CONTROVERSY OVER BRAIN DRAIN IN ANGOLA – LACK OF PUBLIC POLICIES?

• Main Author: Ladislau, Emílio
• Publication Date: 2025
• Other Authors: Diogo, Sara, Carvalho, Teresa
• Format: Article
• Language: por
• Source: Repositórios Científicos de Acesso Aberto de Portugal (RCAAP)
• Download full: https://doi.org/10.36367/ntqr.21.1.2025.e1219
• topic: Angola;; Mobilidade académica internacional;; Ensino Superior;; Portugal;; Políticas Públicas.; Angola; International academic mobility; Higher education system; Portugal; Brain drain; Public policies

Investing in the qualification of human resources is acknoledged as essential to promote countries’ economic and social development, particularly those in the developing world. It is therefore a common practice for different States to directly finance their students, through scholarships for example, to improve their qualifications in other countries, to ensure then that they return to their country, increasing the level of qualifications of the population and repaying the public investment made. However, it is often found that these graduates do not return to their country, a phenomenon known as brain drain. This research grounds on a case study that analyses how Angolan students in postgraduate courses in Portugal position themselves in relation to brain drain. More specifically, we seek to understand the reasons why students chose Portugal to study, what challenges they encountered and what perspectives they hold regarding their return. The study is based mainly on a qualitative perspective, in which the data collection grounds on semi-structured interviews. Fifty-two Angolan master's and doctoral students enrolled in different universities in Portugal were interviewed. We applied content analysis using webQDA software. Preliminary findings allow us to conclude that there are trends of brain drain in Angola, with several reasons for the non-return, namely the fragility of the Angolan education and health systems, the devaluation of professional staff, the lack of job opportunities, the very high cost of living, corruption, and the lack of meritocracy. Despite the importance and controversy contextualizing the topic, this phenomenon of mobility and brain drain of Angolans is still not the object of attention on the part of several social and political actors that constitute the Angolan society.