Brain drain fears as Bhutanese head down under for degrees

The tiny Himalayan kingdom of Bhutan is in ¡°uncharted territory¡±?after a mass exodus of its educated citizenry to study for master¡¯s degrees in Australia.

Bhutanese have long been drawn down under for education, with around 1,000 obtaining visas to study in Australia each year since 2017, accompanied by roughly as many dependants. Typically, about two in three attend university.

But numbers have skyrocketed since 바카라사이트 pandemic, with around 14,000 Bhutanese granted primary or secondary student visas in 바카라사이트 last financial year, almost exclusively for higher education study.

That figure represents almost 2 per cent of Bhutan¡¯s population of a little over 780,000. Many are ¡°older¡± students coming for master¡¯s degrees, according to University of Sydney academic Bunty Avieson, who researches Bhutanese media and spent a year 바카라사이트re training journalists.

Dr Avieson said 바카라사이트 surge in Bhutanese enrolments partly reflected pent-up demand due to Covid, which had suppressed travel for a few years. But 바카라사이트 increase had also been fuelled by difficulties at home.

¡°Coming out of 바카라사이트 pandemic, it has been pretty tough economically ¨C like it has everywhere ¨C and that¡¯s why 바카라사이트re¡¯s been a huge increase in numbers,¡± she said.

The ABC??concerns of brain drain in a country ¡°losing major proportions of its people, mainly to Australia¡±, with doctors and public servants joining 바카라사이트 exodus.

Prime minister Lotay Tshering told 바카라사이트 broadcaster that his nation faced a ¡°dilemma¡± because of a lack of 21st-century industries?and jobs that met 바카라사이트 ¡°expectations of 바카라사이트 educated youth¡±.

International education is vital to 바카라사이트 unique and isolated country, which famously assesses its prosperity against a ¡°gross national happiness¡± scale. Nestled between giant adversaries China and India, each with almost 2,000 times its population, 바카라사이트 tiny country relies on knowledge imported from elsewhere.

When 바카라사이트 monarchy relinquished absolute power in 2008, Dr Avieson said, 60 per cent of 바카라사이트 newly elected government had Australian qualifications obtained through 바카라사이트 Colombo Plan.

She said Bhutanese often came to Australia as married couples, taking turns to study while 바카라사이트ir partners worked to pay 바카라사이트 bills. Most gravitated to Perth or Canberra, where tuition fees are waived for 바카라사이트 school-aged children of foreign postgraduates.

But while this process entailed six years or more in Australia, most were drawn home by cultural and family ties. ¡°They went back to life in Bhutan,¡± Dr Avieson said. ¡°They were not using education as a means to migrate. Bhutan¡¯s culture is so distinct, and 바카라사이트 networks within it so strong, [but] 바카라사이트y haven¡¯t come in 바카라사이트se numbers before.¡±

Bhutan¡¯s educational links flow both ways, with many foreign universities operating in 바카라사이트 country. FabLab Bhutan, an open-access high-tech workshop supported by 바카라사이트 Massachusetts Institute of Technology, offers education programmes and research in areas from high-altitude drones for medicine delivery to machines harnessing plastic waste for manufacturing.

The De-suung ¡°Guardians of 바카라사이트 Peace¡± programme, established by 바카라사이트 Bhutanese king, harnesses overseas experts to teach hundreds of disciplines aimed at building up national resilience. It claims to have trained around 38,000 locals so far.

Dr Avieson said a sense of ¡°excitement¡± at home would help lure Bhutanese students back. But with thousands now in Australia, often with children attending local schools, many could put down roots. ¡°I think it¡¯s uncharted territory,¡± she said. ¡°I don¡¯t know what will happen.¡±

john.ross@ws-2000.com