brain drain essay advantages and disadvantages

Positive and negative effects of brain drain

October 22, 2017
General , Society

Brain drain is a constant source of concern in most countries that rank lower in the development index, and countries suffering from political or religious instability. On the face of it, it is difficult to support a process that ultimately entails a country losing valuable human resource. However, some would argue that brain drain is inevitable and even necessary. In this article, we will look at both sides, and the factors that prompt this phenomenon.

What is brain drain?

First of all, we need to know what brain drain is.

In layman’s terms, brain drain is described as the phenomenon that involves migration of educated and/or talented individuals from one country to another. There are a variety of factors contributing to this process, namely, poverty, political/religious strife, poor standard of living, and lack of opportunities in the home country. This is seen mostly in lesser developed nations, as the educated and skilled workforce leave their country of origin and move to better developed areas for search of work and a better standard of life. This can even happen in the form of educational migration; youngsters leave their country of origin to a different country for better educational prospects and often settle in the area they have migrated to.

Different people, different opinions

It is not easy to lay down the benefits and drawbacks of brain drain in black and white terms. The benefits and drawbacks will vary from person to person, and will be different from different perspectives. For instance, the country that imports the skilled workforce will certainly support the process as it helps to build their economy, but the country that these people are migrating from will vehemently oppose this process as it makes them lose some very important people. On the other hand, the person who is migrating will be in favor of brain drain since it leads to personal gain, while the residents of the country where this person has moved to might feel cheated out of a possible job by an immigrant.

Positive for the expatriate:

A person leaving a country to work in another place is usually motivated by better standard of living and better pay. In less developed countries, a person usually have to spend a lot on education , which means that they must take up a job that can pay off this amount ad leave enough to lead a decent life. In most underdeveloped and developed nations, this poses a challenge with wither fewer jobs available, or with none of the jobs paying high enough to fulfill these criteria. An individual moving to a more developed country gets these requirements fulfilled. Besides, this usually translates to earning in a higher valued currency, which means a better standard of living for their family at home, if this is the case.

Mixed feelings in receiving nation

People in the developed countries that see a lot of emigrations in the form of brain drain can feel lost in these circumstances. Most immigrants are willing to work at a lower salary than any resident of the country would, and this is a great opportunity for companies to hire people who are more than or just as skilled as their indigenous workforce and pay less for the same. This means that the practice of brain drain translates to lower number of job opportunities for the natives of a country, who have to work extra hard to outperform the people who are hired from other countries. This, in severe cases, might translate to widespread unemployment for indigenous residents of a country.

Negative for the home country:

The country that experiences brain drain is faced with a great problem: lack of human resources. The more erudite and talented people move away to settle in more developed nations, the less chances for the home country of developing. Without skilled workforce and fresh ideas, the country’s infrastructure will start to collapse, or at least become stagnant with no improvement. For instance, if most civil engineers and skilled surgeons migrate from a country to a different one in search for better opportunities, the home country will fail to build new roads and buildings, and the medical sector will be in shambles. This happens in every sector. If educated people are hired by foreign companies to work in foreign soil, this will mean that no innovation will ever be made. This will lead to more people leaving, starting off a vicious cycle.

It is not easy to decide whether brain drain brings benefits or bad times; it all depends on where on the line you are standing. one thing is for sure: no one would want to leave their home country and go to a place were their reception will probably be lukewarm at best, but people are still forced to undertake this journey every day. The only way to stop this is to create opportunities and improve infrastructure and that truly lies in the hands of the administration.

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Nicely elaborated the meaning and the effects

What Is Brain Drain?

Understanding brain drain.

Reducing Brain Drain
Brain Drain FAQs

The Bottom Line

Brain drain: definition, causes, effects, and examples.

brain drain essay advantages and disadvantages

Katrina Ávila Munichiello is an experienced editor, writer, fact-checker, and proofreader with more than fourteen years of experience working with print and online publications.

Investopedia / Mira Norian

Brain drain is a slang term that indicates a substantial emigration or migration of individuals. A brain drain can result from turmoil within a nation, the existence of favorable professional opportunities in other countries, or a desire to seek a higher standard of living . In addition to occurring geographically, brain drain may also occur at the organizational or industrial levels when workers perceive better pay, benefits, or upward mobility within another company or industry.

Key Takeaways

Brain drain is a slang term indicating substantial emigration or migration of individuals.
Brain drain can result from political turmoil or the existence of more favorable professional opportunities elsewhere.
It causes countries, industries, and organizations to lose a core portion of valuable individuals
Some of the consequences of brain drain include the loss of tax revenue.
One of the best ways to reduce brain drain is to boost government investment in the local economy.

As noted above, brain drain is the movement of people from one area to another. Brain drain often occurs between countries and cities where they can find better opportunities. They may move to look for work or a better standard of living. Brain drain can also refer to the movement of professionals between corporations and/or industries for better pay or opportunities.

Brain drain causes countries, industries, and organizations to lose a core portion of valuable individuals. The term is often used to describe the departure of certain professionals, including groups of doctors, healthcare workers, scientists, engineers, or financial professionals. When these people leave , the places they leave are harmed in two main ways:

Expertise is lost with each emigrant, diminishing the supply of that profession.
The (country's) economy is harmed because each professional represents surplus spending units.

Professionals often earn large salaries, so their departure reduces consumer spending in that region or the country overall.

Geographic, Organizational, and Industrial Brain Drain

Brain drain can occur on several levels: geographic, organizational, and industrial brain drain.

Geographic Brain Drain

Geographic brain drain happens when talented professionals flee one country or region and end up moving to a country that they feel gives them better and more opportunities.

Several common causes precipitate brain drain on the geographic level including political instability, poor quality of life , limited access to health care, and a shortage of economic opportunity. These factors prompt skilled and talented workers to leave source countries for places that offer better opportunities.

Organizational and Industrial Brain Drain

Organizational brain drain involves the mass exodus of talented workers from a company, often because they sense instability, a lack of opportunity within the company, or they may feel that they can realize their career goals more easily at another company. Industrial brain drain happens when skilled workers exit not only a company but an entire industry .

These two forms of brain drain are usually a byproduct of a rapidly evolving economic landscape in which companies and industries unable to keep up with technological and societal changes lose their best workers to those that can.

Causes of Brain Drain

So what causes brain drain? As noted above, there are several underlying factors that lead to this phenomenon. They can vary, though, based on the type of brain drain.

Some of the main reasons why people choose to leave their home countries/regions include:

Economic opportunities, including new and better jobs, higher standards of living, access to housing and health care
Political strife and instability
Persecution based on religion, gender, or sexuality

While most brain drain is geographic, there is some brain drain that occurs as a result of situational factors. For instance, skilled workers may leave companies and industries when machines and technology replace human labor.

