“Brain drain” from Turkey: survey evidence of student non‐return

Abstract

Turkey’s first “brain drain” wave began in the 1960s, with doctors and engineers among the first group of emigrants. In recent years, attention has shifted to young university graduates who are seriously contemplating starting their careers abroad as a result of the current economic crisis. Postgraduate studies overseas provide the first step for many in fulfilling this goal. This paper provides an evaluation of the findings of a survey conducted during the first half of 2002 on the return intentions of Turkish students studying abroad. Various factors have been cited as important for student non‐return, including political instability, lower salaries and lack of employment opportunities in the home country when studies are completed, as well as a preference to live abroad. In addition to these factors, several other features of Turkey’s political economy are considered to be important in explaining the Turkish brain drain.

International doctorates: trends analysis on their decision to stay in US

“…From the alternative perspective, Bertram et al (2007) found South Africans who earned their teaching credentials abroad tended to return home in greater numbers when disequilibrium occurred in the home job market (a point at which demand for teachers is high while the supply is low), implying a conscious decision to return for professional opportunities and a greater chance at economic security. Although the relative human capital benefits of pursuing a degree from an institution abroad and staying abroad for his or her career may be sufficient to outweigh the perceived benefits of pursuing a degree at home (and pursuing a more local career), the findings of Tansel and Güngör (2003) taken along with those of Bertram et al (2007), suggest the condition is not inherent to the study abroad experience itself, but closely tied to the relative economic and educational conditions of the respective countries.…”

“…While studies (e.g., Zweig and Changgui 1995;Gupta et al 2003), have found that initial intentions to immigrate, prior to commencing studies abroad, were the single strongest predictor of whether or not students would return home upon program completion, subsequent changes occurring in the source country have also been shown to affect this decision: the stay rates among international doctorates were highly related to the economic conditions of their home countries at the time of graduation (Finn 2007a, b). After surveying non-returning Turkish students who had studied in North America, Tansel and Güngör (2003) concluded that the decision to return becomes significantly more difficult when the political and economic conditions in the home country are unstable. In their study, students frequently cited the lack of a national research or comprehensive educational development strategy as a reason for remaining in the US upon completion of their doctoral programs.…”

Psychological Adaptation of Turkish Students at U.S. Campuses

“…They stated that such students reported a relatively high degree of satisfaction with their lives, but also reported homesickness as a particular area of difficulty. Further, Tansel and Güngör (2002) found that Turkish students living abroad reported less satisfaction with social aspects of their lives than other international students. This raised concerns about stress levels Turkish students experience in new cultures.…”

Brain gain or brain circulation? U.S. doctoral recipients returning to South Korea

“…Among international students from Turkey studying in more developed countries, Tansel and Gungor (2003) found that the likelihood of not returning to the home country increased over time. More than double of the Turkish students who initially indicated an intention to return changed their minds while studying abroad.…”