Brain Drain Poses Great Challenges To Institutions In Africa–AAU
As the four-day Conference of Rectors,Vice Chancellors and Presidents of African Universities (COREVIP 2023)ended in Windhoek, Namibia, the conference noted with concern that braindrain has been one of the greatest challenges facing educational andother institutions in Africa.
The conference whose theme was “Advancing Excellence in African HigherEducation’’ and under the auspices of Association of AfricanUniversities (AAU), had 16 sessions including the presentations of summary recommendations from all the sub- themes.
Presenting a jointly authored paper on mobilizing Africans in the Diaspora to support African Universities, Dr Abdulkarim Oloyede berated Academics sponsored abroad who are not returning home to give back totheir country.
Oloyede, a Nigeria Diaspora and an Associate Professor with theUniversity of Ilorin, Nigeria, listed causes of brain drain in Africa toinclude instability in African countries, poverty, lack ofinfrastructure for research and development and health care, lack ofmotivation, future consideration,commitments, marriage and job offers.`
‘`Educational institutions in Africa need to find a way of dealing withthe situation. Africa needs to address brain drain syndrome in order toretain skilled workers, boost research capacity and knowledge productionand socio-economic development’’, he stressed.
Other factors according to Acting Director, Centre for ResearchDevelopment and in-house Training (CREDIT), University of Ilorin include challenges of diaspora exchange programs, limited funding, cultural andcontextual differences, limited awareness and engagement, immigrationand visa issues, sustaining long term collaborations, perception andbiases and lack of institutional policy.
Oloyede recommended strengthen collaboration innovative ways, improveresearch and innovation ecosystems, develop attractive career opportunities, address socio economic challenges, diaspora engagementprogram, embrace digital technologies through ICT, digital mentoring,data sharing and collaboration on research, enhance institutionalcapacity, establish partnerships as well as establish strong alumninetworks.`
`Mobilizing Africans in the diaspora to support African Universitiescan bring significant benefits to both the institutions and the broaderdevelopment of the continent’’, he submitted.
Contributing to the discussion, the Chairman/CEO, Nigerians in Diaspora Commission (NIDCOM), Hon. Abike Dabiri-Erewa emphasized on theimportance of the Diasporas to national development recommending theNigeria model with over 17 million in the Diaspora and $22 billionannual remittances.
Dabiri-Erewa, who spoke through the Commission’s Head of Media and Public Relations, Abdur-Rahman Balogun stressed the need for Africacountries to have a Commission, Agency or Ministry solely for Diaspora Affairs to be able to harness the potentials of African Diaspora.
In his closing remarks, Prof. Olusola Oyewole, Secretary -General of Association of African Universities stressed the need that theconference had resolved that it will work towards advancing excellencein all ramifications especially in African higher education using itshuman and natural resources.
Abdur-Rahman Balogun
Head of Media, Public Relations and Protocols NIDCOM.
July 8, 2023.
