Design Capability Development 

The Design Capability Development team undertakes a series of programmes and initiatives to build the capabilities of Singapore designers and position Singapore as a global design influencer. The Council promotes Singapore's design excellence and facilitates the efforts of Singapore designers and design companies to showcase their works at international markets and enhance their global competitiveness.

Professional Development

The Professional Development unit seeks to develop globally competitive designers and a design cluster which is not only capable of servicing worldwide clients but are instrumental in enabling our enterprises to gain a competitive edge through design:

• Through continuing professional development programmes and overseas exposure, the Design Capability Development Programme (CDP) provides support to designers and design companies to achieve a higher level of design excellence and acquire the latest design knowledge and skills.
• To cultivate a competitive design eco-system, the Industry Association Development Scheme (IADS) helps design industry associations with long-term initiatives that look into new industry capabilities, new cross-disciplinary collaborations, new international markets and new developmental units within the associations.
• The DesignSingapore Scholarship aims to groom design talents who have the creativity, drive and passion to develop Singapore into Asia's leading centre for design excellence. It is targeted at students and industry professionals who wish to pursue full-time undergraduate or postgraduate design-related courses at reputable local or overseas institutions.

Design Excellence & Market Development

The Design Excellence programme underscores the need for excellence in design to sustain global competitiveness, improve the quality of life and create a sustainable environment. It recognises and celebrates exemplary design achievements through a prestigious award and a design festival.

To raise the profile of Singapore-based designers and help them gain access to international markets, the Market Development team supports and facilitates their participation at prestigious international design exhibitions, trade shows and thought-leadership platforms. It also attracts international design companies and design operations of multi-national companies, foreign direct investments and international design awards and activities to Singapore, all of which enhance the vibrancy of Singapore’s design sector:

• The President's Design Award represents the pinnacle of recognition in Singapore's design sector. It is a celebration of the nation's outstanding designs and exceptional designers who, through design, have forged ahead to improve our quality of life and add lasting value to businesses, thereby setting the standards for design excellence in Singapore.
• The Singapore Design Festival is a platform that presents trade events, workshops, conferences and other activities across design disciplines to drive the development of design-driven innovation and adoption of design by businesses. It brings together various stakeholders of the industry, creates opportunities for networking and exchange of ideas, and enhances Singapore as a vibrant global design city.
• The Overseas Promotion Partnership Programme (OPPP) aims to enhance the international recognition of Singapore's design capabilities and competitiveness, consolidating Singapore’s position as a global design city. It does this by funding participation in prestigious international design platforms so that emergent Singapore-based designers and design companies can market themselves and gain access to wider business opportunities in the global arena.