How to Reverse the Italian Brain Drain: A Master Class from Australia

Abstract

This article discusses the limits of Italian immigration policies and their effects on the Italian market of highly skilled individuals. Italian statutory provisions aimed at regulating immigration focus on limiting immigration without a reasoned distinction being made between skilled and unskilled immigrants. The first part of the article argues that a combination of historical and sociological factors makes Italy uncompetitive in the global market of highly skilled individuals. The second part suggests two pilot schemes for policies that might help in addressing the issue. First, the introduction of a medium-/long-term visa for highly skilled individuals, and second, the establishment of private multinational universities modelled on the European Institute (EI) in Florence. These new institutions would open up the academic job market to overseas researchers and, at the same time, would provide a more solid base for the retrieval of Italian academics working abroad.

Work and Gender in the Context of Spatial Mobility and Migration: the Case of Highly Skilled Italians Abroad

“…As of 2020, almost three million Italians lived in a European country other than Italy (Statista, 2021), with approximately 182,000 university graduates having expatriated in 10 years (Istat, 2019). The drivers of this movement have been widely researched and discussed in migration scholarship: Commonly identified push factors include unemployment, economic recession and austerity in Southern Europe following the 2008 crisis (Bartolini et al, 2017;Breda, 2014); corruption, nepotism and lack of transparency in recruitment (Allesina, 2011;Ariu & Squicciarini, 2013;Morano Foadi, 2006); scarce opportunities for self-realization and professional recognition (Dubucs et al, 2017); and finally, Italy's low level of investment in research and development (Carrozza & Minucci, 2014;Saint-Blancat, 2019). 'The socioeconomic system in Italy does not reward adequately the young and educated,... who are often confined to unattractive careers, underpaid and unemployed' (Tintori & Romei, 2017, p. 2).…”