{"word_count": 257, "character_count": 1792}
In the initial paper ‘Learning to Grow’, the authors argue that a key challenge for middle-income countries is to avoid ‘the middle-income trap’. In this situation, economic growth has come to a halt and a country is unable to transition to the next level in part due to inadequacies in high-level human capital. Taking the example of Singapore as a country that has avoided the middle-income trap, the authors call for ‘a much closer alignment of policies for human capital and economic development’ and a ‘human capital focussed development strategy’. In his answer, Professor Gopinathan from the National University of Singapore, analyses some key conditions that were crucial for Singapore’s success and questions whether the model could be exported to other contexts.&#160;Initial contribution:Raymond Saner, Professor Titular at Basel University (Department of Economics and Management). He is also a Professor at Sciences Po, Paris  and at the University of Applied Sciences and Arts Northwestern Switzerland (FHNW). He is the co-founder of the Centre for Socio-Eco-Nomic Development (CSEND).Lichia Saner Yiu, Co-founder and president of the Centre for Socio-Eco-Nomic Development (CSEND), a Geneva based research and development organisation and visiting professor at National Chengchi University, Taipei.Learning to Grow: A Human Capital-focused Development Strategy, with Lessons from SingaporeReaction and Analysis:S. Gopinathan, Adjunct Professor, Lee Kuan Yew School of Public Policy, National University of SingaporeA Response to R. Saner and L. Yiu’s Learning to Grow: A Human Capital-Focussed Development Strategy, with Lessons from SingaporeDownload the whole debate (pdf)We invite the initial authors and any interested readers to share their comments and views.&#160;&#160;