Frequently Asked Questions
More information on Workforce Development Applied Research Fund (WDARF)
The Workforce Development Applied Research Fund (WDARF) is a national-level research fund established by the SkillsFuture Singapore (SSG) to encourage inter-disciplinary applied research in the areas of skills, workforce development and lifelong learning. In setting up the research fund, SSG seeks to support evidence-informed policies and best-in-class practices that are underpinned by high quality, reliable and responsive workforce development research.
SkillsFuture Singapore (SSG) drives and coordinates the implementation of the national SkillsFuture movement, promotes a culture of lifelong learning and develops and supports a quality ecosystem of adult education and training in Singapore. To support SkillsFuture Singapore’s key thrusts and national level policies, SSG sets the research agenda and initiates and funds the WDARF grant.
IAL administers the WDARF grant on behalf of SSG.
Researchers from Singapore-based institutions, defined as: Autonomous Universities, Polytechnics, Institute of Technical Education, or A*STAR research institutes, are eligible to apply for the WDARF grant.
The Principal Investigator must fulfil the following requirements at the point of application:
The Principal Investigator must fulfil the following requirements at the point of application:
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Holds a primary/joint appointment in one of the Autonomous Universities, Polytechnics, Institute of Technical Education or A*STAR research institutes, with a minimum time commitment of 9 months per calendar year in these institutions.
Foreign institutions and researchers may partner a local Host Institution to submit a joint research proposal.
Please refer to the “Enc 2 Guidelines for the Management of Research Grants” within the "WDARF Grant Agreement" for a list of non-fundable components.
The list is non-exhaustive. For further clarifications, please contact [email protected].
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.
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.
Interested applicants may submit their duly endorsed Expression of Interest (EOI) using the relevant form to [email protected].
No. Late submissions will not be considered.
The research summary is limited to 1200 words. Any write-up beyond the word limit will be disregarded.
Yes, all proposals, both new submissions and re-submissions, require an EOI. For re-submissions, please clearly highlight and focus on the key changes that have been made to the proposal, and work that has been done since the last submission, in the ‘Summary of Research’.
Yes. Please highlight this change in the Summary of Research.
The EOI will be reviewed by SSG and IAL’s Adult Learning Collaboratory (ALC) for its relevance to the grant call research themes and challenge statements; and applicability of the proposed research for policy and practice in the area of skills, workforce development and lifelong learning.
An estimated budget amount for each category of Manpower, Equipment, Overseas Travel and Other Costs with brief justification will suffice. There is no need to provide cost breakdown.
The budget and other estimated resources are a guideline. If you are invited to submit a full proposal, the budget can be adjusted but it should not deviate too much from the estimated budget in EOI.
The ownership of IP created as a result of the research funded by WDARF is subject to the prevailing Intellectual Property policies and guidelines of the Host Institution. The Host Institution shall pay all costs and legal fees in connection with IP registration and management, where applicable.
The Host Institution is to reserve a royalty-free, irrevocable, worldwide, perpetual and non-exclusive right for the Government and public sector agencies to use any licensed or assigned Research IP for their statutory functions, non-commercial and/or R&D purposes.
The Singapore Government and public sector agencies shall be entitled to grant its contractors sub-licences out of any of its rights.
The Host Institution may publish at any symposia; national, regional, international professional meetings; or in any journals, dissertation, newspaper or otherwise. All publications shall acknowledge the funding support by SSG by citing the Grant name ‘SkillsFuture Singapore’s Workforce Development Applied Research Fund’ and SSG’s official grant number for the project. It is the Principal Investigator’s and Host Institution’s responsibility to ensure that the protection of any IP is not compromised as a result of the research publication of the research project.
The Host Institution is to reserve a royalty-free, irrevocable, worldwide, perpetual and non-exclusive right for the Government and public sector agencies to use any licensed or assigned Research IP for their statutory functions, non-commercial and/or R&D purposes.
The Singapore Government and public sector agencies shall be entitled to grant its contractors sub-licences out of any of its rights.
The Host Institution may publish at any symposia; national, regional, international professional meetings; or in any journals, dissertation, newspaper or otherwise. All publications shall acknowledge the funding support by SSG by citing the Grant name ‘SkillsFuture Singapore’s Workforce Development Applied Research Fund’ and SSG’s official grant number for the project. It is the Principal Investigator’s and Host Institution’s responsibility to ensure that the protection of any IP is not compromised as a result of the research publication of the research project.
