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OAS Co-organizes Forum on "Global Talent 2021: Global Business Transformation and Human Talent in Colombia"

Sponsored by the Organization of American States (OAS), the University of the Andes, the Mission of Colombia to the OAS and the Colombo-American Chamber of Commerce, the forum "Global Talent 2021: Global Business Transformation and Human Talent in Colombia," which focused on the implications for Colombia of the global business transformation and the new geography of talent analyzed in the study Global Talent 2021, took place today in Bogotá.

In her opening remarks, the Executive Secretary for Integral Development (SEDI) of the OAS, Sherry Tross, explained, "The study Global Talent 2021, the purpose of today's meeting and which covers 46 countries, uses empirical data to show how the global economy has encouraged a new understanding of human development, education, and training - including academic, professional and vocational education." The study, conducted by the consulting firm Oxford Economics, also "examines how business and education systems are preparing to respond to the constant changes in supply and demand for talent," said Executive Secretary Tross.

"These needs represent a great challenge for our governments, businesses, labor sectors and educational systems," said the OAS official. "Also, this transformation opens windows of opportunity. This initiative seeks to unite the efforts of the public, private and academic sectors to meet the challenges related to the development of human capital and talent," she added.

Executive Secretary Tross recalled that the SEDI accepted an invitation to be a member of the Management Committee of Oxford Economics which guided the scope of the study. "We decided to use the results of this research as inputs in the relevant high level sectoral discussions of the OAS related to development, and to promote a dialogue between the public, private, and academic sectors on the public policies of the 10 Member States of the OAS that, like Colombia, are part of this study," said the Executive Secretary.

During the forum, participants discussed the impact for Colombia of the changes analyzed in the study, and how to improve coordination between government, the private sector and academia to meet the challenges of training and the management of human talent.

Participating in the event were the President of the University of the Andes, Pablo Navas Sanz de Santamaria; the Executive Director of the Colombo-American Chamber of Commerce, Camilo Reyes Rodriguez; the Representative of the Inter-American Development Bank in Colombia, Rafael de la Cruz; and several businessmen, representatives of the Colombian government, and academics.

For more information, please visit the OAS Website at www.oas.org.

Reference: E-155/13