The YBA Programme was a first-of-a-kind programme created between Singapore and Australia in 1999. The concept was mooted at the second meeting of the Singapore-Australia Joint Ministerial Committee in Singapore on 22 February 1999.

It aims to achieve several things for young professionals in both countries. Firstly, to create opportunities for young professionals across business and industry sectors to interact, network and share vocational experiences; secondly, to increase understanding of the dynamics, synergies and differences between the business environments of the two countries; thirdly, to enhance business and people-to-people links and promote strategic trade and investment opportunities, and lastly, to strengthen mutual understanding and co-operation.

The Singapore-Australia Young Business Ambassadors Programme 2000 — 2003

The Singapore-Australia Young Business Ambassadors (YBA) Programme was inaugurated in March 2000 with Australian partner - Asialink Centre. As SIF’s first YBA programme, the programme was highly endorsed by both private and public sectors in both countries, including support from Singapore's Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Australian High Commission in Singapore, the Singapore High Commission in Australia, the Singapore Australia Business Alliance Forum (SABAF) and many leading corporations and institutions.

The Singapore-China Young Business Ambassadors Programme 2004 — Present

The Singapore-Chinese Young Business Ambassadors programme was inaugurated in 2004, when a Memorandum of Understanding was signed between SIF, the Shanghai Municipal Office for the Introduction of Foreign Experts and the Shanghai People's Association for Friendship with Foreign Countries. Launched in April 2004, the first batch of Singapore-China YBAs started their 10-week stints in each other's countries in June of that year. To date, 23 Singaporeans and Chinese between the ages of 21 and 35 have spent up to ten weeks working and living in each other’s countries.