Brain drain is also known as a human capital flight,

Effects of Brain Drain

Brain drain can have major consequences. The effects are felt not only in the area where the brain drain occurs but also where the brain gain (where individuals move to) takes place. And it can often have a chain reaction.

Areas affected by brain drain end up with a dearth of human capital . Professionals who go elsewhere end up leaving a large hole to fill—one that isn't always easy to fill. Consider medical professionals in developing nations who move to parts of the developed world for better opportunities. There may not be enough (qualified) people to replace them when they leave, which affects the quality of health care for those left behind.

Another effect on areas that experience brain drain is the loss of revenue . Governments rely on income taxes to fund their social programs and infrastructure projects. A mass exodus leads to a drop in tax receipts which can stunt economic growth and development.

Areas that see brain gain are also impacted. Some of these factors include overcrowding (especially in major metropolitan areas where more opportunities are available). More people in one area puts a strain on resources, which can lead to higher prices and taxes.

Measures to Reduce Brain Drain

While there isn't an easy fix for brain drain, there are some things that business and government leaders can do to reduce or minimize it. These include:

Increasing investments into certain areas of the economy
Offering competitive wages
Paving the way for legal and social reform
Improving the quality of resources, such as housing and health care
Providing affordable housing solutions

Examples of Brain Drain

Ukraine brain drain.

War and conflict are big catalysts for brain drain. This was evident following Russia's invasion of Ukraine. Studies conducted by the European Parliament indicate a massive displacement of the country's population across the European Union (EU). One of the main areas the study examined was the movement of students. The number of students leaving Ukraine doubled from 25,000 to 50,000 between 2007 and 2014. That number jumped to about 78,000 by 2019. The majority of these students were enrolled in post-secondary institutions in Poland.

Some professionals leaving Ukraine are having a tough time finding work in their fields in other countries because of a lack of available work or transferrable skills. As such, some are choosing to take on lower-paying jobs to find a sense of security and safety.

But it isn't just Ukraine that's experiencing a brain drain. In fact, Russia is experiencing a flight of human capital, too. Economic sanctions placed on the country by the U.S., the United Kingdom, and Canada, are having a profound impact on Russian citizens. The federal government also has laws in place punishing citizens who support Ukraine. It's estimated that as many as 200,000 Russians left the country.

Puerto Rico Brain Drain

Brain drain was a significant consequence of the ongoing Puerto Rican debt crisis as of 2019. This was particularly evident in the exodus of skilled medical professionals, which hit the island hard. While almost half of Puerto Rico's residents receive Medicare or Medicaid , the island receives significantly fewer federal funds to pay for these programs than similarly sized states on the mainland, such as Mississippi.

This lack of funding combined with the island's dire financial situation precludes its ability to offer competitive compensation to doctors, nurses, and other medical staff. As a result, such professionals were reported to be leaving the island en masse for more lucrative opportunities on the mainland.

This form of brain drain was also exacerbated by Hurricane Maria, which hit the island in September 2017, creating even more incentives for emigration .

What Does Brain Drain Mean?

Brain drain is a slang term that alludes to the loss of human capital from one area to another or from one industry to another. Brain drain usually happens when skilled individuals and professionals leave the home countries (in most cases, developing nations) and go elsewhere to take advantage of better opportunities. It also occurs when individuals leave one area of the workforce and go to another for some of the same reasons.

How Does Economic Growth Help Fight Brain Drain?

Brain drain occurs when there is a lack of opportunity in a certain area. For instance, professionals living in a developing nation may leave in search of better opportunities in parts of the developed world. Making economic investments to boost growth often provides incentives for people to stay, as it means access to better (and more) resources, personal economic prosperity, and the potential for a higher standard of living.

What Impact Does Brain Drain Have on Developing Nations?

Brain drain or the exodus of human capital often has a big impact on developing nations. It often leaves a hole that is hard to fill since there may not be as many people with similar skills to fill that void. It also leads to a loss in tax revenue, which can lead to higher taxation to make up for the shortfall. Citizens may not be able to access quality resources, such as education and health care, which also affects their quality of life.

Human capital is a vital part of the economy. But when conditions get tough, these individuals may look elsewhere for better jobs, higher pay, and an improved standard of living. A mass exodus of people can lead to what's called brain drain. When human capital is depleted from a certain area, it can have lasting effects on the local economy.

European Parliament. " RUSSIA'S WAR ON UKRAINE: UKRAINIAN STUDENTS IN THE EU ."

NBC News. " A brain drain is devastating Ukraine ."

BBC News. " Russia faces brain drain as thousands flee abroad ."

Center on Budget and Policy Procedures. " Puerto Rico's Medicaid Program Needs an Ongoing Commitment of Federal Funds ."

National Provider Identifier (NPI) Dashboard. " 2020 Update -- Aftermath of Hurricane Maria and the Emigration of Health Care Professionals to Mainland US ."

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. " National Hurricane Center, Tropical Cyclone Report: Hurricane Maria ," Page 2.

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Brain Drain Essay

Essay on Brain Drain

Brain Drain is defined as the emigration or migration of individuals of talents and skills from developing or under-developed countries to developed ones. It means impoverishment of intellectuals, professionals, and technical resources of one country and enriching another. It is also known as the mass departure of skillful resources from a country. It brings a potential economic decline to the nation. Brain Drain subjects to a vital threat before a country. This migration results in a great loss to the countries where they are born and educated. Higher education is one of the important reasons for permanent emigration.

We, at Vedantu, have provided the students with an essay on brain drain with two perspectives in mind. The first one is the concept of making the students understand what is brain drain and next, to make them develop their essay writing skills which are useful in several ways including the need to write essays for improving their writing skills, for making good answers in the exams, to help the students prepare better result for themselves by going through this process.

The term ‘Brain Drain’ was first used by the United Kingdom in 1960 when the skilled workforce started emigrating from the developing or under-developed countries to the developed countries (first world countries). It refers to the situation when highly qualified and trained people leave his/her own country to permanently settle down in other developed countries. It is also known as human capital flight. With the beginning of globalization, ideas, opinions, skills in the form of labor started being exchanged between the nations.

This concept of Brain Drain is a matter of serious concern for any nation because it takes off individuals from their homeland to another foreign land. Often people go abroad to pursue higher education and settle there because of better work and attractive pay packages. Talented, skilled, and experienced professionals migrate to other countries for better career prospects. They get attracted by better standards of living and quality of life, higher salaries, access to advanced technology, and more stable political conditions in the developed countries which lead to migration from less developed countries.

The factors for the rise of Brain Drain are also called Push and Pull factors. The Push factors are the factors connected to the country of origin and Pull factors are the factors connected with the country of destination.

