Brain Drain

[tom]

Among top students who go overseas, whether to study or work, 25% or more do not return to Singapore. They prefer to stay in a foreign country, some married and set up families there. Why is this so ? 

In the first place why do they have to go overseas ? Is it because the entry qualification to local university is set too high or is it because our local universities dont have enough places for Singaporeans ?

Any forum members who went overseas, study , graduated and return to Singapore happily with a good job, good pay and are still happy staying in our little red dot ? OR will you still feel it is better to return to the country where you graduated ? 

[Funnysheep]

Lesser ERPs?

[rxhxn]

Well, we all make our own choices. Its the criteria that influence the decision for the migration overseas that need to be looked into. Singapore aimed to be the regional education hub. So of course more percentages in the local uni will be catered to foreign students. In the long run you won't have much loyalty from the students that you offered scholarships to unless they are directly engaged to stay here. Its the same as in the job you are holding. What's hold you back to the same job? Won't it be better if you got another job? You'll will get salary increment, new work environment, meeting new people, new friends...bla..bla...bla

[tom]

I had friends who worked as civil engineers in the public sectors for a couple of years after graduation from UK. The job is not challenging and salary remains quite stagnant. Standard increments yearly, thats all they get.

Four years ago, one jumped ship. He works for a Singapore Developer. Six months on the job in Singapore, he was assigned to work in Hanoi. Besides a pay increase, he was also given an appartment to stay. Today he was happily married to a vietnamese and had a child. 

His parents from Singapore visited him few times a year and he was allowed to return to Singapore twice a year for holiday ( with pay and extra money to spend ).

Now he was looking after a seaside resort project in Ho Chi Minh City. Ask whether he would come back. He said, " My wife, boy and myself are happy in HCMC. Salary is perfect, things are still cheap, inspite of inflation going up as high as 16 %. It's still better to stay.