Title: Review of student non-return and brain drain determinants: theoretical-empirical consistency?

Authors: Jan-Jan Soon

Addresses: Department of Economics and Agribusiness, School of Economics, Finance & Banking, College of Business, Universiti Utara Malaysia, Economics Building, 06010 Sintok, Kedah, Malaysia

Abstract: This paper reviews the theoretical and empirical aspects of the determinants of student non-return and brain drain. As a whole, the empirical literature on the determinants of student non-return and brain drain do not appear to be testing what the theoretical works are hypothesising. The most noticeable gap is that there appears to be no empirical studies that test the validity of a number of pioneering theories. This review paper discusses empirical studies undertaken within a quantitative or an econometric framework. Qualitative or conceptual studies are beyond its scope. The findings from this paper suggest that good harmonised datasets on skilled migration and student non-return are urgently needed, and that neither the theorists should develop their theoretical models in a vacuum nor the empiricists explain brain drain or student non-return incidences without solid theoretical basis.

Keywords: student non-return; brain drain; skilled migration; migration determinants; empirical studies; theoretical studies; review paper; migration datasets; data unavailability; consistency; discrepancy.

DOI: 10.1504/IJEBR.2014.063942

International Journal of Economics and Business Research, 2014 Vol.8 No.1, pp.63 - 81

Received: 19 Nov 2012
Accepted: 02 Jul 2013

Published online: 29 Aug 2014 *

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