Push Factors:

The basic facility is not congenial for research and education in the institutions.

Under-employment for thousands of engineering graduates, scientific and technical manpower waiting for respective assignments.

Political instability.

Poor quality of living.

Limited access to health care facilities.

Less economic opportunity.

Pull Factors:

Better Economic prospects.

Better Research facilities.

Employment Opportunities.

Relative Political Stability.

Modern Education System and a better chance of advancement.

There are Three Types of Brain Drain

Geographical Brain Drain: This refers to the emigration of highly skilled professionals to other developing countries in search of better-paying jobs. It creates a negative impact on the economic development of the homeland.

Organizational Brain Drain: This refers to the departure of experienced and talented individuals from one organization to another. This exodus can be very harmful to organizations.

Industrial Brain Drain: This refers to the movement of skilled and trained workers from one industry to another for a better salary. This causes a shortage of experienced workers in the industry from where they depart.

Overall, Brain Drain is a widespread phenomenon these days. Many developing and under-developed countries are suffering from the loss of talents and skilled professionals like India, Africa, and Arab countries. The governments and private firms should take some strict measures to control this by aiming towards a better and friendlier atmosphere. They should provide better working conditions, improve infrastructure in educational institutions, create more employment opportunities, increase salaries and develop rural places. Making laws and strictly implementing them should check discrimination and bias at workplaces. Incentives should be given to youngsters from going abroad in search of work. These action plans can solve the problem of Brain Drain.

10 facts on Brain Drain Essay

The Brain Drain is the migration of talented geniuses from their homeland to other countries in search of a better life and jobs.

It occurs when people go out and settle abroad for their jobs or for making careers.

People often go abroad for their higher studies and after having finished their studies, they settle over there and do not return to their homeland which also causes brain drain.

It is of vital concern especially for developing countries like India, where it can have negative effects.

Countries like India keep losing citizens who have the potential and talent to change the economic conditions of the country.

However, Brain Drain is a call for hope for the countries to which the people migrate for their jobs or studies.

The countries which receive the migrating people from the other countries benefit a lot from them.

The problem of brain drain can be easily solved by providing better working conditions, good pay, and other facilities in the home country to the people.

Political disturbances are amongst one the other causes of brain drain.

Brain Drain also occurs in some countries as a result of poor living conditions for the people which pushes them to migrate to other countries.

Study the different points related to brain drain and compile a good essay on this topic. Learn more about this topic and seek assistance from Vedantu to get the best words on paper. Score well by brilliantly scribing this essay in exams and competitions.

FAQs on Brain Drain Essay

1. What is Brain Drain?

Brain Drain is the mass departure of talented and skilled individuals from a developing or under-developed country to a developing country. The Brain drain in simple words is defined as the migration of personnel in search of a better standard of living, quality of life, higher salaries, access to advanced technology, and more stable political conditions in the different places of the world. It is a condition which is fairly not good for the developing countries as they tend to suffer a major loss due to this.

2. What are Push Factors?

Push Factors are factors that are associated with the country of origin. The push factors are factors that motivate a person to migrate from their country or the region of living to another country in search of better jobs and living. The push factors are often used in a negative connotation, as they often consist of problems, distressing situations, and political or economic failures, depicting the poor conditions of the country. Also, this is a situation of loss for the country.

3. What is Organizational Brain Drain?

Organizational Brain Drain refers to the departure of experienced and talented individuals from one organization to another. This is similar to the original concept of brain drain. The concept involves the shift of employees from one organization to the other due to various reasons which include the movement due to organizational issues like poor working conditions, low pays, unhealthy work environment, etc. due to which the organization faces a challenge in many ways like the building of poor reputation within the industry and the like.

4. How to Prevent Brain Drain?

There are a lot of ways in which both the companies and countries can stop the problem of brain dragon some of which include the following:

To prevent the problem of Brain Drain, the governments of developing and under-developed countries should take stern measures of providing better working conditions to the employees in the form of infrastructure, health, travel, and other such measures.

The government must try to create more employment opportunities in the country itself so the people do not need to move by bringing in projects, developments, etc.

The government must try stopping discrimination with the people in all forms be it in terms of discrimination on the basis of age, gender, culture, religion, and others and any bias among employees.

The government must also work on the development of rural places to generate employment opportunities in the rural areas of the country.

5. Where can I get an Essay on Brain Drain?

The students can easily get essays on brain drain from the website of Vedantu for free of cost. The students will also have the access to many more new concepts which will help them in understanding better the different topics that persist. Vedantu also helps the students by providing them with other study material and resources like sample papers, previous year’s question papers, and other important resources that will help them in preparing for the exam and writing better answers.

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Brain Drain: Causes, Consequences, and Solutions

Categories: Brain Drain Human Migration

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Published: Sep 7, 2023

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Causes of brain drain, consequences of brain drain, solutions to address brain drain, case study: india's approach.

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Brain drain from developing countries: how can brain drain be converted into wisdom gain?

Brain drain is defined as the migration of health personnel in search of the better standard of living and quality of life, higher salaries, access to advanced technology and more stable political conditions in different places worldwide. This migration of health professionals for better opportunities, both within countries and across international borders, is of growing concern worldwide because of its impact on health systems in developing countries. Why do talented people leave their countries and go abroad? What are the consequences of such migrations especially on the educational sector? What policies can be adopted to stem such movements from developing countries to developed countries?

This article seeks to raise questions, identify key issues and provide solutions which would enable immigrant health professionals to share their knowledge, skills and innovative capacities and thereby enhancing the economic development of their countries.

INTRODUCTION

Brain drain is the migration of skilled human resources for trade, education, etc. 1 Trained health professionals are needed in every part of the world. However, better standards of living and quality of life, higher salaries, access to advanced technology and more stable political conditions in the developed countries attract talent from less developed areas. The majority of migration is from developing to developed countries. This is of growing concern worldwide because of its impact on the health systems in developing countries. These countries have invested in the education and training of young health professionals. This translates into a loss of considerable resources when these people migrate, with the direct benefit accruing to the recipient states who have not forked out the cost of educating them. The intellectuals of any country are some of the most expensive resources because of their training in terms of material cost and time, and most importantly, because of lost opportunity.

In 2000 almost 175 million people, or 2.9% of the world’s population, were living outside their country of birth for more than a year. Of these, about 65 million were economically active. 2 This form of migration has in the past involved many health professionals 3 : nurses and physicians have sought employment abroad for many reasons including high unemployment in their home country.

