human capital is recognized as the major factor in sustaining economic growth and development, yet the brain drain is hardly a pressing priority in many developing countries !!
There is no rationale to lose skilled people and those who have high qualifications and push them to migrate. For example, a man strengthens his organs from a liver or kidney and then drives them to a stranger and say. I do not want this member in my body because he is not useful.
The human rationale is simply our limited life time.
A younger and talented person will always ask the question:
How long will it take to achieve...?
The economic key is, of course, social mobility and permeability; however, especially this socio-economic opportunity has also decreased in 'developed' polities. Am in line with Afraa Ibrahim , it is a matter of a majority valuation,
which reflects the very structure (e.g. privileges, monopolies, cultural values,...) of a given human society. Some environments hold artists and writers in high cultural esteem, but in another social fabric they are maybe treated as 'parasites'.
Conclusion: the same person can achieve very different outcomes, which depend also on the working and living context, i.e. in terms of human reinforcement and earthly reward.
While the right thing would be do go with Paul Stock's suggestion, this remains only in theory and is a song just sang by those at the helm of affairs in developing countries (even in academic institutions) to pay lip service to valuable human resource in developing countries. Often, these "leaders and controllers of the systems" see competent humans as a threat to their position, and a burden to be discharged.
Afraa Ibrahim aptly describes the real situation on the ground and I can not help but perfectly agree with her submission.
Dear Atheel, migration from developing to developed countries is the result of failed public policies that lead to economic stagnation, distorted labor markets, low investments in health and education, crime and violence, among other obstacles for human development. Migration is in many cases the only option to pursue a better life for migrants and their families. So it is not only an "international factor mobility" issue (particularly because of the barriers faced in developed countries for low skilled migrants) but a human dilemma. The good news is that we know how to revert this situation: more investments in the people. The bad news is that lack of political willingness and vision and institutional backwardness prevent developing countries to move forward towards better living condition. It is an open and crucial discussion. Thank you for pointing it out. Best.
I think not all developing countries are not able to improve the brain skill of its people. But it required the political will of his Government with class rules of law
While the brain drain is a clear loss to the developing country that is losing highly skilled citizens there is some literature that suggests it supports better longer-term results though having a diaspora population that supports the growth of their native country. I remember coming across some during my HonoursThesis Zimbabwe: Migration and Brain Drain
(which is date now but might provide some links to explore if you are looking for ways in which it could advantageous and when it could be.
Developing countries are faced with numerous problems on providing adequate conditiond of everyday life for its overall population,hence the emphasis is not as much on the brain drain. Taking into account how much money is invested by the state, in creating a professional throughout entire schooling,we can see how great the burden is for developing nations. In other words its a give away to those developed. In order to avoid brain drain states should organize various programmes of support for young professionals.
Perhaps some developing countries do not curb this phenomenon from happening because of the rationale that they hope for a spillover in terms of new innovations that these young professionals can make in presumably more resource endowed countries.
Only recently the Center for Strategic Studies at the University of Jordan published a report of its latest conducted opinion poll on Democracy Index in the Arab World. It showed that 45% of the respondents in Jordan are considering emigration preferably to Canada or the USA. The majority of them are 18-29 years old. And, 52% of those with university degrees are considering emigration, mostly for economic reasons. Talking about Brain Drain, shouldn't results like these be worrying ... to any government !!
What about other developing countries? Some governments wish to get rid of all real thinkers and scientists, so that they can govern a society devoid of them.
The Brain Drain have to be analysed by 2 perspectives - personal ( or his family ) and government.
From the person perspective it is opportunity to find better paid job, also, don't forget- better institutions, infrastructure, opportunities for his children.
From the perspective of government will be negative impact if emigrants dosn' t come back later in his native country in a long run. But in short period of time emigration can be even positive, solving social problems like unemployment, or economy growth ( fueled by consumption of his family remained in country ). Also people can get capital and experience from more developed country that can be used when they come back.
When France led the world, the brightest and most ambitious people from surrounding countries dreamed of going to France. When Rome ruled, the thinkers and philosophers from around the Mediterranean traveled to Rome.
Today, the the internet, we are less compelled to travel to reach people from other nations. But by letting bright people travel and learn more, sooner or later it benefits everyone. No nation has been able to keep any scientific or technological breakthrough to itself for very long.
