# Kwek Leng Beng commits $1 mil to support young Singaporeans in AI and advanced computing

- **Source:** EdgeProp Singapore
- **Published:** 2026-09-17T01:16:05.000Z
- **Author:** Ashley Lo
- **Original:** https://www.edgeprop.sg/property-news/kwek-leng-beng-commits-1-mil-support-young-singaporeans-ai-and-advanced-computing
- **Topics:** Government & Policy, Investment & Capital Markets

## Featured rationale

The commitment signals support for Singapore’s technology-led productivity agenda, which could indirectly strengthen longer-term economic capacity and underlying property-market fundamentals.

## AI summary

CDL executive chairman Kwek Leng Beng committed $1 million to fund AI projects and Cambridge scholarships for 10 to 20 young Singaporeans.

## Original article

Kwek Leng Beng, executive chairman of City Developments Ltd (CDL) and Hong Leong Group Singapore, has committed $1 million to the St Joseph’s Institution Philanthropic Fund for the Lasallian Mission Ltd (SJIPF).

The Kwek Leng Beng Innovation Gift aims to “develop a generation of young Singaporeans seeking to develop and build projects in artificial intelligence (AI), advanced computing and emerging technologies”, according to a Sept 15 release.

Singapore’s strengths lie in its people, given the country’s lack of natural resources, said Kwek.

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“A young mind’s curiosity and problem-solving skills are critical as we enter the next stage of Singapore’s development of AI.”

The gift will be held by SJIPF in two parts: the Kwek Leng Beng Innovation Programme and the Kwek Leng Beng SJIPF–Cambridge Scholarship. The initial allocation is 50% each, and SJIPF can reallocate where necessary.

The innovation programme will support AI- and technology-related student projects, covering building costs, competition entry fees, mentorship, masterclasses and short courses. Seed grants will also be awarded directly to student teams.

SJIPF will invite proposals annually and disburse funds for defined projects with stated outcomes. The programme is expected to run for approximately 10 years.

Meanwhile, the second arm of the gift will fund scholarships for current and former students of St. Joseph’s Institution and St. Joseph’s Institution International who have been admitted to the University of Cambridge to study mathematics, computer science or engineering.

Each scholarship will provide up to $50,000 per scholar, disbursed over the course of their studies. The gift is expected to support between 10 and 20 scholars, depending on the amount granted per scholar.

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The scholarships will carry no bond or service obligation, require no repayment and have no requirement for recipients to return to Singapore.

“We wanted our scholarship programme to be a guiding tool across a student’s learning journey and not a transaction,” said Phillip Yeo, chairman of SJIPF.

The gift comes as Singapore steps up its efforts to develop AI capabilities and adoption. The National AI Council was established to coordinate national AI efforts, while at the National Day Rally in August, Prime Minister Lawrence Wong said slower population and labour-force growth meant Singapore would need to rely more on technology and productivity to drive growth.

CDL’s Kwek said: “Productivity can be bought, through machines, software and other technologies available in the market. What is more important, and harder to develop, is the curiosity to build new-age technology and the encouragement young students need to apply it to our evolving problems.”

## Chinese translation

> Translation model: grok_cli

### 郭令明承诺捐赠100万新元，支持新加坡年轻人投身人工智能与先进计算

这笔捐赠将与圣若瑟书院及剑桥大学合作，提供学生项目资助和奖学金。

城市发展有限公司（CDL）及新加坡丰隆集团执行主席郭令明，已承诺向圣若瑟书院喇沙使命慈善基金有限公司（St Joseph’s Institution Philanthropic Fund for the Lasallian Mission Ltd，简称SJIPF）捐赠100万新元。

根据9月15日发布的声明，“郭令明创新捐赠”（Kwek Leng Beng Innovation Gift）旨在“培养一代有志于在人工智能（AI）、先进计算和新兴技术领域开发并构建项目的新加坡年轻人”。

郭令明表示，鉴于新加坡缺乏自然资源，国家的优势在于人才。

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“随着新加坡进入人工智能发展的下一阶段，年轻人的好奇心和解决问题的能力至关重要。”

这笔捐赠将由SJIPF分两部分持有：郭令明创新计划（Kwek Leng Beng Innovation Programme）和郭令明SJIPF–剑桥奖学金（Kwek Leng Beng SJIPF–Cambridge Scholarship）。初始分配各占50%，SJIPF可在必要时重新调配。

创新计划将支持与人工智能和技术相关的学生项目，涵盖项目建设成本、参赛报名费、导师指导、大师课和短期课程。种子资助也将直接发放给学生团队。

SJIPF将每年邀请提交提案，并为有明确成果说明的既定项目拨付资金。该计划预计运行约10年。

与此同时，捐赠的第二部分将为圣若瑟书院及圣若瑟国际书院现有及往届学生提供奖学金，资助他们在获剑桥大学录取后修读数学、计算机科学或工程学。

每份奖学金将为每位受助人提供最高5万新元，在其求学期间分期发放。这笔捐赠预计将资助10至20名受助人，具体人数取决于每位受助人获批的金额。

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这些奖学金不附带任何服务契约或义务，无需偿还，也不要求受助人返回新加坡。

SJIPF主席杨烈国（Phillip Yeo）表示：“我们希望奖学金计划成为贯穿学生学习历程的引导工具，而不是一笔交易。”

这笔捐赠正值新加坡加紧推进人工智能能力建设与应用之际。国家人工智能理事会已成立，以统筹全国人工智能工作；总理黄循强则在8月的国庆群众大会上表示，人口与劳动力增长放缓，意味着新加坡需要更多地依靠技术和生产力来推动增长。

CDL的郭令明表示：“生产力可以通过市场上现成的机器、软件和其他技术买到。更重要、也更难培养的，是打造新时代技术的好奇心，以及年轻学生将其应用于不断演变的问题所需的鼓励。”