International migration first emerged as a major public health concern in the 1940s when many European professionals emigrated to the UK and USA. 4 In the 1970s, the World Health Organization (WHO) published a detailed 40-country study on the magnitude and flow of the health professionals. 5 According to this report, close to 90% of all migrating physicians, were moving to just five countries: Australia, Canada, Germany, UK and USA. 5

In 1972, about 6% of the world’s physicians (140 000) were located outside their countries of origin. Over three-quarters were found in only three countries: in order of magnitude, the USA, UK and Canada. 6 The main donor countries reflected colonial and linguistic ties, with a dominance of Asian countries: India, Pakistan and Sri Lanka. By linking the number of physicians per 10 000 population to gross domestic product (GDP) per capita , the countries that produced more physicians than they had the capacity to absorb were identified 7 as Egypt, India, Pakistan, Philippines and South Korea. However, the lack of reliable data and the difficulties of defining whether a migrant is ‘permanent’ or ‘temporary’ still exist.

One may claim that this migration from developing countries is both useful and unavoidable. There are definite advantages—enabling the migrant to spend time in other countries—but at the same time, the very low emigration rate of professionals from USA or UK may be as disturbing a sign as the high rates of immigration to these countries.

Young, well-educated, healthy individuals are most likely to migrate, especially in pursuit of higher education and economic improvement. 8 , 9 The distinction between ‘push’ and ‘pull’ factors has been recognized. 10 Continuing disparities in working conditions between richer and poorer countries offer a greater ‘pull’ towards the more developed countries. The role of governments and recruitment agencies in systematically encouraging the migration of health professionals increases the pull. 10 Migrant health professionals are faced with a combination of economic, social and psychological factors, and family choices 11 , and reflect the ‘push–pull’ nature of the choices underpinning these ‘journeys of hope’. De-motivating working conditions, coupled with low salaries, are set against the likelihood of prosperity for themselves and their families, work in well-equipped hospitals, and the opportunity for professional development. 12

In many cases, the country is not only losing its investment in the education of health professionals, but also the contribution of these workers to health care. For example, healthcare expenditure in India is 3% of GDP compared to 13% of GDP in the USA and the ratio of doctor to patients in India is 1:2083 compared to the USA where the ratio is 1:500. 13 Moreover, in many developing countries healthcare systems are suffering from years of underinvestment, which, for health professionals, has resulted in low wages, poor working conditions, a lack of leadership and very few incentives. 14

Employers in receiving countries take a different position; they have their own shortages of skilled people in specific fields and can drain a developing country of expertise by providing job opportunities. 15 Kupfer et al. provided the strategies to discourage migration to the USA, a major recipient country. 16 However, keeping the social, political and economic conditions in the developing countries in mind, can we stop the brain drain? Probably not!

Higher education is one of the principal conduits of permanent emigration. 17 The majority of doctors acquire specialized and postgraduate professional qualifications in the host country. Half of the foreign-born graduate students in France, UK and USA remain there after completing their studies. 18 Among the doctoral graduates in science and engineering in the USA in 1995, 79% of those from India and 88% from China remained in the USA. 19 The recent study on brain drain from 24 major countries published by the World Bank 20 also presented data on South Asian immigration to the USA ( Table 1 ). Migration to OECD (Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development) countries is also shown in Table 2 . Yet more data showing the momentum and demand for skilled people by high tech and research and development (R&D) industries illustrating accelerated flows of highly skilled workers to OECD countries are shown in Figure 1 .

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Employment of scientists and engineers with doctoral degrees in academia in the USA, 1973–1999. (Adopted from National Science Board. Science and engineering indicators, 2002 [ www.nsf.gov/sbe/srs/seind02/start.htm ])

Number of South Asian immigrants (age 25 and older) to the USA by level of educational attainment, 2000

Immigrants defined as foreign born population in the USA age 25 years or over. Primary education or less corresponds to 0-8 years of schooling; secondary to 9-12 years of schooling, and tertiary to more than 12 years of schooling [Source: A Study of 24 Labor-Exporting Countries . World Bank report, June 2003]

Stock of foreign students in OECD countries, 1998 (obtained from OECD 2002 [ http://www.oecd.org/home/ ]

OECD, Organization for Economic Corporation and Development

These statistics suggest that if developing countries provided world-class education and training opportunities, as well as opportunities for career advancement and employment, the migratory flow could be reduced. 21 However, in reality, this may not make much difference. On the plus side, foreign-born graduates acquire expensive skills which are not available within their countries. On the negative side, these skills and knowledge never migrate back to their own countries.

Besides the pull–push factors described earlier, some researchers from developing countries cite other reasons for not returning after training which include: lack of research funding; poor facilities; limited career structures; poor intellectual stimulation; threats of violence; and lack of good education for children in their home country. 20 Incentives for migrants to return to developing countries have been insufficient to override the limitations at home—both real and perceived—and the attraction of opportunities found abroad. Many of these countries have made significant investments in infrastructure and education but have not achieved the scientific development, technological and innovative capability either to retain or to recover the human capital that they have generated. Is there a solution to this problem? This raises the question of whether one can justify losing human capital or whether one should make the additional investment in science and technology and bring about the innovations that will stop the loss and convert it into wealth generation.

CONVERTING BRAIN DRAIN INTO WISDOM GAIN

Developing countries, especially South Asia, are now the main source of healthcare migration to developed countries. This trend has led to concerns that the outflow of healthcare professionals is adversely affecting the healthcare system in developing countries and, hence, the health of the population. As a result, decision-makers in source countries are searching for policy options to slow down and even reverse the outflow of healthcare professionals. Is it possible to do so? Maybe not, bearing in mind the current political and economic situations of the source countries and globalization. The increasing demand for health care in the higher income countries is fuelled to a large extent by demographic trends, e.g. the ageing of the baby-boom generation. 22

The opening up of international borders for goods and labour, a key strategy in the current liberal global economy, is accompanied by a linguistic shift from ‘human capital flight’ and ‘brain drain’ to ‘professional mobility’ or ‘brain circulation’. 22 Solutions should therefore be based on this wider perspective, interrelating health workforce imbalances between, but also within developing and developed countries.

At current levels, wage differentials between source and destination country are so large that small increases in healthcare wages in source countries are unlikely to affect significantly the supply of healthcare migrants. According to the results of a study in Pakistan, a small proportion of people funded for a doctorate face on return major nonfinancial disincentives for good performance. 23 Thus the financial component of such flows is only part of the picture and in some cases not the major push or pull factor. Moreover, there is a need to review the social, political, and economic reasons behind the exodus, and to provide security and opportunities for further development locally. Lowering of standards should not be accepted; instead local conditions should be reviewed and rectified.

