Brain Drain Hurting Germany / Der Verlust der besten Köpfe schadet Deutschland

(Deutsche Übersetzung am Ende des Beitrags)

Deutsche Welle:

Brain Drain Hurting Germany

Germany's brightest and best qualified young professionals are leaving the country in droves and securing lucrative positions abroad. ...

After investing tens of thousands in education and training costs, Germany is losing its best qualified professionals to better paid positions elsewhere, economists complain. And the growing brain drain is compounding Germany's economic woes through the loss of skilled labor and human resources.

Nearly 118,000 people packed up and left the country in 2002 for jobs abroad, the German Statistical Office reported. ...

Every seventh person with a doctorate in science leaves Germany for the United States, The Scientist magazine has reported. Three of the four German Nobel Prize winners work in the United States. "The trouble is that we are losing our highest achievers," Christoph Anz of the Confederation of German Employers Associations told The Scientist. "We have reached the point where we will no longer be able to compete in the booming biotechnology sector." ...

"American universities offer scientists better pay conditions, more time for research and less time spent teaching," said Peter Doermann, a research group leader at the Max Planck Institute for Molecular Plant Physiology near Berlin. Some estimates say that scientists can earn three times as much money working in the United States compared to Germany.

We may not have the brightest scientists in Germany any more, but our politicians are second to none. Foreign secretary Fischer at the Munich Conference on Security 2004:

One year ago this Conference was the venue for a frank debate on the question of a war against Iraq.

Our opinions differed on whether the threat was analysed as sufficient to justify terminating the work of the UN inspectors, the consequences that a war would have on the fight against international terrorism, the effects of a war in Iraq on regional stability, whether the long-term consequences of the war would be controllable, and whether the controversy surrounding the legitimacy of the war would dangerously reduce the sustainability so essential in the post-conflict phase.

The Federal Government feels that events have proven the position it took at the time to be right. It was our political decision not to join the coalition because we were not, and are still not, convinced of the validity of the reasons for war. (emphasis added)

The whole world envies Germany for having the brightest and best qualified politicians...

Update: As Bill observes, Austria's brightest and best qualified has left the country, too...

Hat tip: Gregory Schreiber.

(Translation check Ray D.)

Deutsche Welle:

Der Verlust der besten Köpfe schadet Deutschland

Deutschlands intelligenteste und bestqualifizierten jungen Berufstätigen verlassen das Land in großer Zahl und sichern sich lukrative Positionen im Ausland. ...

Trotz der Investition von zehntausenden (Euros) in Ausbildung und Training verliert Deutschland seine bestqualifizierten Berufstätigen wegen höherbezahlter Positionen im Ausland, sagen Ökonomen. Und der zunehmende Verlust der besten Köpfe verschlimmert noch Deutschlands wirtschaftliche Probleme durch den Verlust von gut ausgebildeten menschlichen Ressorcen.

Fast 180 000 Menschen verließen das Land in 2002 für Jobs im Ausland, wie das Statistische Bundesamt berichtete. ...

Jede siebte Person mit einem Doktor in den (Natur?-)Wissenschaften verläßt Deutschland in Richtung Vereinigte Staaten, berichtet das Science Magazine. Drei der vier deutschen Nobelpreisträgern arbeiten in den Vereinigten Staaten. "Das Problem ist, daß wir unsere Ehrgeizigsten verlieren", sagte Christoph Anz vom BDI dem Scientist. "Wir haben einen Punkt erreicht, wo wir nicht mehr in der Lage sind, im boomenden Biotechnologie-Sektor mitzuhalten."...

"Amerikanische Universitäten bieten Wissenschaftlern bessere Zahlungsbedingungen, mehr Zeit für Forschung und verlangen weniger Zeit für Lehre," sagte Peter Doermann, eine Forschungsleiter des Max Planck-Institus für Molekulare Pflanzen-Physiologie in der Nähe Berlins. Einige Schätzungen besagen, daß ein Wissenschaftlern drei mal so viel Geld verdienen kann, wenn er in den Vereinigten Staaten statt in Deutschland arbeitet. (Unsere Übersetzung)

Wir haben ja vielleicht nicht mehr die intelligentesten Wissenschaftler in Deutschland, aber unsere Politiker müssen sich vor niemandem verstecken. Außenminister Fischer auf der "Munich Conference on Security 2004":

Vor einem Jahr gab diese Konferenz die Bühne ab für eine offene Diskussion zur Frage des Krieges gegen den Irak.

Unsere Meinungen unterschieden sich in Bezug darauf, ob die Bedrohung ausreichend analysiert war, um die Beendigung der Arbeit der UN-Inspektoren zu rechtfertigen, welche Konsequenzen ein Krieg auf den Kampf gegen den internationalen Terrorismus habe, der Einfluß eines Krieges im Irak auf die regionale Stabilität, ob die langfristigen Konsequenzen des Krieges kontrollierbar wären und ob die Kontroverse um die Legitimität des Krieges die Stabilität gefährlich reduzieren würde, die so wichtig in der Nach-Konflikt-Phase ist.

