INSEAD and the Portulans Institute released the 2025 Global Talent Competitiveness Index ranking Singapore No. 1, displacing Switzerland after a decade. The report — authored by Felipe Monteiro and colleagues with a foreword from Lily Fang — evaluates 135 economies on the ability to enable, attract, grow and retain talent across education quality, institutional strength and innovation capacity. For universities and research offices, the shift signals intensifying competition for skilled students and faculty and underscores the value of linking vocational, adaptive and higher‑education programs to national talent strategies. Institutions in top‑ranked economies may see headwinds in recruiting unless they strengthen global partnerships and upskill offerings to match market needs.