CONTRIBUTIONS BY SHARING KNOWLEDGE AND SKILLS TO DEVELOPING COUNTRIES

It is time to understand and accept that health professionals’ mobility is part of life in the 21st century. Countries need to recognize that they compete with the best institutions in the world for quality manpower. It is time to bury the archaic concept of brain drain and turn to assessing the performance of health professionals and systems, wherever they are in the world. The turn of the 21st century has not only brought technology, but also modes by which scientists around the world can be connected in no time. In this globalized world the physical location of a person may or may not have any relation to the ability to make an impact on human health. Health professionals in the developed world may have most of their work portfolios in the developing world. Easy communication, quick travel, and greater collaborations between developed and developing countries are increasingly more common and we need to develop ways in which foreign professionals can contribute to their countries of origin.

Remittances from expatriates living abroad constitute a significant proportion of foreign revenue for many developing countries. 24 In Bangladesh for example US$ 2 billion is received from citizens who have emigrated overseas, and these remittances are the second largest source of foreign revenue. 25 The transfer and management of remittance revenues are potentially exploitable factors in plumbing the brain drain. Formalizing the transfer of remittances might permit the generation of revenues that could be invested nationally in the social and economic development of the developing home country. However, the magnitude and economic importance of remittances, economic development and growth, and ultimately social equity, depend on the endogenous capacity of each nation’s human resources. If only a small percentage of the multimillion dollar sums sent home by emigrants could be invested in research and development, might not opportunities for highly skilled and educated nationals improve at home? And would this not in turn spur economic development? Maybe to some extent—but without resources and skills, this may not have a huge impact on health and disease prevention.

It has been estimated that foreign scientists from developing countries who are involved in research and development produce 4.5 more publications and 10 times more patents than their counterparts at home. 26 Why is there such a vast difference in productive capacity? The context and conditions in which science and technology are able to prosper require political decisions, funding, infrastructure, technical support, and a scientific community; these are generally unavailable in developing countries. The value and effectiveness of individuals depends on their connection to the people, institutions and organizations that enable knowledge creation, and together constitute a propitious environment. These expatriate scientists and healthcare professionals can contribute their knowledge, clinical and research skills to their native countries by developing collaborative training programmes, research projects and teaching their own countrymen. This requires the commitment of foreign scientists and receptiveness at the other end. Scientists, political leaders and decision-makers in developing and developed countries, and international development agencies, need to appreciate the social and synergistic nature of knowledge sharing so that policies and education systems are designed to promote and enable research and development.

Healthcare services are a rapidly growing sector of the world economy and trade in health services has created diverse means of accessing these services across borders. For example, information technology can provide telemedicine services and telepreventive services. These information technologies can be used as a mode of sharing knowledge and research skills in a cost-effective manner.

One such large network is already in place called supercourse [ www.pitt.edu/∼super1 ] 27 which has connected more than 20 000 scientists, healthcare professionals and researchers together through IT connectivity, and they share their knowledge in the form of teaching lectures (currently there are more than 2000 lectures) for free to a global audience. A similar kind of connectivity needs to be developed by expatriate citizens who can contribute their knowledge and skills to their countries of origin without any major costs. Policies are needed to ensure that these favourable outcomes are realized as an equitable access to the benefits of the international trade in health services.

The availability of both high-quality education and opportunities in research are the keys to retaining and attracting regional talent. The steps taken by China towards becoming a leader in biological research and biotechnology illustrate the empowerment. The scientific leadership positioned China to become the only developing country participating in the Human Genome Project. 28 Experience gained through the participation of its institutions in the Human Genome Project (including large-scale sequencing, the use of bioinformatics and the coordination of multi-centre research protocols) provided the platform for developing biotechnology that can be applied to human diseases and agriculture. The opportunities generated by the Chinese in biotechnology attract both international collaboration in joint ventures and gifted scientists from China and abroad.

A similar example can be replicated in other developing countries with the help of their foreign expatriate citizens who have developed skills in research that are needed in their native countries. This approach to creating targeted educational opportunity together with political decision and investment in science and technology infrastructure provides a good example of a resourceful way of redirecting the brain drain. It is tempting to think that such on-site programmes involving national talent at home and abroad coupled with creative distance learning strategies could create networks of expatriates thus enabling their countries of origin to gain access to a world-class education in specific disciplines in the developing world.

Scientists who have emigrated for several reasons are recoverable assets who can play a part in developing opportunities at home. However, recovery requires the opening of diverse and creative conduits. The health services in the developing world must be supported to maintain their skilled personnel. Only when health staff, whatever their cadre, have the tools they require to do their job, training opportunities, a network of supportive colleagues, and recognition for the difficult job they do, are they likely to feel motivated to stay put when opportunity beckons from elsewhere. Foreign professionals could be used to develop innovative graduate education opportunities at home and technology to be transfered to areas of national priorities for research and development. Ultimately, involving individuals who are living abroad in creating opportunities at home favours both the retention and repatriation of national talent. Building an enlightened leadership and an enabling national scientific community, with the help of expatriate citizens, for the coherent development of scientific and technological capacity in developing countries will be mutually beneficial.

Acknowledgments

We are grateful to all Aga Khan University alumni at AKU Karachi, Pakistan and AKU USA for their valuable help.

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Effects of brain drain in developing countries

Poverty and lack of economic growth trigger thousands of educated people from developing countries to look for better living conditions in richer states. However, the migration of educated individuals, alias the ‘brain drain’, does have some positive impact on the source country. What are the causes of brain drain? What are the effects it has on the source and destination countries? Our latest editorial takes a deeper dive into the reasons behind brain drain.

Migration is an omnipresent phenomenon in human history. It refers to the movement of people from one place to another for temporary or permanent settlement and is often driven by social, economic, or personal reasons. Substantial migratory waves of educated individuals from one country within relatively short periods of time can lead to the occurrence of brain drain. The least developed and developing countries typically experience brain drain more often than developed countries as they offer lower standards of living and thus find it more difficult to retain or attract highly skilled professionals.

What is brain drain?

The concept of brain drain describes waves of substantial levels of migration of highly educated individuals from one country to another. Generally, brain drain refers to the transfer of human capital from developing to developed countries but it can also occur horizontally relating to the migration of highly skilled professionals (such as engineers, physicians, etc.) between developed countries. Some of the main causes of brain drain are:

Disparities in working conditions, levels of pay, or the potential for career development between the source and destination countries
Poverty and a lack of economic growth which are believed to be the main reasons
Discrimination, political repression, and a lack of freedom
Environmental disasters and the effects of climate change
Military or civil conflicts

What are the effects of brain drain?

The migratory waves that have taken place in recent decades have led to dramatic changes in the global economic landscape as countries started to compete for a share of highly qualified human capital. Although the evidence suggests that developing countries suffer the most from brain drain, nonetheless the effects can be interpreted either positively or negatively according to the perspective of the source country, the receiving country, or the migrant.

