Page 9 - Issue 41

ELITE Vol.1, Issue 41, March 2022

Brain Drain : Why our youth are

obsessed with travel? A Discussion

Caroline Sherif, Reem Omran, Zeina Marei, Jumana Khaled, Salma Tageldin, Mariam Hefny, Norhan Khaled
The phenomenon of “brain drain” is not necessarily Recently, we have witnessed the events of the migration of
considered a new one, as the world has previously 1200 Algerian doctors to European Union (EU) countries after
witnessed its occurrence during the 19th and 20th centuries passing the Épreuves de vérification des connaissances (EVC)
as people moved from all across Europe to settle in North test that France holds to grant their certificate of education the
America. The first noted usage of this specific term, necessary equivalence status need for medical practice there. It
however, can be traced back to the year 1960 when it was is notable that only 2000 spots were originally available, as
used to refer to the migration of British scientists to the that cycle had participants from 24 countries outside the EU,
United States. the overwhelming majority of which came from Algeria.
This phenomenon has now become most common and Having noticed the prevalence of this phenomenon, Elite’s
widespread, and we often hear remarks amongst young editorial team decided to prepare a report in order to seek the
people expressing their belief that the mere possibility of a opinions of the students from various Cairo University
future lies only abroad. They maintain that it is the sole faculties such as the Faculty of Media, Law, Arts, Pharmacy,
window or “getaway” to enjoying a decent life, let alone Commerce, Dentistry, Engineering, and others on such a
become surrounded by an environment suitable for fascinating topic. We started our dialogue by asking students
scientific research and development as well as creativity. about the phenomenon of brain drain. What crosses their
Although the main regions in the world affected by this minds when they hear this expression?
phenomenon are Latin America, Africa, and the Caribbean Most answered that they had never heard of it before. Some
Sea area according to the Organization for Economic thought it might be related to having a lack of focus and a
Cooperation and Development (OECD), brain drain is not tendency for distraction, and others thought that they meant
limited or confined to migration from developing to individual fantasies for each of us, while only a few of them
developed countries only. It can also occur between knew the meaning of that word.
developed ones such as China and the United States where Having defined the phenomenon correctly for those who had
there are better job opportunities than provided by others. not been aware of it, we followed up with a question on
Still, what is brain drain? whether or not they have seen the spread of this phenomenon
It is the process through which a country loses academic in Egypt. The majority agreed that it has been widespread for a
and technological resources through the transfer of human long time, but with the increase in collective awareness and
capital to countries with a more suitable political and the differences in beliefs and ideas, it has increased
economic climate for them, which leads to the suffering of significantly, especially among those looking for a better
the countries of origin and prosperity to the host counties or educational level or more income and salaries. A number of
diaspora. United Nations Educational, Scientific and interviewees expressed their sorrow at the magnitude of
Cultural Organization (UNESCO) describes this experiences and capabilities lost that could have been
phenomenon as “an abnormal form of scientific exchange developed, and which are generally considered the main driver
between countries, characterized by a one-way flow in favor of any country’s overall development. This phenomenon has
of the most highly developed countries.” robbed a large part of Egypt’s intellectual reserve and human
capabilities.
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