May 2009
A new study, produced by a consortium of British universities led by the University of Cambridge and supported by the United Kingdom Design Council, has ranked Singapore first, based on relative indicators (adjusted to the size of population and economy).
Known as the International Design Scoreboard, this study measures countries’ design capabilities based on factors that include government investment in design, total number of design graduates and the number of design intellectual property registrations. With design increasingly being recognised as important for national competitiveness, it provides a framework for measuring national design capability.
Singapore was highlighted as a leading design nation alongside 12 selected countries which includes Japan, Korea, Sweden, the United States and the United Kingdom. In it, Singapore was tops in the measures of government investment in design over the past five to ten years, and turnover in the design services sector. The favourable ranking was also attributed to Singapore’s ambitions to move the economy from being primarily a manufacturing centre to a design centre, especially in the Asia region, which enhances its competitiveness in the increasingly ideas-driven economy. The study also highlights that Singapore has a large design services sector based on the number of designers employed, number of firms and turnover, indicating a high level of design intensity.
“Being ranked number one in relative measurements, alongside with design leaders such as the United Kingdom, the United States, Korea and Japan is definitely an honor for Singapore,” said Dr. Milton Tan, Director, DesignSingapore Council.
“Globally, design has reached a whole new level as we experience an exponential rate of change. It has become more important than ever to constantly use design to re-evaluate and improve ourselves in order to move up the value chain and stay competitive.”
With the aim to develop Singapore as a global design city, DesignSingapore Council is working with government agencies, partners and the design industry to focus on key aspects including design learning and capability development, raising the value of design for enterprises, design excellence alongside design research and development.
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