The Netherlands is One of the Global Leaders in Talent Competitiveness
Holland moves up to 6th place in INSEAD Global Talent Competitiveness Index 2020
The Netherlands has been named as one of the world’s best countries for talent competitiveness. The annual Global Talent Competitiveness Index 2020 (GTCI 2020) ranks the Netherlands 6th, up two places from 8th in 2019
GTCI is compiled by the international business school INSEAD, together with The Adecco Group and Google. It is an annual benchmarking report that measures and ranks countries based on their ability to grow, attract and retain talent. Launched for the first time in 2014, the GTCI provides a wealth of data and analysis that helps decision makers develop talent strategies, overcome talent mismatches and become more competitive in the global marketplace.
The Netherlands is impressive when growing talent
According to the report, the Netherlands scores well on nurturing talent for the future. The specific GTCI Country Report on the Netherlands remarks: “The Netherlands is most impressive when it comes to growing talent (3rd), where it posts high scores in all three sub-pillars: Formal Education (5th), Lifelong Learning (4th), and Access to Growth Opportunities (2nd). The country is also a top performer in the pillars Enable (5th), Vocational and Technical Skills (6th), and Retain (7th), where some of its greatest assets include a conducive Business and Labour Landscape (5th), robust Sustainability (6th), and talent that matches the needs of the economy well (Employability, 5th).”
The Dutch are strong in technology adoption
This year again, the GTCI model has been refined and improved. Some variables have been removed or replaced and a few new ones have been added. One of the main new features is the introduction of a ‘Technology adoption’ component that provides a measure of how countries use and invest in new technologies, including AI. In a press release INSEAD mentions that AI is increasingly the focus of global competition. The United States, China, the European Union, and several other leading economies have put forth AI strategies, each with different approaches and priorities with regard to deployment, development, ethics, regulation, and global cooperation.
AI is a game-changer in every industry and sector, also for the Netherlands
“There is little question that AI is a game-changer in every industry and sector. At this critical juncture, the race for AI-capable and AI-compatible talent and the quest to develop the skills required will only intensify,” commented Bruno Lanvin, Executive Director of Global Indices at INSEAD, and co-editor of the report, noting that, “As talent becomes increasingly fluid and mobile, some early AI adopters could leverage this to become more talent competitive, however there are also signs that the ubiquity of AI is amplifying current imbalances and inequalities.”
Dutch National Action Plan AI
To be prepared for the future, the Dutch government launched the National Strategic Action Plan AI in October 2019. The Netherlands has a good starting point when it comes to research on and applications of AI. The aim of the government is to keep the Dutch economy globally competitive by stimulating AI on the basis of the principle that people and businesses can be confident that AI will be used with care. The action plan is aimed at exploiting the opportunities of AI and is comprised of, among other things, funding for researchers and entrepreneurs. In comparison to a lot of other national AI strategies, the action plan also addresses essential conditions for successfully using AI in education, data use, digital infrastructure and the protection of the rights of citizens within appropriate ethical and legal frameworks.
Source: GTCI 2020 and INSEAD press release
30 January 2020