Brain Circulation : Korean Experience

1. Brain Circulation : Korean Experience Misug JIN Senior Fellow Korea Research Institute for Vocational Education and Training(KRIVET)

2. <Contents> I. Introduction II. Brain Circulation in Korea III. Policy Direction IV. Strategies

3. Ⅰ. Introduction Why the issue, international mobility of Human resources important? • Advancement to knowledge-based economy-> high skills and knowledge-> the highly Skilled in R&D and service area ‘The Highly skilled HR really matter’ • Increased the international mobility of the highly skilled. War for Talents

4. The Change of perspective on the international mobility of the highly skilled Brain Drain Brain Circulation Advan. ↔ Advan. Advan. ↔ developing Developing → Advan. Direction Win – Win Win – or – Lose Benefits Multiple, Transitional Permanent Pattern Global Collaboration ‘Diaspora’ Return home / Blocking Brain drain Strategies

5. Positive effect Positive effect Negative effect Negative effect Sending countries Receiving countries • Brain gain by return of natives • Increased ties to global networks • Remittances and venture capital from diaspora networks • Increased incentive for natives to see higher skills • Increased R&D/economic activity • Entrepreneurship • Foster diversity and creativity • Export technology • Increased enrolment in graduate • programmes • Wage moderation • Shortage of HR • Lower returns from public • investment in tertiary education • Decreased incentive of natives to • train higher skills • Crowd out native students from • best schools • Technology transfers to foreign • competitors

6. GLOBAL EFFECTS • Development knowledge and R&D by better international flows of knowledge • Better job matches, • Increase individual human capital investments.

7. II. Brain Circulation in Korea 1. From Brain Gain country to Brain Circulation one • Korea: one of the brain gain countries: by sending and returning • Starting to receive foreign students: In 2006, 2,173 foreign students in doctoral program in Korea. 2% of all graduate programs

8. Comprehensive Korean Policies in 1970s for attracting expatriate S&Es: It did Work!! • Provided excellent job opportunities -Establish national research centers such as KIST(Korea Institute for Science and Technology) or KDI(Korea Development Institute) and KAIST(Korea Advanced Institute for Science and Technology) -Intensive Support(higher salary) • Provide Housing and excellent Opportunities for children’s education -best elementary schools under best universities • Respect for S&E as patriots by government -Strong Will of the Powerful President Butnot any more

9. 2. The number of Korean Ph.Ds in USA • During last 20 years, about 1,300-1,500 Korean Ph.Ds a year • The second largest foreign countries • 3%of Total US Ph.Ds. • 20%of foreign Ph.Ds ( China → Korea) • 700-900 Ph. Ds a year in S&T-60% • Of total Korean expatriate Ph.D, US doctorate more than 60%

10. The trend of Korean Ph.Ds of total US Ph.Ds

11. Characteristics of Korean Ph.D • Selected Human Resources - From high family SES - Selective Colleges gradauated • High Satisfaction on US Graduate Programs: - Quality of curriculum - Financial assistance

12. Comparison of Satisfaction of Graduate Programs of Korean and US Ph.Ds

13. 3. The Return Plan of Korean Ph.Ds • The proportion to plan to return home on completing degree has been decreased • 2004, 26% of S&T; 46% of Non S&T Return Plan on Completion of Ph.D

14. Stay plan rate of selected countries • High: China, India • Low: Japan, Taiwan, South Africa. China India Korea Japan Taiwan South Africa

15. 4. Actual Return Rate of Korean Ph.Ds • Actual return rate : 5 years after degree completion • 66% of 1998 Ph.D Cohort, 89% in 1992-93 cohort. • Much higher than the return plan rate, 40% Stay Rates

16. 5. The Interpretation of the trend of Korean Ph.Ds Stay Rates From Korean government perspective, is this return rate too low to be worried?  Difficult to evaluate!  Dependent on three questions; 1) Who are staying and why? 2) Permanent or Temporary? 3) The quantity and Quality of Collaboration and Linkage of expatriate Ph.Ds with home colleagues

17. Lower than other foreign countries One third of Chinese, Indian Ph.Ds’ stay rates Not too high rate of stay Stay Rates of foreign Ph.Ds in USA 5 years after degree completion by countries (%) Sources: Finn,M(2001-2005).Stay Rate Foreign Doctorate Recipients from US University

