S'pore beats Switzerland to become world's most talent-competitive country, 1st time in history

Singapore, not Switzerland, is now the world's most talent-competitive country, according to a new report.

It took the top spot in Insead's Global Talent Competitiveness Index (GTCI) for the first time since the ranking was launched in 2013.

In a Nov. 26 press release, the business school published its findings, which showed Switzerland slipping to second place.

The GTCI report covers 77 indicators across 135 countries, representing over 97 per cent of global GDP.

It is audited by the European Commission's Joint Research Centre.

Singapore was the only Asian country that made it to the top 20, with the upper rankings largely dominated by European economies.

Among other high-ranking Asian countries were Japan, at number 28, and South Korea, at 31.

Why Singapore

The report pointed to Singapore's education system and adaptive workforce as the factors that drove it to the top spot.

It was ranked first for Generalist Adaptive Skills, including soft skills, digital literacy, and innovation-oriented thinking.

Paul Evans, co-editor of the report, also noted that economies that cultivate adaptable and AI-literate workforces tend to be better able to sustain long-term competitiveness.

Lily Fang, Insead's dean of research and innovation, added:

"This year’s report should be seen as much more than a race between nations.

It offers leaders thoughtful points of reflection on how to integrate powerful technologies, such as AI, into the grand pursuit of human progress."

Top image via Canva