The Academy of Engineering, Singapore (SAEng), in partnership with the Royal Academy of Engineering (RAEng), hosted the Singapore–United Kingdom Sustainable Cities in the Digital Era Programme from 4 to 6 March 2026.

Group photo of delegates on Day 2 of the programme

The SAEng delegation was led by Professor Liu Bin, Deputy President (Research and Technology) at the National University of Singapore, while the RAEng delegation was led by Professor Jennifer Schooling OBE FREng, Professor of Digital Innovation and Smart Places at Anglia Ruskin University.

Centred on the themes of Cyber-Physical Systems for the Future Built Environment and Transport Systems for the Future Built Environment, the programme brought together approximately 25 participants from Singapore and the United Kingdom, including seven SAEng Fellows.

Several SAEng Fellows engaging with the RAEng delegation during the Day 1 discussions on Cyber-Physical Systems for the Future Built Environment

Over the first two days, participants took part in keynote lectures, expert presentations and roundtable discussions on sustainable urban systems, AI-enabled asset lifecycle management, integrated sensing technologies, intelligent transport systems, decarbonised mobility and infrastructure resilience. These exchanges provided a valuable platform for sharing expertise and exploring how engineering, digital innovation and artificial intelligence can support the development of more liveable, resilient and future-ready cities.

Members of the RAEng delegation engaging in the Day 1 roundtable discussion on Infrastructure and Service Provision to Support Liveable Neighbourhoods

The programme also featured visits to the URA City Gallery, URA Digital Planning Lab and Punggol Digital District. Highlights included a briefing on “Urban Planning in the Age of AI”, demonstrations of URA’s digital planning tools, and an overview of the planning and operation of Punggol Digital District, including its autonomous vehicle initiatives. The visits offered participants first-hand insights into Singapore’s urban planning strategies, digital infrastructure capabilities and smart district developments.

Women delegates from SAEng and the RAEng delegation connecting during the Day 1 welcome dinner, featuring Prof Liu Bin (third from right) and Prof Wang Rong (fifth from right)

The programme concluded with discussions on Singapore’s Research, Innovation and Enterprise 2030 plan and potential areas for future collaboration. Through this exchange, SAEng and RAEng further strengthened engineering ties between Singapore and the United Kingdom and opened new avenues for collaboration in sustainable urban development.