The Singapore Botanic Gardens (SBG) is offering opportunities to come and carry out short-term study visits with our staff to explore our research work, horticultural work, botanic gardens management, educational outreach and visitor management. This special programme is offered to botanists, taxonomists, tertiary-level students, and professional staff working in botanic gardens, herbaria, arboreta / forest departments, and educational institutions. The programme is highly competitive as there is a limited intake per year. We invite you to take full advantage of the opportunities and facilities we offer by joining us in the programme.

 

The Programme

The purpose of the Study Visit / Exchange Programme is to provide colleagues from botanic gardens and tertiary students from educational institutions with a unique opportunity to exchange information and technical expertise and utilise our excellent collections and facilities in an applied setting.

The study visit or exchange programme is mainly catered for periods ranging from two weeks to one month. The programme is flexible and individualised according to the interests of the participant and availability of staff time. Goals and priorities are developed by the participant in cooperation with the Deputy Director of Library, Training and External Relations.

Participants will be attached in the Gardens with colleagues as peer-professionals in a mutual exchange of information and expertise. Close contact with staff encourages maximum growth for everyone involved. Reciprocal staff exchanges between the Gardens and other institutions are encouraged; but not mandatory. Participants are welcome year round but subject to availability of resources at SBG and intake quota.

The Gardens offers professionals a broad spectrum of specialties from which to choose including:

• Taxonomy that entails utilising the Herbarium and Library collections for research work

• Herbarium management and curation

• Micropropagation and Molecular Laboratory that entails utilising tissue culture facilities for propagation projects and genetic lab equipment for taxonomic and/or population studies

• Horticulture management

• Arboriculture management

• Curation of specialised living plant collections – e.g. Orchidaceae, Palmae (Arecaceae) & Zingiberaceae

• National Orchid Garden Display & Landscape management

• National Orchid Garden Nursery management and orchid breeding programme

• General Nursery management

• Jacob Ballas Children Garden’s ground management

• The Singapore Garden Festival set-up in the middle of even-numbered years

• Education - adult and youth programmes - environmental and outreach programmes - professional speaker series - tours

• Visitor Services Management

• Volunteer Programme & Management

The Programme provides the participants with exposure to materials, procedures, designs and philosophies from other organisations and sets the stage for future cooperative ventures. Participants return with new viewpoints, fresh ideas, and technical information.

 

Stipend & Accommodation

Participating institutions or individuals are encouraged to cover their own stipend during the period of attachment to the Gardens. Each institution sending staff/students or individual professionals are responsible for covering all necessary costs incurred, such as flights, transport, insurance coverage and visa applications, while attached in Singapore.

 

Report Submission

All research study visitors are required to submit a report on their visit within 3 months of departing from Singapore. For other participants, they are required to submit the reports of their experience in Singapore Botanic Gardens within 1 month of departing from Singapore.    

 

Application Criteria

Applicants must have a good command of the English Language (both oral and written).

• Applicants must be a current employee of a botanic garden, arboretum, forest department, park, museum, zoo, or related institution, or a current student in a recognised university.

OR

• Applicants must be a graduate student or in a higher degree/diploma programme in Horticulture/Botany/Science at recognised universities or training institution, or have a PhD or equivalent in Botany or Science.

 

Application Procedure

Applicants are asked to submit the following:

• a resume or curriculum vitae,

• letter of support from their institution,

• name and contact information of a referee or supervisor

• a proposal outlining what they would like to learn or accomplish within this programme and the areas they wish to be attached in the Gardens

 

All applications (as well as request for assistance if required) must be submitted via email to:

Dr. Nura Abdul Karim Deputy Director/ Library, Training & External Relations

AND

Ms. Serena Lee Senior Manager/ Herbarium