and Adult Education Sector
IAL to lead new initiative to propel innovation in adult learning
SkillsFuture Singapore (SSG) has launched the Innovative Learning 2.0
(iN.LEARN 2.0) initiative that supports development of innovative
solutions in the Training and Adult Education (TAE) sector, to drive
impactful learning outcomes for workforce and enterprises. Institute for
Adult Learning (IAL), an autonomous institute of the Singapore
University of Social Science (SUSS), is appointed to drive this
initiative.
Refreshing the Innovative Learning Initiative
iN.LEARN 2.0 follows in the footsteps of iN.LEARN 2020, which
was launched in 2015 to promote innovative and blended learning in the
Continuing Education and Training (CET) ecosystem. SSG has refreshed the
initiative to better foster supportive market conditions that can
increase the rate and adoption of innovative training approaches and
practices. CET providers can tap on iN.LEARN 2.0 for co-funding and
co-sharing the risks of promising innovations, as well as receiving
exemption from regulatory requirements.
iN.LEARN 2.0 will focus on four key areas:
i. increasing the uptake of online and blended learning by individuals;
ii. amplifying enterprises’ adoption of innovative learning technology;
iii. developing effective remote assessment and proctoring solutions for individual and enterprise-led training;
iv. developing effective placement solutions that tighten the industry-training nexus.
The initiative is targeted at training providers, Education Technology
solutionists, enterprises, and Training and Adult Education
professionals.
Support for innovative solutions will encompass several stages of
development, from minimum viable products to commercialisation of
minimum marketable products through an innovation incubator (innovPlus)
and accelerator (innovSpur), as well as an innovation Sandbox for
testing of new ideas in SSG’s funded-training space.
Applications for the three programmes under the iN.LEARN 2.0 initiative
are now open, interested applicants with innovative solutions and
training related challenges are invited to participate. Please refer to
Annex A for more details on the three programmes.
Appointment of IAL
With its experience and expertise in spearheading innovation in
CET, SSG has appointed IAL as the programme manager for iN.LEARN 2.0 to
support innovations from ideation to commercialisation through its
three key programmes – the innovPlus, innovSpur and Sandbox.
Mr Tan Kok Yam, Chief Executive of SSG, said “The refreshed iN.LEARN 2.0
initiative signals SSG’s strong commitment to encourage and support
innovation in the TAE sector. We hope that new ideas will emerge that
prove to be effective and scalable, in helping more working adults learn
and upskill themselves.”
Professor Lee Wing On, IAL’s Executive Director said, “A rapidly
evolving environment demands a proactive response, even more so one that
can anticipate the changes to come. IAL is a stalwart advocate of
learning innovation for workplace transformation, and as appointed
Programme Manager for iN.LEARN 2.0, we are emboldened in our task of
supporting enterprises and solutionists as they navigate to address
challenges in CET, and sustain the progressive pandemic-driven momentum
of transforming learning design and delivery. With iN.LEARN 2.0, we are
able to expand the scope of solutioning and enhance scalability of these
innovative projects, aligning with our long-term vision of achieving
greater adoption of disruptive solutions in the learning innovation
space."
Annex A: Factsheet on Key Programmes under iN.LEARN 2.0
Key Programmes under iN.LEARN 2.0
innovPlus
The innovPlus, an ongoing programme of inlab, will be updated to
align with the new iN.LEARN 2.0 in the development of commercialisable
products. In this ideation stage, projects will be developed into
minimum viable products, or basic products that support must-have
features.
Projects may receive up to SGD 200,000 per project over one year, to
develop a minimum viable product. The project owners are required to
co-fund 10% of the project’s eligible cost. Promising projects with the
potential to scale may continue to participate in innovSpur.
innovSpur
The innovSpur, the new anchor programme of iN.LEARN 2.0, will
support innovators in scaling up minimum viable products to the
commercialisation stage, that is ready for the Learning and Development
market. Applicants will be evaluated according to innovativeness, market
and competition, impact, scalability, risks mitigation, track record
and project team competencies.
Projects may be awarded a grant capped at SGD 500,000 per project, for
up to one year. The successful applicants are required to co-fund 25% of
the project’s eligible cost.
Sandbox
The Sandbox provides innovators a conducive space for the
experimentation and implementation of innovative CET solutions by
granting time-limited regulatory waivers so that courses delivered using
these innovative solutions can be eligible for SSG course fee funding
and/or SkillsFuture Credit. If approved, CET courses using these
innovative solutions could continue to be eligible for SSG course fee
funding for up to two years.
Applications for the first round of innovSpur and Sandbox are open until
19 September 2022. Interested applicants with innovative solutions for
the TAE sector can learn more about iN.LEARN 2.0 and apply to join the
innovPlus, innovSpur and Sandbox initiatives via https://www.ial.edu.sg/innovation/innovspur/.
Proven and established solutions that did not go through the innovPlus
and innovSpur are also welcome to collaborate with IAL to participate in
the Sandbox.