The Northern Irish Brain Drain is a Myth

For decades it has been widely believed that many of 0ur young folk who decamp from Northern Ireland to pursue further education elsewhere tend not to return. The logic was that with our many local problems there would be greater opportunities and perhaps even a better quality of life for our best and brightest. As they made their lives elsewhere, Northern Ireland was diminished by their absence. Hence, we suffered from a brain drain (or ‘Human Capital Flight‘ as the wikipedia article describes it).

But an article in the ‘Belfast Telegraph‘ that was published Thursday week ago citing research conducted by the Department for the Economy reveals that that widely held belief is actually a widely held misconception…

…the research shows the number of students migrating is not unusually high by UK standards. In fact, it says the greater challenge is attracting students from outside to study here.

The report by the Economic and Social Research Institute (ESRI) provides fresh insights into student and graduate mobility, and suggests local students are no more likely to leave than their counterparts in Britain.

The paper goes on to quote Economy Minister Caoimhe Archibald as saying…

“This research gives us a more comprehensive understanding of student flows into and out of the north. It highlights the opportunities presented by the ‘brain gain’ and encourages us to focus more on attracting students here. We have internationally renowned universities and relatively lower living costs, so we have a strong pitch to students from outside this region. To attract more students we need to create more good jobs that offer well-paid careers here after graduation. We need the British Government to remove the new restrictions it has imposed on international students and we are asking the Irish Government to help fund the students we are welcoming from the south of Ireland. My department will now work with our universities, businesses, students and trade unions to create a brain gain.”

Dr.Anne Devlin, who led the research which was compiled into the report, was also quoted…

“While we recognise that young people do leave Northern Ireland to study, this is not uncommon within the UK.Student mobility decisions are shaped by a wide range of educational, social and personal factors. Focus instead should be on the sustainability of our universities, which are an important part of our local economy, the availability of graduate opportunities locally, and encouraging students from GB to come to study in Northern Ireland in light of its relatively lower cost of living.”

Slugger Team

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