Promoting Knowledge Exchange through Diasporas

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Promoting Knowledge Exchange through Diasporas

• Presentation by
• Clay Wescott, Asia Pacific Governance Institute
• 16 June 2006

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Overview

• Capacity Development
• Brain Drain or Brain Gain
• Case studies of PRC and Philippines
• Numbers of Skilled Migrants
• Government efforts to facilitate KE
• KE from associations and networks
• Conclusions and Policy Recommendations
• Areas for future research

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Background

• Capacity Development
• Brain Drain or Brain Gain

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Case studies of PRC and Philippines
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Methodology-instrumental case study research

• 5 Steps (surveys, focus groups, interviews)
• Developing case narratives
• Developing research questions
• Explaining factors associated with case outcomes
• Understanding the causal process leading to case
  outcomes
• Policy recommendations

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Numbers of skilled migrants

• PRC
• Est. 1.1 million, av. age 35, 95 male
• Most come as students, post grad qual.
• Philippines
• Est. 2.5 million, many females
• Most come as workers most only bachelors degrees

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Government efforts to facilitate KE

• PRC
• Policies national and localeasing regulations,
  green cards, benefits
• Programs support for short visits, research,
  university chairs, conferences
• Websites

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Government efforts to facilitate KE -2

• Philippines (good at training and facilitating
  migrant exits less so for KE)
• TOKTEN
• Balik-Scientist Program
• The Science and Technology Advisory Council
• Dual nationality act voting

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KE from associations and networks

• PRC
• Ties closely linked to 4 career stages.
• Business OCPs- closer ties glass ceiling
• OCPs help in vetting Chinese partners for their
  foreign employer and investing and servicing
  cross-regional high-tech business
• Associations incubators where OCPs build closer
  ties with PRC.
• But linking associations and informal networks to
  formal programs a challenge

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KE from associations and networks -2

• Philippines
• University of the Philippines - Medical Alumni
  Society in America
• Philippines-Canada Trade Council
• U.S. Chapter of the Philippine Institute for
  Certified Public Accountants
• Greater American Siquijor Association
• MIT-PESO GEN-Philippines BGN AFT Central
  Visayan Institute Foundation

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Conclusions and Policy Recommendations

• PRC
• State led programs emphasis on profitable
  projects may miss cross-regional business
  opportunities
• Need improved cooperation between government
  agencies better websites
• Address weaknesses in legal, regulatory
  frameworks, and corporate and financial
  governance using OCP advisors

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Conclusions and Policy Recommendations-2

• Philippines
• No evident policy to encourage KE
• Initiatives by professional associations
• Dual nationality act voting targeting retirees
• Need more coherent KE approach involving all
  parties

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Areas for future research
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Areas for future research

• Better data on skilled migrants
• Diasporas and innovation dissemination/network
  theory and practice
• Diasporas (including dark networks) and
  security
• Economic impact of diaspora KE
• Diasporas and donors role in recruiting
  expertise, disseminating information,
  intermediary role (local communities and NGOs)

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Terima kasihTze tzeSalamat
DhanyabadhDhanyavaadComb mop sum knee
ahShookriaKhob khuneCam o'n Thank you