“I have not yet been able to find any reliable statistics on gender disparities among Sri Lankan STEM graduates employed in foreign institutions; a worthwhile investigation that might shed more light on how gender plays a role in future educational and career choices. In particular, how much of this out-migration is a result of intrinsic as well as extrinsic motivations? How much of it is driven by (perceived and real?) lack of opportunities and a democratic system of governance that grant equal participation?”
this isn’t a case of gender it’s the fact that educated people like you doesn’t feel the obligation to make your mother land a better place because it’s your responsibility to create a path for the future students in your country.

Despite the unfair criticisms posted by some here at the author and others like her (and me) who have decided to live elsewhere, I share your opinion “They should feel proud about themselves making a useful contribution to mankind despite their background.”

If Sri Lanka is to make serious progress in STEM areas on a scale that would have a substantial impact on the economy, the country must attract many (not necessarily all) folks like the author back to Sri Lanka to make it happen. In my view, several things must occur for that to happen.
First, Sri Lanka must set out on a NEW path to become a nation that is inclusive of all its citizens, regardless of ethnicity/religion/etc and provide opportunities based on merit. This requires policies, long-term plans and programs that are administered by institutions and people of high integrity with absolutely NO political interference. Without this basic framework many will see returning to Sri Lanka as a huge risk for themselves and their children’s future well being.

As a first step, programs could be easily established for qualified STEM professionals to return and serve Sri Lanka on short-term assignments. This would be a good opportunity for them to contribute their knowledge as well as explore if a permanent move would work out. This requires careful follow through by SL embassies around the globe. I am a STEM professional with over 30 years of experience and a leader in my field. A few years ago government made an announcement that I thought was was such an initiative and I sent my response via email to the SL embassy. I got an acknowledgment after 2 months and have not heard since then.

What is sorely needed is leadership with the right vision for Sri Lanka. It appears to me that the country is approaching a tipping point, beyond which the likelihood of such leadership emerging, say in the next 15 years, would be very slim.

Having said the above, and despite the pogrom, war, gender discrimination, cultural barriers, greater family responsibility, etc. women in SL, I suppose,have done better; the 37% their participation rate as shown
in the 2013 UNESCO survey is encouraging, hope it will further improve. Before read the article, I thought it was somewhere in the single digit, that is what it has been highlighted, sorry for my ignorance. Further, your reason
to down play the significance of the 37% was no women won the president award for innovation in 2011 and 12, all six were men. I am not sure about those six but if 2013 and 14 saw all six awardees were women, that wouldn’t make men’s participation any inferior (rather than lesser). I am a bit confused with whether you make a quality or quantity comparison at that point. But then you kind of quote female scientists participation in natural science, medicine, agricultural science and engineering and technology as 40%, 46%, 38% and 27% respectively. Except Engineering, they fare better in all the other three, better than the statistic shown in the UNESCO’s survey. It is well known and, guess you know, how female smarter students in SL feel about pursuing a career in Engineering compared to Medicine, so I do not need to give further reason for the 10% drop to 27%. This has been the trend I guess even in developed countries that female student’s preference more inclined toward medicine than engineering. All in all, all women in SL are doing well, hope they will do even better. I am happy they make a big contribution in Medicine. I would like to see how the numbers were before the brain drain started, may be before 1983.

I do not think those who are in overseas should feel too bad about being part of brain drain lot, even if they were one of them per se. Am not trying to generalize the situation but in most cases, fleeing from own country wasn’t their preferred choice but had to make; in that sense it was a great sacrifice – leaving one’s own habitat. I do not think majority of those end up in overseas would have moved even an inch if the things that they get in overseas were given to them in their own country, importantly their own safety. Those haven’t had such experience cannot imagine what it feel like waking up in the morning thinking “yes, I waked up alive today” and before thinking what would be unfolding for the day and so on hearing a helicopter’s sound ducking into the bunker- it was like living
for the moment to moment. At some stage paranoia sets in, ridicules your own virtue, challenging would you persist even if you run the risk of losing your loved ones. Decision had to be made, and was made. Settling down in a new country itself is whole new experience and had been a great challenge for those never thought to ran
away; rather than daunted by feelings of your own soil, relatives and people, holding very high positions in countries and performing their jobs in par with everyone else, whether in research, own profession or business is testament of the quality of education SL offers and the sheer resilient of the those brain drainers. They should feel proud about themselves making a useful contribution to mankind despite their background.

