When know-how migrates – Brain drain or brain gain?

Dialogue forum held on 14 April 2011

What happens when know-how migrates? Where do all the best brains go to? What are today's trends as regards the migration of skills in Germany? These and other issues were discussed at Munich Re Foundation's fourth debate in the 2011 dialogue forum series entitled "Where from? Where to? Demography and Migration". Three renowned professors, Patrick Cramer, Jörg Hacker and Axel Plünnecke were invited to shed light on the subject.

Developing and newly industrialised countries are not the only victims of "brain drain" or the outflow of intellectual capacity. In Germany too, more and more highly qualified people are succumbing to the lure of faraway locations. After decades of inadequately promoting settlers in our country, we are now driving away the new immigration elite, say experts. The consequences of this migrating know-how will be felt for decades. "The influx of highly qualified specialists is fundamental to the development of every national economy," explains population economist Plünnecke from the Cologne Institute for Economic Research. Empirical evidence shows that those OECD countries in which immigration plays an important part grow more rapidly than others. Basic rule: the higher an immigrant's qualifications, the better. According to Plünnecke, integration of the second generation is vital in determining whether growth can be promoted – in the long term – through immigration. "We need to do a great deal of catching up in relation to such traditional immigration countries as the USA or Canada if we want to reap the potential here," says Plünnecke. 
 
Germany increasingly popular among research scientists
 
Science has always thrived on internationality and is forging ahead in this respect. Jörg Hacker, President of the German National Academy of Sciences Leopoldina in Halle, reports that "a renowned organisation, the Alexander von Humboldt Foundation, was set up long ago to regularly bring young scientists to Germany from other countries". While 500 scientists per year might not sound a lot, it does add up over the years. Other organisations, such as the German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD) have also developed special programmes to make Germany a more attractive location. The majority of scientists still come from the USA, but China is hot on its heels with India following in third place. "Which goes to show the rapid pace of scientific advancement in these newly industrialised countries," comments Hacker. One major shortcoming is that it often remains very difficult to align international qualifications with the German system.
 
The career of top research scientist Patrick Cramer demonstrates Germany's growing attraction in the scientific domain. After working in Bristol, Cambridge and Stanford, he has now returned to the Ludwig-Maximilians University in Munich, where he heads the Genetic Research Centre. "What attracted me to Munich was the critical mass of good and interesting scientists here, and certainly not just the good weather or the beer gardens," says Cramer.  What's more, Germany is increasingly offering long-term research jobs instead of contracts limited to just two or three years. According to Cramer, much has changed in the past decade and institutes have now grasped the fact that they need to offer good people a better deal. The nationwide excellence campaign is one key factor inducing no less than 70% of the German academics who go abroad to return after three years or less. For the first time in many years, Germany is even noting an increased interest from Asian scientists due to the deteriorating situation in the USA. "The big question is how we can precipitate this trend," says Cramer, who is hoping for support from the Bavarian government. He has first-hand experience of the red tape involved when attempting to appoint scientists without EU citizenships.
   
Brain circulation helps developing countries
 
Despite all the progress made, the fact that Germany is not seen to have a welcoming culture deters many potential immigrants, especially ordinary employees and professionals. "We are lagging far behind in that respect," admits Plünnecke. Although there have been a number of improvements here of late, there are still far too many obstacles. He bewails the fact that "there is no clear commitment, even from the government, giving out the message that yes, we do want immigrants". 
 
To prevent developing countries from losing out through brain drain, Hacker argues in favour of "brain circulation": "It is both right and important for us to get out of this one-way system and to recognise the opportunities that science can create internationally." To achieve this, more programmes need to be launched in the countries of origin, so as to create more attractive conditions. China and India have already made considerable progress here and can profit from the international networks which develop as a result. Another possibility in Hacker's view is to promote brain circulation through cooperation. The Leopoldina, for instance, recently hosted a workshop in Ghana where an institute is collaborating with the Institute for Tropical Medicine in Hamburg to study and fight infectious diseases. "There is a genuine two-way exchange of scientists from Germany and Ghana there." The institute's impact is being felt throughout the region as medical treatment is also improving.
 
German institutes go abroad
 
How can top brains be lured back to the regions in need of development and encouraged to remain there on a long-term basis? Could this be achieved by setting up German institutes in other countries? "That is certainly a model that is gaining ground," says Hacker. The Max-Planck Society, for instance, is focusing more on other countries and setting up institutes there, and Munich's Technical University also has institutes abroad. The Leopoldina's President believes that "becoming more international is the right approach". And the countries to benefit should be those which do not yet have a highly developed scientific system.
 
Cramer agrees that this would be a good idea. But: "who is going to foot the bill? I am not sure that we have the social consensus necessary to invest tens of millions of taxpayer's money in foreign universities if we can't point to a clear benefit." Besides which, he adds, there are numerous statutory obstacles which cannot be overcome without structural changes. A great deal consequently remains to be done in order to obtain a balanced and fair relationship between brain drain and brain gain worldwide.
 
The next forum, entitled "Migration, integration – Fear of strangers?", will be held on 12 May 2011.