Brain drain is also increasing due to the high cost of living, inequality of opportunities in education, and difficult living conditions. According to the higher education brain drain statistics for the 2021-2023 period published by TÜİK, the brain drain rate of higher education graduates is 2 percent, while new graduates mostly prefer to go to the USA. In recent years, the number of recent high school graduates choosing to study abroad has increased. While it was claimed that 146 of the 155 students who graduated in 2024 from Istanbul Boys’ High School, one of the highest-rated high schools in Turkey, preferred Germany and Switzerland for university education, it came to the fore that only 9 graduates preferred universities in Turkey. What kind of problems the increasing brain drain will cause in the near future is a matter of both concern and curiosity.
SAD FOR Türkiye
Ankara University Faculty of Political Sciences Migration Research Center Director Prof. Dr. Murat Erdoğan stated that brain drain is one of the serious problems and said, “Our country’s natural resources are insufficient. Turkey’s biggest resource is ‘young brains.’ It is very sad for Türkiye that qualified people are moving away from the country, especially in this period when artificial intelligence and many technological products come into play. “Brain drain may have negative effects on the economy, social structure and democracy in the near future.” he said.
DRIVING FACTORS INCREASED
Adding that brain drain is a problem for many countries in the globalizing world, Prof. Dr. Erdoğan said, “People leave when they find a better position or earn more because they are looking for a better life. It is very difficult to prevent this. But the problem in Turkey is this; In addition to pull factors such as higher earnings for young people, push factors have also increased. The main driving factors are; “People do not feel safe, do not believe in the legal system and there is a perception of threat arising from Turkey’s instability,” he said.
WE CANNOT COMPETE!
Educational Sociologist Prof. Dr. Tunay Kamer is also among those who think that brain drain has become an important problem in Turkey in recent years. Stating that the migration of qualified workforce and educated young people abroad carries serious risks in terms of economic and social development, Prof. Dr. Kamer said: “Brain drain causes loss of qualified workforce, especially in strategic areas such as engineering, technology, medicine and higher education. “The lack of qualified personnel in high value-added sectors negatively affects Turkey’s international competitiveness by reducing national innovation capacity.”
CAUSES DISTURBANCE
“Brain drain creates a shortage of academic personnel. This situation negatively affects the decrease in scientific research and development projects in Turkey, international academic reputation and the quality of the country’s scientific output. The immigrant labor strategy to close the shortage of doctors and engineers carries risks.Moreover, this situation causes social unrest.”
PLANNING MUST BE MADE
Turgay Polat (Education Analyst)
“Turkey is losing serious blood due to increasing brain drain. This process will have serious consequences against Turkey in a very short time. For example, we will see effects such as the loss of quality of universities and the decrease in new inventions and production. It is not easy to prevent brain drain. The problem is not only financial means but also cultural, social and “It also has legal dimensions. I must say that this immigration policy will not be a solution to this problem, because instead of looking for qualified manpower, we allow unqualified immigration that distorts the country’s resources and perception.”
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