Some positive effects of brain drain

Brain drain can stimulate education in source countries as people living there will see this as a passport to future emigration
Brain drain may lead to positive economical feedback for source countries as emigration will increase remittance flows, reduce international transaction costs and enhance trade
Brain drain can facilitate the development of strong diaspora networks and enhance the transfer of know-how, innovation, and technology between the destination and source countries
Brain drain can lead to a circular migration allowing the destination and home countries to share the benefits of labor mobility

Some negative effects of brain drain

The loss of skilled and innovative individuals leads to the l ost socio-economic potential for the source countries
A loss of tax revenues for the source countries which minimizes the potential for public spending
Waves of substantial emigration can induce shortages of manpower for source countries in key sectors such as education or health
Migrants may need to face a number of bureaucratic barriers in destination countries to be able to work in their field of expertise

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Essay of the Week: Brain drain in the developing world

Our band nine sample essays give you the opportunity to learn from successful essays that show off the best structure, vocabulary and grammar. This problem and solution type essay is about the complex issue of 'brain drain' in the developing world.

An increasing number of professionals like teachers and doctors are leaving poorer countries where they grew up to work in richer countries. What are some problems this causes and what are some solutions?

In recent years, developed countries have seen an influx of educators and healthcare practitioners from the developing world. In this essay, I will look at two issues this causes and present some solutions. First, that these countries do not recoup their investments in these people’s education, and second, that this leads to an unfair distribution of important workers.

First, professionals leaving the country after graduation is unfair to the countries who train them. When countries train public workers, they are making an investment in their education that they expect to recoup by having well trained staff in important jobs. If these professionals then leave the country for a high salary in the developed world, this means the country fails to get anything back for it’s investment. This is especially problematic for developing countries who have less public money available for education.

Second, this causes a shortage of professionals in those countries. Because these professionals have in-demand skills, it is easy for them to find jobs and visas abroad. This can cause staff shortages as poorer countries can lose staff to countries with more money causing a damaging shortage. For example, a country might lose teachers and then struggle to develop because of a lack of education provision.

To conclude, losing skilled professionals is both unfair and damaging to countries. However, there are several solutions to this problem. Developed countries should focus more on training their own workers rather than relying on the developing world. In addition, poorer countries should make training conditional on trainees working in that country for a period of time.

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Brain Drain: Pros and Cons Of International Immigration

Table of Contents

Rethinking immigration and its complex effects on society

What are the disadvantages of, brain drain, what is brain drain, what are the advantages of brain drain.

Most of the poor countries are facing serious problems mainly related to immigration control, known as Brain drain. The phenomenon has many critical drawbacks on the developing countries but at the same it offers a bunch of benefits. In this article we will be highlighting the pros and cons of the international immigration.

First of all, let’s define what brain drain is? It is the movement of highly skilled and qualified people from developing countries to developed nations where they can get more income. Thus, it concerns only developed and developing world as the under-developed countries still don’t have a quality education.

10 Practical Tips For Teachers To Overcome Pandemics Challenges

Brain drain has a negative impacts on the developing countries which is manifested in many ways. First, it would lead to shortage in specific skills because most of the professionals such as teachers, engineers, doctors have left the country for better salaries and comfortable working conditions that will open them new ways for a good career and high status.

This situation will get worse and worse as the needs of the country and posts will be fulfilled by people who are not qualified and usually with poor qualifications. Second, if brain drain persists, the development and progress of that country will grow very slowly. This means that the nation will never be listed as a developed one.

The secret behind the advancement of the first world is its brains; highly educated people. Thus, it will be better for these talents to keep struggling within their native countries to help reach a bigger goal which is development.It is better to stay in one’s country and be part of a progress that will change a whole nation, a reward which is priceless and as M. Ghandi said :

“ be the change you want to see in the world.”

Furthermore, countries put a huge amount of money on education infrastructures and wages of educators, which are sometimes brought from other countries, but this investment goes in vain. As soon as the student finishes his / her secondary or higher education, he / she seeks any opportunity that rises to leave to Britain, The Unites States or France.

Moreover, brain drain is a free brain gain for developed countries. This results in making the gap between rich and poor becoming so bigger and bigger that would make it almost possible for the latter to catch up. This is threatening the whole world with wars, conflicts and eventually what is called “terrorism”.

Despite the given disadvantages of brain drain, the issue has a positive side. Although not that much benefits, immigration can help the poor countries in several ways. First, it helps in improving the collaboration between developed and developing nations as there are millions of precious immigrants they care for.

So the developed will help by investing in the means of transport, such as airports or ships, the means of communication like wireless and satellites in order not to lose touch with them.

Second, the immigrants will benefit from the technological advancement and scientific progress in the first world. Consequently, when they decide to go back home, a phenomena known as reverse brain drain, their countries will profit a lot from their expertise. This will save time and money when it comes to implementing projects or systems.

Besides, both countries will benefit from an economic network. The brains will certainly get higher salaries which means they would be able to consume more. They will spend and send more money to their relatives which will provide hard currency for the poor nations.

To sum up, Brain drain is a very complex phenomena. It encompasses a bunch of benefits especially for the developed nations that can not hide its dark side. Eventually, brain drain can pose a serious threat to the poor countries and to the whole world.

That’s why it must be dealt with as soon as possible. A solution that is being pursued only by the developing world, although the key to end this bleeding is on the hands of the developed ones which are growing greedier and greedier seeking super powers at the expense of the rest of the world.

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Brain Drain In Pakistan: Pros, Cons and Prevention

Brain Drain, also known as human capital flight, refers to the emigration of highly skilled individuals from one country to another, in search of better opportunities and working conditions. The phenomenon has been prevalent in many countries, including Pakistan, where a significant number of educated and skilled professionals leave the country for foreign shores. In this article, we will explore the Pros, Cons, and the steps that can be taken to prevent the issue of Brain Drain in Pakistan.

Pros of Brain Drain in Pakistan

Increased income and standard of living: The migration of skilled professionals to foreign countries results in an increase in their income and standard of living. This can have a positive impact on the economy of the host country and the quality of life of the individuals who emigrate.
Brain Gain for host countries: The emigration of skilled professionals to foreign countries can result in a Brain Gain for the host country. The influx of highly skilled individuals can lead to an increase in innovation and the development of new technologies.

Cons of Brain Drain in Pakistan

Loss of human capital: The departure of highly skilled individuals from Pakistan results in a loss of human capital for the country. This can have a negative impact on the economy, as the potential for innovation and growth is limited.
Brain Waste for the origin country: The emigration of highly skilled individuals from Pakistan can result in a Brain Waste for the country. This is because the country has invested resources in the education and training of these individuals, only for them to leave and contribute to the development of another country.
Negative impact on the economy: The departure of highly skilled individuals can result in a shortage of skilled professionals in certain fields, leading to a decline in the quality of services and products in the country. This can have a negative impact on the economy and the standard of living of the population.

