Internationalising Higher Education

As working age populations in developed countries decline, immigration policies increasingly focus on attracting the 'brightest and best' from overseas to fill crucial skills gaps. This has led to accusations that the developed world has encouraged a damaging 'brain drain' that has hindered development in developing countries. One proposed solution is that developed countries create 'centres of advanced training' in key locations in the developing world. These centres would allow citizens of developing countries to be trained to the standards required for them to seek skilled employment overseas, at the cost of the countries where they are likely to be employed. Theoretically, this could increase the international supply of skills without overloading developing country budgets, and, since not all graduates would actually emigrate, the centres could also boost skill levels in the countries where they are located. This poster will outline a review of existing research in this area and present its findings. The presenter will welcome discussion around whether such an initiative could be designed, whether such centres could train people with the domestic labour market in mind as well, how such a system could be developed without compromising developing countries' autonomy and control over their own educational systems, and what other measures would need to accompany the initiative to ensure the centres contribute to sustainable development.