To keep bright people from traveling would be like keeping them from the public library just because you have six books at home.
Somalia Diaspora send money to relatives back home. However, the mechanism perhaps differs from the case of Zimbabwe as mentioned by Pieter Janse van Vuuren. Money in the case of Somalia is sent directly to families at home via Money Transfer Companies and NOT via a Central Bank. The implication is that remittances help families to spend mainly on imported consumer items and NOT on capital good. Therefore, this process helps the multiplier effect of exporting countries and NOT the growth of the economy as the case of Zimbabwe.
There is no rationale to lose skilled people and those who have high qualifications and push them to migrate. For example, a man strengthens his organs from a liver or kidney and then drives them to a stranger and say. I do not want this member in my body because he is not useful.
Brain Drain can be of two types- going out forever or after coming back. In the second case it could be positive, because former emigrants with knowledge, experience and financial resources could develop their own business in their country.
The brain-drain is good for the world in the long run, and even good for the countries these people are leaving.
When very talented people leave, they emigrate to companies or universities or economies where they can do the most good and meet with people who can support them or work with them at their own level.
The advances and discoveries that these bright people make in their new homes are invariably shared with everyone around the world.
Albert Einstein came to the United States and continued his work that probably would not have been possible in Germany
Enrico Fermi came the United States from Italy and built the first nuclear reactor, something impossible to be done in Italy.
Igor Stravinsky came from Russia to the U.S. where his musical work could be made known to a world-wide audience
Nicola Tesla came to the U.S from Croatia and here he was able to find money and support to develop all sorts of advances in modern electronics.
And the list is almost unending. Had these people remain in their own countries the world (and their homelands) would be worse off today.
There are different experiences. After SW2 a lot of Italians was working in Germany and a lot of them come back.
Yes, very well educated probably people will not return, because there is not opportunities for them to use their potential, but in case of workers and farmers it could be done.
In my country ( R. of Moldova ) there is a project PARE 1 + 1 , where government offer I dollar for every dollar invested by coming back emigrants, also providing consulting to them and it is very popular. So, in my opinion, we have to define good practices that can be used.
In developing countries, education and skills are valued less. Highly educated youth are exploited to the possible best, betrayed. When we find a fair play elsewhere with a peaceful life and a better pay cheque, we are bound to leave the existing place
SIMPLE RULE OF SOCIAL EVOLUTION: unresponsive and irresponsible governments cannot attract and keep smart people. Skillful people must be able to engage in free mobility; to be at a place where your skills and expertise are appreciated is called life style compatibility. The so-called "developing countries" neither encourage talents nor give incentive for talented people to stay, while richer countries can offer incentives to talented people (regardless f where they come from) then brain drained in this "developing countries" should be expected.
Dear, Mr. Stephen Martin Fritz, Professor Afraa Ibrahim, Dr. Khan, Dr. Alqahwachi, Dr. Louangrath, and all our respectable colleagues. Thank you for your wise and educational answers.
I think individual's freedom is so essential, and the right to try to migrate (legally) is part of human rights. When Albert Einstein, Enrico Fermi and people of their caliber emigrate it wouldn't be really a problem, and I would then agree with the view that migration is "good for the world in the long run, and even good for the countries these people are leaving". But draining is something else! It is when physics, mathematics, economics, …. , departments in LDCs universities get drained (emptied) of their skills, particularly of those staff members, who were sent and succeeded in getting trained at renowned international universities, and were expected to come back and make the required positive impact. They mostly either don't come back, or they do but then leave soon for good. To be fair, the problem is not in them, it is in the bad standard of governance (discrimination, unfairness, injustice, nepotism, favoritism, corruption, human and property rights insecurity … , the index according to the World Bank is often blow 50 out of 100) that prevails in so many LDCs, which pervades many institutions including universities. When university graduates at home don't get good and smart education then, with the bad governance in their country, they will exacerbate the problems of unemployment, discouragement and poverty. They will also add to the problem of international inequality, and might as well try to migrate (legally or illegally). I would say that these countries have got to improve their standard of governance and their universities, in any acceptable way (the help of some UN organizations may be needed with some UN committing supervision), to recover their depleted human capital, and catch up with growth and development. That, I think would be so "good for the countries these skilled people are leaving and even good for the world in the long run".