For those who live in SL, we will have to export experts to other countries. It was a monumental mistake that SWRD introduced the language policy only to bail out himself from the political bankruptcy. Good to see the current rulers have accepted it was a mistake. Not sarcastic, it has been a good trade better than sending our women to ME countries. Just imagine for a moment, stop crying foul, if all living professionals and researchers of SL made had been stay put in SL, what could have been the situation, be real. The situation so dare even now
that graduates unemployed more than three years have to go behind politicians who had not seen school after their Gr 8, to get a favorable push as against other unemployed. Do we have enough R&D facilities to cater for everyone, or hospitals and construction sites or are IT is in demand for that matter? Ironically, when our people like the author were kept high in foreign countries for their knowledge and education, our engineers have been working for Chinese contractors in our own country in the road projects but were not kept at such highs. Nothing wrong about working for them as contracts had been awarded to these nationals and it is part of the deal of the borrowing. Working for Chinese company and under paid although geographically in your own country doesn’t
make one feel his/her brain hasn’t drained. Such persons working for them here not out of patriotism but for make a living, and would not give a damn about brain drain, if he or she be given a chance overseas. Then he or she will also be part of the brain drain. The priority is to get a job and feed your family, thinking brain drain at this juncture doesn’t make any sense. Developing countries do not have the luxury to talk about brain drain- be happy with what has been retained and see them be here, here for their working life. Say, someone goes overseas temporarily on a scholarships, and see how much being paid for an employee of similar competency, knowledge and qualification who does similar quantity of work. Would he/she return if the employer she/he worked for impressed with his/her work say the job is yours if you wanted- a win-win situation? Hard to resist, but a classic brain drain situation, having used every cents of SL up to that point.

cheers

mike

Di- I don’t think you lack any credibility here. You are part of the matrix of the issue you are investigating, and thus have an important contribution to make!

Dear Di- Thank you for your clear response to my comments. I hope my limited perspective has helped you to further crystalize your ideas. I think you’re on the right track. I am sure we all understand that there are many avenues to investigate, none any less important than the other. Until we see where they lead none should be abandoned. Your life experiences give you a unique perspective and from that comes strength and the opportunity for new insights. Don’t give up until ‘your’ satisfied. Ayubowan!

MA Huffman
Primate Research Institute
Kyoto University

Dear Fitzpatrick,

A few weeks ago you claimed that you live in Sri Lanka:

Nick Hart: “I live in Sri Lanka. Do you?”
Fitzpatrick: “Yes I do.”

Now you’re apparently “living in the USA having lived in Uk before moving to the US”.

ROFL ! Are you starting to lose track of what you said under which bogus identity 🙂

As a digression, you might want to look at Qatar Foundation ( http://www.qf.org.qa ). Although Qatar is massively wealthy because of oil and gas, the whole focus of QF is to create a ‘knowledge economy’ for when the oil and gas run out.

One of its three ‘pillars’ is ensuring that all Qataris, plus everyone else who studies on its huge and growing campus, achieve their full potential, both intellectually and as content and productive members of society.

Qatar has been able to achieve this in part because the country is small, easily ‘managed’, and not constrained by many of the impediments associated with the need for lowest-common-denominator political considerations.

Could the same be said of Sri Lankahere are growing calls for national unity and the formal adoption of the English language, both of which would help SL create a similar knowledge-based orientation.

The pursuit of excellence—in science, technology, the arts, whatever—depends as much on will, foresight, determination and ‘community spirit’ as financial means. Teach children English, chess and HTML coding and they will go far! Thoughts?

Absolutely. I have been thinking about looking into the nature of STEM in/out migration for a future research project. Do connect with me on Twitter @disarathchandra:disqus if you are interested in chatting. And thanks for the feedback!