本研究探討教育相關變項是否與國際競爭力有關。資料是取自美國國家科學理事會及瑞士國際管理發展研究所之統計資料。結果顯出代表教育潛在變項之「每千人中研發人員數」單獨可解釋「競爭力」60%之變異量。本研究對教育政策有所啟示：以台灣為例，台灣與瑞士皆為天然資源稀少且國內市場狹小的小國家，其國際競爭力有賴人力資本，尤其是研發人員之創新。培養更多的研發人力為教育可對競爭力有所貢獻之處。

This study investigates whether education-related variables have a relationship with international competitiveness. Analyzing data-bases statistics from the National Science Board and the International Institute for Management Development, the present study shows that: “R&D personnel per 1,000 people,” which represents the latent variable “education,” standing alone, can explain 60% of variance in competitiveness. The result of the present study has implication for educational policymaking. The situation of Taiwan, as an example, is analogous to that of Switzerland. They are small countries with scarce resources and limited domestic market. Their international competitiveness hangs on human capital, especially on innovations by R&D personnel. To cultivate more and more creative R&D personnel is the contribution education can make to competitiveness.