All anonymised data (at the level of individual data items) generated from the Research as the project's final datasets, must be submitted by end of project. Quantitative datasets should be in common tabular, structural or statistical software format (e.g., *.csv, *.txt, *.xls, *.xlsx, *.json, *.xml, *.sql, *.db, *.dta, *.sav, *.sas) while qualitative datasets to be in *.docx, *.doc, *.pdf, *.txt. A codebook must accompany each dataset submitted.
Grantor may use the data for analysis and publish derived statistics; research purposes; share with its research collaborators or parties commissioned by the Grantor; make available online to public and any other purpose that is not prohibited by applicable law (as long as such use is in compliance with applicable law). More details are available in the WDARF Administration Guidelines.
Grantor may use the data for analysis and publish derived statistics; research purposes; share with its research collaborators or parties commissioned by the Grantor; make available online to public and any other purpose that is not prohibited by applicable law (as long as such use is in compliance with applicable law). More details are available in the WDARF Administration Guidelines.
Researchers may access the following resources/platforms:
- AMAP
- The Department of Statistics (DOS) Anonymised Microdata Access Programme (AMAP) facilitates research using anonymised microdata in a secured environment. Under the Statistics Act 1973, eligible academic researchers can have access to selected datasets to address important research questions. The programme supports complex analyses like advanced econometrics and regression studies to be conducted on various economic, social and manpower topics.
- Data.gov.sg
- Data.gov.sg is Singapore’s open government data platform, where public agencies publish datasets for public access and use. The platform enables easy data exploration through interactive dashboards and visualisations, and supports the development of digital services via ready access to datasets and Application Programming Interfaces (APIs). In addition, the platform facilitates analysis and research by providing verified government data, ensuring the reliability and accuracy of findings.
- TRAQOM
- The Training Quality and Outcomes Measurement (TRAQOM) aims to enhance the quality of SSG-funded Continuing Education and Training (CET) programmes. TRAQOM captures feedback from learners through two surveys, assessing course quality and how well the training supports career growth. The first survey is administered, usually on the last day of the course or a day after, and the second survey is administered three months after the course.
Researchers with studies focusing on workforce development and adult learning questions that are relevant for individuals who have attended SSG-funded training can request to include up to 6 time-limited questions as part of the TRAQOM survey. WDARF applicants would need to indicate this as part of the EOI applications. Such requests would be subject to approval. Data collected in the TRAQOM survey during the period when the time-limited questions were added would be de-identified and shared with the research team. In addition, SSG will retain ownership of all data, including responses to the time-limited questions the research team had requested to add as part of the TRAQOM survey.
- The Training Quality and Outcomes Measurement (TRAQOM) aims to enhance the quality of SSG-funded Continuing Education and Training (CET) programmes. TRAQOM captures feedback from learners through two surveys, assessing course quality and how well the training supports career growth. The first survey is administered, usually on the last day of the course or a day after, and the second survey is administered three months after the course.
- ALC
- The Adult Learning Collaboratory (ALC) is a first-of-its-kind social innovation to energise the adult learning landscape in Singapore & beyond. Set up to tackle complex challenges in adult learning, the ALC is a collaborative platform with an open-innovation ecosystem involving diverse stakeholders, including enterprises, education and training institutes, educators, researchers and policymakers. Drawing on IAL’s body of research, these stakeholders will engage in co-framing of issues, co-creation of innovative solutions, and iterative cycles of experimentation in real world settings.
- SkillsFuture Singapore Research Data Repository (To be launched)
- The SkillsFuture Singapore Research Data Repository supports the preservation, documentation, and responsible sharing of SSG-funded research data on workforce development, skills, training, employment, and lifelong learning.
It provides access to curated data resources, including dataset descriptions, data dictionaries, research instruments, methodological notes, and guidance on data reuse. By making research data more discoverable and reusable, the repository supports evidence-informed policy, practice, and future research in the workforce and skills sector.
- The SkillsFuture Singapore Research Data Repository supports the preservation, documentation, and responsible sharing of SSG-funded research data on workforce development, skills, training, employment, and lifelong learning.