In his speech, Mr Wong, who is also Chairman of Singbridge International, said the forum is a good and timely platform to discuss the new trends of global talent mobility and new opportunities and challenges. He noted that many countries, such as China and Singapore, have been aware of the new opportunities of attracting and leveraging the professional force to enhance national competitiveness.

However, these dramatic changes also raise many policy and management questions, and social issues, such as how a country should attract foreign talent without losing the focus on developing local human capital and utilising local talent. The forum enables experts to discuss facts and ideas from different angles and to provide insights to address these issues better. Mr Wong also highlighted that Singapore is a model of effective management of manpower for its economic and social development.

Some of the topics discussed at the forum include how to promote innovative collaboration between the public and private sectors so that countries can remain attractive to both global and indigenous talents, and how to turn demographic challenges, such as an ageing workforce, into an opportunity and competitive advantage by adjusting and making the best use of longer life-spans.

Professor Alan Chan, Dean, College of Humanities, Arts, and Social Sciences at NTU said, “The need to build a highly skilled work force and to attract talent in an increasingly competitive global market is a top priority for many countries today. This priority is shared by all stakeholders including governments, educators, trade groups and corporations. This forum will stimulate participants to think in new ways about how to attract and retain human talents, which impact significantly on the future economic competitiveness of countries worldwide.”

Associate Professor Wu Wei, Director, China Affairs Office and Director, Nanyang Centre for Public Administration said, “NTU is privileged to work with SAFEA to bring this forum to Singapore, while leveraging the agency’s extensive experience in advancing talent training and development work in China. As one of the world's largest and fastest-growing economies, China offers an important window into how major economies are addressing human capital issues and challenges. The forum marks an important milestone in the University’s strategic plan to forge a New Silk Road of ideas that bridges the best of the East with the West.”

To facilitate a cross-cultural discussion, eminent speakers from public and private sectors as well as academics in the field of global talent studies from Singapore, China and other countries will share their thoughts at the Forum. They include Mr Liu Yanguo, Deputy Administrator of SAFEA, China; international migration policy expert Dr Howard Duncan, Executive Head, Metropolis, Canada; Mr Peter Felix, President, Association of Executive Search Consultants; and Dr Wang Huiyao, Vice President of the Western Returned Scholars Association, China, another leading authority on global talent, overseas Chinese and migration issues.

International News Magazine 20130603