18. Postpone Returning: High proportion of Post-doc of Korean Ph.Ds • 75% of Ph.Ds in S&T received (or plan to receive) Post-doc. • Of Post-doc planner, 90% choose for Post-doc program in USA • → Post-doc makes one factor to postpone the return of • Korean Ph.Ds • → High Proportion of Ph.Ds reveals preference to work in • higher education

19. 6. Factors of Returning (Staying abroad) One out of five Ph.Ds said I have to return for my parent Complex factors :cultural, educational as well as economic factor: • Favorable Job Market • Culturalfactors: patriotism, family-duties • Research Condition facilities, • Work (research) climate or environment • Quality of Education for children • Quality of life: environment, housing costs Pulling factors Now, I’ d like to go home and to do service for my homeland—expatriate scientists in his early fifities Pushing factors

20. The level of job’s requirement Better working condition for Ph.Ds in USA • The relatedness of work to their specialty is higher • The level of work requirement is more relevant to doctoral degree • Higher job satisfaction • Especially low job satisfaction for Ph.Ds employed in Korean companies

21. If you had returned, what happen to your research and quality of life… [Research Productivity] [Quality of Life]

22. More Job opportunities 10.3       Higher income 3.8 Better working (research) environment 46.2  For professional development 14.1 For children’s better education 19.2  To live permanently 6.4 Total 100.0  Reason to move to foreign countries of returned Ph.Ds Reason (%)

23. III. Policy Direction • Closed, nationalistic • Recruiting only • Quantity • Short-term and disparate policies -Buying HR • Open, global sourcing • Utilization as well • Quality • long-term and comprehensive HR policies -Buying and Making HR Brain Gain Brain Circulation

24. IV. Strategies 1 Strengthen the competitiveness of Korean Universities 2 Improving the work/research climate to utilize the globally highly skilled R&D experts 3 Strengthen the foreign network to improve collaboration 4 Facilitate the global cooperating for research Support living conditions for foreigners 5

25. Strengthen the competitiveness of Korean Universities • Low Competitiveness of Korean Universities: 3 Korean Uni. Among 100 top universities -high achievement of Korean youth (PISA, TIMMS) -Bottleneck of Educational Development -quality of higher education maintain talented Korean students in Korea as well as inviting foreign students into Korea. • Financial Support for higher education -R&D Program Brain Korea 21:-provide research fund for universites 20 billion US$ during last 10years -Enhancing Educational capacities Financial Support for universities of good quality of eduation Since 2009, 30 billion KRW(9 0million US $) each year

26. Improving the work/research climate to utilize the globally highly skilled R&D experts • The working and research culture • -closed, hierarchical, top-down approach • -> hinder creativity of global talents • open, free, bottom up, and long-term perspective • This is not easy one;-need training programs for managers and leaders in S&T related organization

27. Strengthen the Expatriate Korean network to improve collaboration • 13 Korean Expatriate Science and Engineers Associations • -> government financial Support for these associations Active collaboration and networking with KASEA KASEA(Korean American Scientiscts and Engeneers Association) • Young Generation Forum • (invite young scientists and engineers with Korean origin)

28. Facilitate the global cooperating for research • Collaborative Research Funds -Invite Foreign Research Lab-Branch eg) Pasteur Research Lab - Establish a branch center in Europe or USA • Brain Pool System • Invite young scientists and engineers • (Postdoc for foreign Ph.D-> mostly Ph.D from Asian countries • Competition for brains( esp. Post doc level) with Japan(agressively invite foreign S&E)

29. Support living conditions for foreigners • Closed and unfriendly atmosphere toward foreigners • Language problem • Education and housing support • Children’s education: expensive and competitve-disincentive for coming to Korea • Housing: high costs • On –line and off-line One stop centers for foreign S&Es • Information, counseling

30. Strategies for attracting expatriate Korean S&E based on Career Development Stages • Most Effective target group; • S&E who have passed their peak in their careers • -> They are ready to be attracted. • Use their expertise for consulting or management.

31. Opinion of expatriate Ph.Ds for global talented researchers `

32. Thank you!