Brain drain: Draining Sri Lanka’s economic and social progress

THE findings of a recent study undertaken by two academics attached to Peradeniya University — Prof. Wasantha Athukorala and Lakshman Kumara — analysing the migration patterns of Sri Lankan state university graduates with a focus on science and related disciplines is an eye opener to the gravity of the exodus of top-quality human talent from the country. The research had found that over 50% of graduates from government campuses — including many from science, engineering, and agriculture faculties — leave for greener pastures forever.

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The researchers had collected data from the 19 government universities across Sri Lanka to arrive at their conclusions. Only limited details of the study were reported by The Daily Mirror newspaper recently, and no formal academic publication has been made available regarding the analysis. Hence, how the sample was determined and what was the methodology adopted for the research are still unknown, resulting in few observers raising doubts about the accuracy of the findings. However, the empirical evidence clearly affirms that the rate of educated people leaving the island has accelerated over the last few years, particularly from 2021 onwards when the signs of the economic crisis were gaining visibility.