Latest Causes
PARTNERSHIPS
Centre for Trade Excellence and Singapore Business Federation to Advance Professional Standards for Trade and Investment
Singapore, 30 September 2026
Strengthening the standards, capabilities and pathways that modern trade professionals need in ASEAN and beyond.
The Centre for Trade Excellence (TE) and the Singapore Business Federation (SBF) have signed a Memorandum of Understanding to strengthen professional capability and development pathways for trade and investment practitioners in Singapore and across the region.
The collaboration brings together SBF's Trade and Investment Competency Framework (TICF), developed through its Centre for the Future of Trade and Investment (CFOTI), and the Centre's Trade Excellence Competency Framework (TECF). The two organisations will explore opportunities to align competencies, recognise relevant learning and certification pathways, and develop practical programmes addressing emerging industry needs.
Building stronger pathways for trade professionals
International trade is becoming more complex. Geopolitical shifts, digitalisation, sustainability requirements, trade finance developments and an increasingly demanding regulatory environment are changing the capabilities expected of professionals working across trade and investment.
Against this backdrop, the collaboration will explore how competency standards, learning outcomes and professional development pathways under the TICF and TECF can complement one another. This includes potential recognition of selected programmes and qualifications and the development of clearer progression pathways for practitioners.
The parties will also explore the joint development of industry-relevant courses, workshops and masterclasses addressing emerging trade, investment, compliance, sustainability, digitalisation and trade finance challenges.
Prof. V. Jesudevan, President of the Centre for Trade Excellence, said:
"Trade has become more complex, but the way we develop trade professionals has not always kept pace. This collaboration is an opportunity to address that gap. Our ambition is not simply to create more training. It is to help strengthen the professional standards and capabilities that businesses and institutions will increasingly need. And we plan to do this by bringing greater coherence to the competencies, and professional pathways that a modern trade environment demands. If we get this right, there is also an opportunity to build something of relevance for ASEAN and beyond."
From Singapore to the region
The collaboration also has a regional dimension. The Centre will explore opportunities to adapt and extend relevant competencies, certifications and workforce development frameworks into other markets, including through engagement with business associations, educational institutions, training providers and government agencies.
Potential initiatives include pilot programmes in selected overseas markets and work towards greater portability and interoperability of trade-related competencies and certifications across economies. The organisations may also collaborate on research, publications and other knowledge and thought-leadership initiatives relating to developments in trade, investment and workforce capability.
For the Centre, the collaboration reflects its broader mission to strengthen professional capability, address the jobs-skills divide, standards in compliance and governance, and to support the development of the next generation of trade professionals in Singapore and the region. Visit our Competency Framework to learn more.
The collaboration brings together SBF's Trade and Investment Competency Framework (TICF), developed through its Centre for the Future of Trade and Investment (CFOTI), and the Centre's Trade Excellence Competency Framework (TECF). The two organisations will explore opportunities to align competencies, recognise relevant learning and certification pathways, and develop practical programmes addressing emerging industry needs.
Building stronger pathways for trade professionals
International trade is becoming more complex. Geopolitical shifts, digitalisation, sustainability requirements, trade finance developments and an increasingly demanding regulatory environment are changing the capabilities expected of professionals working across trade and investment.
Against this backdrop, the collaboration will explore how competency standards, learning outcomes and professional development pathways under the TICF and TECF can complement one another. This includes potential recognition of selected programmes and qualifications and the development of clearer progression pathways for practitioners.
The parties will also explore the joint development of industry-relevant courses, workshops and masterclasses addressing emerging trade, investment, compliance, sustainability, digitalisation and trade finance challenges.
1 / 3
"Trade has become more complex, but the way we develop trade professionals has not always kept pace. This collaboration is an opportunity to address that gap. Our ambition is not simply to create more training. It is to help strengthen the professional standards and capabilities that businesses and institutions will increasingly need. And we plan to do this by bringing greater coherence to the competencies, and professional pathways that a modern trade environment demands. If we get this right, there is also an opportunity to build something of relevance for ASEAN and beyond."
From Singapore to the region
The collaboration also has a regional dimension. The Centre will explore opportunities to adapt and extend relevant competencies, certifications and workforce development frameworks into other markets, including through engagement with business associations, educational institutions, training providers and government agencies.
Potential initiatives include pilot programmes in selected overseas markets and work towards greater portability and interoperability of trade-related competencies and certifications across economies. The organisations may also collaborate on research, publications and other knowledge and thought-leadership initiatives relating to developments in trade, investment and workforce capability.
For the Centre, the collaboration reflects its broader mission to strengthen professional capability, address the jobs-skills divide, standards in compliance and governance, and to support the development of the next generation of trade professionals in Singapore and the region. Visit our Competency Framework to learn more.
