Human resources for research: building bridges through the Diaspora

Abstract

BackgroundThe collaboration of scientists between the developed and the developing world is an opportunity to reverse the ‘brain drain' and to enable ‘brain circulation'.ObjectiveAttracting alumni from the Diaspora to strengthen the development of talented scientists will strengthen research in Africa.DesignIn 2010, the Faculty of Health Sciences at the University of the Witwatersrand, South Africa (SA), created an Alumni Diaspora Programme to boost international research collaboration and networking between leading medical and health sciences alumni who now live and work at academic institutions abroad with academic colleagues ‘back home'. Based in Johannesburg, a gateway city attracting researchers from all over sub-Saharan Africa, this programme has the potential to capitalise on some of the intellectual capacity that was lost, mostly during the decades of apartheid, and to strengthen capacity, not just in SA, but across the continent.Results and ConclusionsThe goal of this review is to highlight how this programme has stimulated collaborations and networking with international alumni.

The path to longer and healthier lives for all Africans by 2030: the Lancet Commission on the future of health in sub-Saharan Africa

“…For example, initiatives such as the Alumni Diaspora Programme by the University of Witwatersrand has demonstrated the potential of capitalising some of the intellectual capacity lost to migration by fostering international collaborations between medical and health sciences alumni with current faculties in SSA to strengthen local research capacity. 305 National research agendas with clearly formulated aims, national health research systems, and networks of regional research institutions and centres of excellence all deserve more support.…”

Closing the barrier between disease and health outcomes in Africa through research and capacity development

“…While many research collaborations were already in existence, the Alumni Diaspora programme sought to actively pursue research collaborations with alumni who have an invested interest in the growth of their alma mater [29]. To this end not only were north–south collaborations initiated, but south–south collaborations were seen as equally important.…”

“…As health research has become a global activity and in order to reignite the interest of Wits alumni in research in South Africa, we initiated an Alumni-Diaspora Research programme [29] in 2010. This programme, which builds research collaborations and networks between the alumnus/a’ institution and the Wits FHS, was enhanced by a grant from the Carnegie Corporation of New York in 2014.…”

Management of Knowledge Transfer for Capacity Building in Africa

“…But because freedom of movement is an inalienable human right, neither the United States nor the source countries can simply prohibit skilled workers from moving around the globe. (Osaretin, & Eddy, 2012;Hofman, & Kramer, 2015).…”