Talent Development Determines the Future of a Nation | |
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Date | 2023-06-29 |
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Talent Development Determines the Future of
a Nation
Jangsoo Ryu | President of KRIVET
The theme of the World Economic Forum 2023 held in Davos in January
was “Cooperation in a Fragmented World”. Global leaders agreed with the urgency
of establishing a foundation for a sustainable and resilient world amid various
political, economic and social crises, including digital transformation, war,
disasters, inequality and climate change. Talent development is becoming
increasingly important as it serves as both a fundamental foundation for a
sustainable and resilient world and offers creative solutions to interconnected
issues in today’s world of polycrisis.
Talent development: A core strategy that shapes the future of a
nation
The global competition for talent development is becoming fierce as
we look towards the future. Major countries like the US and China are making
astounding investments in strategic technologies such as artificial
intelligence (AI) and quantum technology, as they engage in a global battle for
technological dominance.
The advancement of AI technology is spurring fundamental change in
the way we learn, work and interact. Consequently, the race to secure top
talent, who produce high added value, will become further intensified.
Governments around the world are indeed prioritizing talent development among
their strategies for technological competitiveness, leading to various policy
initiatives in this field. In 2021, the UK unveiled its National AI Strategy
for the upcoming decade, aiming to enhance its global position as a leader in
AI technologies. Furthermore, in 2022, it announced the AI Action Plan for the
UK government’s comprehensive AI activities. Emphasizing attracting and
retaining top AI talent, the UK government said it will vitalize their AI
ecosystem by taking active measures and cooperating closely with industry,
academia and civil society. Essentially, the UK believes that talent
development is at the core of establishing its AI ecosystem and is introducing
support policies.
Japan, a nation whose cities are shrinking due to population decline
and aging, is also taking policy measures to secure regional professional
talent by establishing regional platforms that connect local institutions of
higher education, local self-governing bodies and industry. Moreover, Japan is
nurturing talent continuously by establishing advanced digital faculties in regional
universities. At the same time, the government announced it will increase the
enrolment capacity of digital technology-related departments of universities in
Tokyo starting next year ? a painstaking decision by the Japanese government in
fear of falling behind as a result of its labor shortage.
Launching the Human Capital Development Strategy Meeting to lay the
foundation for national talent development
The 1st Human Capital Development Strategy Meeting was launched on February
to establish and implement a comprehensive and systemic talent development
policy at the national level. Chaired by President Yoon, the public-private
partnership meeting was attended by government members such as relevant
ministers and civil experts. The meeting will play a central role in promoting
comprehensive talent development policies by joining expertise in academia,
technology, industry and employment and reinforcing cooperation between
ministries. This year, the meeting started off with a discussion on the
establishment of the Basic Law on National Talent Development, which will help
the nation build a national control tower that oversees and coordinates talent
development policies by ministry and manages plans and performance.
Held under the slogan of “Talent who revitalizes regions, South
Korea where thriving is fueled by talent”, the 1st Human Capital Development
Strategy Meeting focused on talent development strategies for five core domains
of cutting-edge technology and establishing the Regional Innovation System and
Education (RISE) for building foundations for local-led talent development. Firstly,
the Korean government establishes a promotional foundation based on
governmentwide cooperation to nurture talent in the five core domains, namely aerospace and future mobility, biohealth, advanced components and materials, digital,
and environment and energy, which require a consolidation of national
competency. Talent development in cutting-edge technology is a contemporary issue
that must be resolved to make Korea a science powerhouse in the global competition
for technological dominance, as well as a key to the government’s core task of
realizing a “regional era” in earnest. Talent development policies will serve
as an important steppingstone for tackling regional decline and achieving
balanced national growth if regional universities, local industries and local
governments can join hands, identify local growth engines and foster talents
tailored to their regions. In the same vein, the RISE, which promotes a local
government-led support paradigm for universities by linking itself with
regional development, and the meaning and achievements of the global university
project, a new policy project that invests in regional universities promoting
innovative changes, are expected to produce a significant socioeconomic ripple
effect.
What are the requirements for talent in the era of ChatGPT?
The world’s eyes are on ChatGPT, a conversational AI chatbot
developed by OpenAI, and its impact on our society. Some view it as an
innovation that will revolutionize the world with its unmatched features, while
some warn that its imperfection may cause ethical issues and misuse. Past
controversies over AI and jobs stirred by AlphaGo are evolving into questions
on whether creativity is a quality only humanity possesses. What we know for
sure is that advanced AI technologies will redefine the standards of talent. The
world has just come out of a long tunnel of the COVID-19 pandemic and is at a crucial
turning point of deciding for a better, resilient future. Our outlooks for the
uncertain future will depend on how nations define and nurture talent. The
Korean government and its talent development policies, consequently, have
reached a critical juncture. |