Singapore Research Grant on Workforce Development and Lifelong Learning

The WDARF Grant Call is administered by the Institute for Adult Learning (IAL) on behalf of the SkillsFuture Singapore (SSG). The grant is awarded through an open, competitive bidding approach, where submitted proposals go through a technical expert review and evaluation, before they are presented to a Research Committee for approval.

Scope

• All Expressions of Interest (EOI) can address one of the three research themes, the 2024 Challenge Statements or examine other topics related to CET, adult learning and workforce development. Firm-level research that examines companies’ role in CET and CET’s impact on companies should also be considered.

Research Themes 

• Research Theme A: Developing Effective Adult Learning Pedagogies, Skills Development and Enterprise Engagement Strategies 
  • This research theme focuses on enhancing the effectiveness and impact of adult learning and skills development approaches, via technology, improved andragogy and innovations in both learning and practice. Given that training and learning are also situated within the evolving needs of industry and the economy, research under this thrust should also consider the role of enterprises and their partnerships with training providers in developing and contextualising teaching and learning approaches.
  • Sub-Themes under Research Theme A:
    • Improving training participation, engagement and outcomes through effective learning design and delivery model Enhancing and promoting the adoptions, including technology in adult learning and workplace learning of skills recognition systems
    • Developing adult educators for effective adult learning curriculum development and facilitation
    • Strengthening partnerships with enterprises to enable a responsive skills ecosystem
• Research Theme B: Facilitating Learning and Career Choices among Adult Learners 
  • This research theme identifies the key factors influencing CET decisions and those related to career and employment, including the understanding of cognition, emotion and behaviours of all stakeholders concerned (i.e. individuals, employers, educators, career facilitators, policymakers). Cultural and socio-environmental factors, and the varying needs and differences among different adult learner groups (such as mature and vulnerable adult learners) including aspects of accessibility, adaptability and appropriateness should also be considered.
  • Sub-Themes under Research Theme B:
    • Enhancing and promoting lifelong learning and career resilience
    • Developing differentiated learning and career support for identified groups (e.g. mid-careerists, older workers/seniors, persons with disabilities, self-employed persons)
• Research Theme C: Enhancing Employment Outcomes through Adult Learning and Skills Development 
  • This research theme aims to generate insights and provide recommendations for sustaining Singapore’s competitive advantage in the global economy through adult learning and skills development that enables Singaporeans to access good jobs, earn good wages and stay employable. Research should be directed at examining emerging jobs and skills, returns and other benefits of skills development strategies, and exploring interventions (e.g. behavioural insights, financial and non-financial incentives) to guide locals towards better leveraging of learning and better employment outcomes.
  • Sub-Themes under Research Theme C:
    • Identifying emerging and future skills needs (e.g. including impact of digitalisation on the future of work) and adapting policies to support these needs
    • Optimising employment outcomes from skills development and training strategies
    • Enhancing CET incentives and interventions to promote up/re-skilling efforts
    • Evaluating the effectiveness and impact of CET interventions on enterprises and individuals

Challenge Statements

• Challenge Statement #1: Overcoming barriers to participation 
  • How can they better understand barriers and motivations faced by different learner groups (e.g. by age, qualification level, Socio-Economic Status, specific vulnerable segments such as persons with disabilities) in participating in CET? How can they better support and encourage/nudge these groups to advance their skills/training development journey through signposting, incentives and government programmes, and/or enhanced education and career guidance or any other proposed means? What are some inventive ways they can adopt to overcome any barriers to participation in lifelong learning?
• Challenge Statement #2: Don’t PET the CET 
  • What are the differences in learning and training approaches between that for working adults and pre-employment training? What principles of learning and training apply well to working adults but not pre-employment students? Conversely, what pedagogical/andragogical principles can apply well to both demographics? What relevant pedagogical/andragogical approaches are they able to create which focus on honing the learning of working adults?
• Challenge Statement #3: Digitalising adult learning 
  • How do they define and measure “good” use of the digital medium for adult learning? What modes – synchronous/asynchronous; hybrid/single-mode; gamified etc. – are most effective under what circumstances? How may they best harness the digital means to strengthen adult learning?
• Challenge Statement #4: Every workplace a learning workplace
  • What companies succeed in building a learning workplace for themselves? How can the rest be helped? What modes of workplace learning (e.g. OJT, WSP) work best under what circumstances? How may they best enhance workplace learning opportunities – formal, informal and non-formal – to make workforce learning a norm for all?

Funding Information 

• There is no funding limit. Proposal should be costed appropriately and reasonably according to the methodology proposed and overall size of the project. Applicant shall exercise due diligence to ensure that the project is value for money.
• Project duration is capped at 24 months and will adhere to the approved timeline committed in the proposal. Projects longer than 24 months may be funded on a case-by-case basis and are subject to approval.

Eligibility Criteria

• The research must be conducted in Singapore, and on Singapore. The grant call is open to researchers from Institutes of Higher Learning (IHLs) such as Universities, Polytechnics and ITEs who have their campuses in Singapore, and other local organisations such as Research Institutes, Social/Industry Groups, Continuing Education and Training (CET) Providers and Government Organisations.
• Foreign institutions and researchers may partner a Singapore institution to submit proposals for the grant call.

Key Evaluation Criteria

• Relevance
• Importance of Research to Potential Users (policy and practice) and to Knowledge
• Technical Merits
• Outputs, Dissemination and Impact
• Project Team and Execution

For more information, visit Institute for Adult Learning.