Prevention of Brain Drain in Pakistan

Encouragement of entrepreneurship: The government can encourage entrepreneurship by providing incentives and support to individuals who start their own businesses. This will create new job opportunities and reduce the need for skilled professionals to seek employment abroad.
Investment in research and development: The government can invest in research and development to create new technologies and innovations. This will attract highly skilled professionals to stay in the country and contribute to its growth.
Improvement in working conditions: The government can improve working conditions in the country by increasing wages, providing better benefits, and ensuring safe and healthy working environments. This will make the country a more attractive place for skilled professionals to work.

Conclusion Brain Drain is a persistent issue in Pakistan, with many highly skilled professionals leaving the country for better opportunities abroad. The Pros of Brain Drain include increased income and standard of living, as well as a Brain Gain for the host country. However, the Cons of Brain Drain include the loss of human capital, Brain Waste, and a negative impact on the economy. To prevent the issue of Brain Drain in Pakistan, the government can encourage entrepreneurship, invest in research and development, and improve working conditions. These steps will make the country a more attractive place for highly skilled professionals to work, reducing the need for them to seek employment abroad.

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Essay on Brain Drain

Brain drain refers to the movement of highly skilled and educated people from one country to another, where they can work in better conditions and earn more money. People migrate due to the lack of opportunities in their home country. The brain drain reduces economic growth through the depletion of a source country’s human capital assets and, additionally, through loss of return on investment in education. It’s a serious problem that most developing countries like India are facing today. The essay on brain drain will help students to understand the reason behind brain drain and how this problem can be solved. Students can also check out the list of CBSE Essays to practise more essays on different topics and boost their essay writing skills.

500+ Words Essay on Brain Drain

The term “brain drain” refers to the international transfer of human capital resources, and it applies mainly to the migration of highly educated individuals from developing to developed countries. The term is generally used in a narrower sense. It relates more specifically to the migration of engineers, physicians, scientists, and other highly skilled professionals with university training, to developed countries. The brain drain is a serious constraint on the development of poor countries.

Reasons for Brain Drain in India

The major reason behind the brain drain is the lack of career opportunities, investment and lower salaries in home countries. The highly skilled people do not get proper exposure where they can showcase their skills. They don’t get the opportunity to grow higher. This happens because, in many private and government organisations, the managers sitting in higher positions give preference to their relatives and known people. Many times, the hiring team does not use the correct assessment process to recruit people. Moreover, the reservation and reserved quota in government jobs are the major reasons why youth lose interest in appearing in various competitive or government exams.

Brain drain also occurs when an employee loses interest in work. If he continues to do the same task for 5 to 6 years, he becomes saturated with work. He wants some new role and responsibility that excite him and challenges him to do the work. The change in work also sharpens their skills and significantly increases their income. The work culture and environment also play a major role in brain drain. If the work culture is not flexible and reliable, then people start thinking of leaving the organisation and moving to another. Many times office politics, blame games, overwork, no appreciation, and no rewards also compel a person to look for a better opportunity where his skills will be appreciated.

India has skilled and semi-skilled, employed and unemployed human resources. Low salaries and inefficient working conditions trigger the movement of people to countries with better living standards and facilities. There is a huge difference in terms of salary in developed, developing and underdeveloped countries. Most of the students who go abroad for higher studies do not return to India. After seeing the affluent life of foreign countries, they lose all interest in their own country. They get placed in good companies and start living a high-profile life.

How to Stop Brain Drain?

Talent in emerging economies is scarce, expensive, and hard to retain. But, for the balance of power and for the development of the world, it is very important to stop the phenomena of brain drain. This will help a particular country to use all local skilled citizens for development and proliferation. But to hold these skilled workers at their native places, it is also important to provide them with enough work opportunities and living facilities. For this purpose, developed nations should help developing countries with the necessary money and resources. So that each and every human on this planet can have a good standard of living and each and every nation can introduce itself as a developed nation.

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Brain Drain: Effects, Causes, Types, Disadvantages & Remedies

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Brain Drain is defined as the condition where the country losses its workers. In other words, brain drain is defined as the migration of skilled workers or labourers from one country to another where they can get good working conditions and a reasonable amount of salary.

According to some sources, Guyana in South America is the country that has suffered the largest brain drain of around 70%. The skilled workers and labour force have moved to the US in order to get good jobs in the tertiary sectors which will provide them with better standards of living.

There are three types of brain drain i.e. between developed countries, from developing to developed countries and between developing countries. In all the three forms, the migration takes place from one developed country (can be undeveloped too) to other developed countries in search of money and better standards of living.

Effects of Brain Drain

Brain Drain can affect the economy thereby having some grave consequences. These effects can distort the economic conditions of a nation. Some of the effects of brain drain are:

The country loses its potential workers and entrepreneurs who can help the government in developing the economy.
No tax revenue
There will be a shortage of labourers and workers if the majority of the work force leaves.
There will be very little investment in the education sector. As a result, there will be a loss of infrastructure and education policies. Therefore, people might find it useful to study abroad rather than studying in a less developed country.
With the decrease in the Economy, there will be poor health infrastructures. People will not be treated well, which automatically will result in the migration of the people.

These are some of the effects of brain drain which can result in a decrease in the economy. With a less developed economy, there will be poor infrastructures, less investment and loss of labour. Thus, the economy must keep on developing slowly and steadily.

Now, what are the causes of Brain drain in India ? People often ponder upon this fact. India is a developing country and there is unemployment, political instability, poor research facilities and much more. People in India look for high salary jobs and a better standard of living which is not possible sometimes.

So, in order to get high payable jobs and career development, people study and settle abroad. They add on to the work force of other countries thereby, helping them to be more developed and efficient. Other developed countries have positive factors like economic outlook, foreign training, a proper education system, intellectual freedom and career growth which makes people migrate and settle in such areas. Therefore, these are the reasons for brain drain in India.

Disadvantages of Brain Drain

Brain Drain has negative effects on the economy. Brain Drain results in making the less developed countries poorer. Some of the disadvantages are listed below.

1. There will be a loss of good labour and work – force if people migrate from one country to another. This will automatically lead to a decline in the economic structure.

2. There will be no competition as there will be no work force. With less labour, there will be a loss of creativity thereby, leading to no competition with the developed nations.

3. The country will not grow if the work force has migrated. Without the potential entrepreneurs and labourers, the country will face a decline in the economy. As a result, there will be no growth and development in terms of infrastructure and health facilities.

