Australia has a close and comprehensive bilateral relationship with Singapore. Many common interests and strong people-to-people links underpin an active program of high-level government consultations, particularly in the area of education. Ever since Singaporeans were awarded the Colombo Plan to study in Australia in the 1950s, the education connection between Singapore and Australia has developed into an enduring relationship.

The AEI office in Singapore was established in May 2005. AEI Singapore manages the Australia–Singapore education relationship. It provides high level strategic policy advice to the Australian Government on Singapore education and training issues and works to strengthen government to government links with a number of domestic agencies. These agencies include the Ministry of Education, Ministry of Manpower, Ministry of Trade and Industries and government agencies such as the Council for Private Education, Workforce Development Agency, the Institute of Adult Learning and the Agency for Science, Technology and Research.

AEI also works closely with Australian and Singaporean institutions, as well as transnational education providers, to facilitate partnerships and linkages, staff and student exchange, cooperation in research and development as well as mobility programs. AEI Singapore works with these institutions to progress a number of issues including the recognition of qualifications, quality assurance, curriculum development and institutional governance arrangements.

There is currently no formal Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Singapore. As such, The Governments of Singapore and Australia do not engage in an annual Joint Working Group (JWG) Meeting. In place of a JWG, a Senior Officials Meeting is held. The first senior official’s dialogue between Australia and Singapore on Education held in Canberra on 5 April 2011 provided an opportunity to continue dialogue around key education policy issues and to increase opportunities for exchanges and linkages at the institutional and individual levels.