Singapore Management University (SMU) announced Tuesday the launch of the Resilient Workforces Institute (ResWORK), a new university-level research institute advancing workforce resilience and lifelong learning amid accelerating technological change.

The university said in a statement that it is among the first institutes in Singapore and the region to jointly study adult-learning and the future of work through an integrated, interdisciplinary lens spanning economics, management, behavioral science and technology.

In his remarks, Dr Janil Puthucheary, Senior Minister of State, Ministry of Education and Ministry of Sustainability and the Environment, highlighted the importance of partnerships with industry, enabled by research, in overcoming workforce disruptions brought about by artificial intelligence (AI) and digital technologies.

“The launch of the Resilient Workforces Institute reflects SMU’s commitment to research that matters – research that shapes public policy, informs organizational practice and ultimately strengthens the resilience of Singapore’s workforce,

“By bringing together insights across disciplines, ResWORK will help Singapore and the region navigate the profound changes reshaping work and learning in the age of AI,” said Professor Lily Kong, President, Singapore Management University.

According to the statement, ResWORK will serve as a focal point for trans-disciplinary research across SMU, organized around three core pillars.

Firstly, optimizing human-machine collaboration by enabling workers to learn and perform effectively alongside AI, machines and robotics.

Secondly, transforming organizations by redesigning business processes, leadership and work practices for AI-enabled workplaces.

Thirdly, maximizing societal human capital by analyzing labor-market transitions and shaping policies that promote inclusive, gainful employment.

It is noted that research momentum has already begun ahead of the formal launch, with ResWORK having secured the participation of several globally renowned visiting scholars and over 20 faculty members across SMU’s six schools.

ResWORK faculty has recently initiated nine internally seed-funded research projects, as well as multiple externally funded research programs, collectively worth over S$1.5 million ($1.17 million) in funding.

These early projects reflect the Institute’s emphazis on applied, policy-relevant research developed in collaboration with public agencies and industry partners.

SMU has also committed S$5 million ($3.91 million) over five years to anchor the Institute, with a goal of securing an additional S$8 million ($6.25 million) in external research funding within three years, enabling ResWORK to scale its partnerships and research programs over time.

“ResWORK is built on the belief that AI-led change will reshape opportunity rather than displace it,

“Our research agenda is designed to move beyond diagnosis to solutioning—working with government agencies, employers and other partners to generate evidence that informs policy, organizational practice and lifelong learning systems,” said Professor Archan Misra, Vice Provost (Research) and Interim Director of ResWORK.

“I’m enthused to see how colleagues across the spectrum of Management, Economics and Computing disciplines have already come together to collectively frame a positive research agenda that formulates AI-led workplace transformations as an economic opportunity, as well as a driver of innovations in adult learning practices,

“The launch builds on momentum that is already underway and marks the start of SMU’s sustained efforts to help shape a resilient, future-ready workforce,” he added.

At the launch, SMU and SkillsFuture Singapore (SSG) also signed a two-year memorandum of understanding (MoU) to mutually identify and drive strategic research on how AI, digital technologies, and generational changes in work preferences are transforming job tasks, skills demand and career and learning pathways, and translate these insights into policies that sustain employability and inclusive growth.

In addition, it will look into how adult learning systems can be redesigned for higher participation, retention and impact, and how organizations can combine human and machine capabilities to raise productivity while preserving meaningful work.

“Our partnership with SMU on ResWORK is driven by a singular objective: to future-proof the national SkillsFuture system. By future-proofing, we mean that adult learning must adapt to the effects of emerging, rapidly changing technologies to workforce dynamics, so that the training received by learners best equips them for these changes，

“The system also must acquire a deep understanding of what employers want from their workers, where and how jobs have changed in nature, and what skills and attributes allow workers to best succeed. ResWORK seeks to help build such capabilities for our national adult training system，” said Tan Kok Yam, Chief Executive of SkillsFuture Singapore.

Complementing the national collaboration with SSG, ResWORK will also work with industry partners to translate research into practice.

SMU has received a contribution of S$450,000 ($351,619) from Equinix to advance applied research under ResWORK.

The contribution will support a flagship systemic research project on occupational exposure to AI within Singapore’s labor market.

Led by Professor Li Jia, Dean, School of Economics; Lee Kong Chian Professor of Economics; (courtesy appointment in the Lee Kong Chian School of Business) Econometrics Lead, SMU Urban Institute, the study will develop Singapore’s leading reproducible, transparent and publicly accessible index measuring AI exposure in new job vacancies across occupations, industries and worker segments.

By analyzing job advertisements and task requirements over time, the research will track how AI-related skills and task demands are evolving, and generate insights to inform workforce planning, reskilling programmes and employment policy.

This collaboration marks the first corporate-funded research initiative under ResWORK and reflects the Institute’s emphasis on data-driven, policy-relevant research with real-world impact.

“Equinix and SMU have enjoyed a long and collaborative partnership aimed at building a sustainable digital future,

“By partnering with SMU on its Resilient Workforce initiative, we’re investing in research that will help position Singapore as a regional leader on AI and the future of work, informing the design of targeted policies like reskilling programs,” said Leong Yee May, Managing Director, Equinix Singapore.

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