4. The skilled manpower will be lost if the country’s growth is hindered.

These are some of the disadvantages of brain drain that can have some grave consequences. Brain drain can affect the economy in a negative way.

Now, let’s take a look at some of the brain drain examples . For instance, if doing an MBA abroad can offer better career and job opportunities than studying in India, then it’s better to move to the other country so that you can have a good pay – grade salary along with better standards of living.

Another reason and example why people move from one country to another can depend on the working conditions. People working in the US have better working conditions than other countries be it a teacher, a worker or anyone working in an MNC. When someone is paid better and is provided good working conditions, then people are bound to leave the country and settle somewhere else. Thus, a poor economy can lead people to migrate to other countries.

Brain Drain can have some grave consequences in terms of the economy. So what is the solution of brain drain ? It is important to stop the brain drain happening in countries and this can be done by recognizing the talent and preserving them.

1. The concerned authorities need to develop the rural sectors thereby, providing them better standards of living.

2. The educational sectors must also be developed thereby providing career growth and good job opportunities so that the students do not migrate and add on to the workforce of other countries.

3. The government must provide quality services to its patients which will help in developing the health sector as well.

4. Various infrastructures and buildings must be built in order to provide better standards of living to the people.

Thus, these are some of the solutions which the authorities must adhere to in order to stop the brain drain from happening. There are various effects of brain drain which can be harmful for the country thereby, leading to a degraded economy. Thus, the government must take several steps so that the country doesn’t lose its skilled labourers and potential entrepreneurs.

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From Brain Drain to Gain: The Benefits Arising from International Knowledge Networks

By Silvia Montoya, Director of the UNESCO Institute for Statistics ( UIS ) This blog was also published by Norrag

Thinking about studying abroad next year or know someone who is? You’re not alone. International student mobility is on the rise and data show that everyone benefits. Rather than depriving developing countries of their best talent through ‘brain drain,’ mobile students are offering ‘brain gain’ by creating a global pool of highly-skilled human capital.

As scientists and researchers, they are forming knowledge networks and increasing collaboration on global policy issues. This improves innovation in research and development (R&D) in host countries and generates results for countries that send students abroad.

When G20 education ministers meet from September 5-6 in Argentina, they will be focusing on the future of jobs, and the skills development needed to go with it. To help inform the discussions, the UNESCO Institute for Statistics (UIS) has released a new paper , entitled Skills and Innovation in G20 Countries, which looks at skills development at different levels of education as well as the the impact of cross-border flows of students on R&D and innovation.

University students in Malaysia - Credit: World Bank

Most mobile students go to G20 countries

As enrollment in post-secondary education has grown, the number of students studying abroad has more than doubled from 2.1 million to 4.7 million in the last fifteen years (see Figure 1). UIS data show that two out of every 100 tertiary students pursue their studies abroad.

Figure 1. Long-term trend in the global numbers of internationally-mobile students, 1980-2015

Source: UNESCO Institute for Statistics.

More than two-thirds of these mobile students live in G20 countries, with 19% studying in the United States, followed by 9% in the United Kingdom and 6% in Australia.

On the flip side, China is by far the largest source of internationally-mobile students with over 800,000 studying abroad in 2015. India, and to lesser extent Germany, also sends large numbers of students to study internationally (see Figure 2). In fact, a recent study by the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) suggests that due to demographic trends, India will soon surpass China in the supply of mobile students.

Figure 2. Net flow (inflows minus outflows) of mobile students by country, 2015

Note: Argentina and Indonesia are not presented due to a lack of data. Source: UNESCO Institute for Statistics.

It is interesting to note that while China sends by far the largest number of students abroad, they account for just 2% of the total number of tertiary students in the country. In contrast, over 5% of university students in Saudi Arabia are internationally mobile. American students, on the other hand, are much less likely to study abroad with less than 1% choosing to do so.

All of this movement means that university campuses are becoming increasingly diverse. In the United Kingdom, for example, internationally mobile students account for almost 19% of the total number of tertiary-level students. Australia is a close runner-up with a foreign student body of 15%.

The rise of global knowledge networks

Both sending and receiving countries hope to benefit from this growing pool of skilled human capital. Host countries eager to build their own research capacities seek international talent. They vie for students by offering affordable, relevant, high-quality course offerings.

Sending countries, who may lack the capacity to educate students beyond secondary school, offer inducements such as scholarships so their students can gain innovation-promoting skill sets in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) subjects – and bring that knowledge back home.

Importantly from a gender perspective, while women now outpace men in overall tertiary educational attainment, they account for less 27% of all researchers in the G20, slightly lower than the global average. Only Argentina and South Africa have achieved gender parity.

Notwithstanding this imbalance, the accumulation of human talent within the G20 has created an impressive knowledge network. Global R&D activities and expenditure are concentrated in this economic region, mainly in the United States and China. However, collaboration within this vast talent pool – many of whom originated abroad – ensures that even the sending countries benefit.

When Ebola broke out in West Africa in 2014, for example, scientists, researchers and health professionals from governments, international organizations and the nonprofit sector worked together to find a solution. And, the UNESCO Science Report points out that climate change is another important area of collaboration as online global data hubs allow researchers around the world to compare work and bridge the gap between global and local efforts.

So, human talent flows can more rightly be seen as a brain gain for everyone: talented human capital that benefits host and home countries alike through collaboration on global issues. This network of internationally mobile students, and the scientists that they become, is arguably a public good.

International policy implications

Policies to promote education and innovation are a key part of global initiatives. The sustainable development goal for education ( SDG 4 ), for example, promotes the expansion of scholarships available to students in developing countries for training in STEM subjects.

But, the significant rise in the number of internationally-mobile students has increased demand for course offerings. Out of the box solutions include online learning, foreign campuses and international joint degree programs so quality assurance systems are necessary to ensure that students are getting what they paid for. To this end, UNESCO and the OECD are developing a global convention for quality control.

When G20 education ministers meet this week, they may want to consider three takeaways for ongoing cooperation and policy initiatives.

Leaders within the G20 and beyond need to promote inclusive policies to ensure that all groups have access to quality education and lifelong learning. This includes the promotion of gender equality in STEM subjects in education, and as a career choice for women.
G20 leaders can also encourage the harmonization of education systems and the recognition of qualifications to facilitate access to education for international students.
Closer collaboration between education and labour ministers could establish linkages between universities and the job market . By encouraging the mobility of researchers, countries can further benefit from innovation activities through intragroup peer learning.

In this era of rising student mobility and greater collaboration between talented individuals around the world, brain gain in science and technology is a net gain for everyone.

View the discussion thread.

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INTRODUCTION

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CONTRIBUTIONS BY SHARING KNOWLEDGE AND SKILLS TO DEVELOPING COUNTRIES

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