Gov’t think tank says talent policy a long-term plan

2013-11-26

From：Macau Daily Times

On the heels of the government’s 2014 master plan focused on fostering talents, its think tank – the Macau SAR Policy Research Office – has released an article supporting the idea.
The article was published by the Information Broadcast System (IBS) under the byline of Mi Jian, principal consultant of the Office.
He said that the local government is aiming to implement a long-term mechanism to cultivate local talent because it has realized its importance to the future sustainable development of Macau. “People in society have observed that while all sectors in Macau, say economy, politics, law, culture and education, are progressing, the problem of talent shortage stands out. And as the city is moving toward the goal of becoming ‘one center’ (a world center for leisure tourism) and ‘one platform’ (a regional trade and business service platform), this imbalance will only become more obvious, which could be a key hindering factor in Macau’s future construction and growth,” argues the consultant.
Mi points out that common precedents from other countries and regions indicate that the more advanced a society, the more it requires sufficient talent support. He believes that the shortage of talent doesn’t mean there is no talent in Macau, but that it is a problem caused by the city’s development.
Due to this, the government has decided to combine the education of residents with talent fostering.
In the latter part of the article, Mi calls for participation from all social sectors and residents. “This goal cannot be met by the  government without concern, support and cooperation from other sectors.” According to Mi, the system “should get started in primary and secondary schools via professional education. Then the process can continue to the field of higher education. The government can work with private institutions; education combined with practice as well as interaction of enterprises with the community. A comprehensive, all-round cultivation scheme can be formed.”
He stresses that fostering talents is a “big project” that will take a long time. “Regarding the system and measures we have put forth, some can inaugurate immediately, but some will need further research and preparation before they can be carried out. The most important thing is that we have set the goal and will spare no effort to realize it.”
The article concluded by asserting that for Macau, the talent plan is not a short-term measure but has eyes on the future and on Macau’s next generation. Mi quoted a Chinese proverb: “Give a man a fish and you feed him for a day. Teach a man to fish and you feed him for a lifetime.”

Copyright@Macau Daily Times