Die Bundesregierung meint, daß die Entwicklung bewiesen hat, daß die Position, die sie damals eingenommen hat, richtig war. Es war unsere politische Entscheidung, der Koalition nicht beizutreten, weil wir nicht nicht überzeugt waren - und es nicht sind - von der Richtigkeit der Begründung des Krieges. (Unsere Übersetzung)

Die ganze Welt beneidet Deutschland um seine intelligenten und bestqualifizierten Politiker...

Comments

[Scott]

I can't tell from the article... are these students who left Germany only _after_ suffering through the German university system to earn their doctorate?

I wonder how many more students leave Germany to earn their degree abroad, and then simply never come back.

[Nick Lauber]

Can this story be true? If so the state of European science is worse than even your post suggest.

http://blowedupgood.blogspot.com/2004_01_01_blowedupgood_archive.html

Euro-Scientists Accused of ‘Rover-Envy’

“Simply Awesome!” That’s how scientists at NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory describe the adrenaline rush from the success of their Mars ‘Spirit’ rover this past week. The Mars probe mission has performed flawlessly thus far with Mission Controllers releasing dozens of color photos in the past 48 hours.

But not everyone was enthusiastic.

“It’s just more American arrogance,” says Belgium scientist Nathan Shingle, with the European Space Agency (ESA). The agency’s own Mars rover, ‘Beagle’, has not responded to signals since its scheduled landing in December and is presumed lost. “There’s nothing more loathsome than seeing NASA eggheads dance around doing high-fives, ‘Look at me, look at me!’ We’re on Mars!’ Bleh, whatever.”

Mars Project Manager James August accused the Europeans of suffering from ‘Rover-Envy.’ “Looks like someone used a bargain brand rover,” said August. He went on to state that two out of three scientists surveyed preferred NASA rovers over the no-name brand rover.

“Says who?” countered Shingle, heatedly. “There’s no survey, they are making that up!”

As for the color photos from ‘Spirit’, Shingle and his German counterpart, Vaas Hoffseig, seemed unimpressed.

“Have you seen those pictures?” said Hoffseig. “Big whoop! I swear they took the old Viking photos from 1977 and just Photoshopped them. I laughed when I saw them!”

“I thought they were boring,” Shingle interjected.

“They were funny and boring,” Hoffseig added. “I laughed, then quickly fell asleep.”

August shrugged off the Rover Envy with a grin. “If those guys want some help we’d be glad to, you know, give them a few pointers. Maybe our rover will stumble over their dead one, and we can give it a little push. What’s it called again? Bagel?”

[Mike Messina]

Anyone can see their photo's are puny and weak, said Dr. Shingle. Ya, der spaceships are for little girls, remarked Hoffsieg.

[David Govett]

Maybe the European Space Agency needs to ask the Bundeswehr (German Army) for a few tips on roving. They're pretty good at roving about Europe. And when it comes to Mars, the god of war, what country knows more?

[Eric]

Welcome to America! Could you please invite any relatives who happen to be Braumeisters to please come over here and start making some decent lager?

[Michael Hiteshew]

And decent wursts too!

[Scott]

Unfortunately, Germany is suffering not only from a 'brain drain', but from a 'beer drain' as well. Foreign breweries have taken advantage of consolidation in the German brewery industry. The largest German brewery is the Belgian Interbrew, and the Danish Carlsberg just bought Holsten. See, for example, http://www.realbeer.com/news/articles/news-002117.php

[Ben]

The reasons for this are structural within the German economy. In addition to better pay, research dollars are more available in the US. We can expect little to change unless and until Germany deals with its structural issues (i.e., high taxes that suck corporate money that would be spent on research into government coffers, labor regulations that all but prevent flexibility in the workforce, a top-down mentality that discourages the innovation necessary for cutting-edge theoretical research, a weak economy that further discourages companies to spend on research and development, etc.). Perhaps some of the world's best politicians could begin to tackle the tough decisions that are necessary to make these structural changes.

[Vilmos Soti]

Well, it seems that Germany, the envy of the world just a generation ago, is heading down the slippery slope. The big problem is that the slope is slippery, and it is extremely hard to keep even the position, not even thinking about climbing back to the top. The welfare state (read high taxes) is at work. Those people who actually feed the country are leaving in droves. Every seventh with science degrees? Is it truly that bad? This should be an omen to those countries who think that in today's open world, they can still redistribute wealth. It doesn't work. Those people who actually contribute will leave sooner or later. They can find greener pastures. Also, it will be extremely hard to replace those people who left since the new people, after finishing their education, will also leave. Now Germany will need to spend far more money on education just to keep the level they have now since many young graduates will leave after graduation. Where will it lead? More taxation? A vicious circle. A while ago I read that 50% of students leave Denmark after finishing their studies. Is it true? Is this were Germany is heading?

Vilmos

[James Versluys]

I did notice they said they were going to pump in an extra 110 million into research over the next four years. This shows they haven't a clue what they're fighting over: 110 million over four years is a rounding error in the American expenditure, which has a 138 billion dollar a year advantage over the entire European area.

The best hope for the general European research sector to somewhat stem the flow (stopping it is impossible at this point) is to stop actively annoying researchers (one of my parents was a German researcher who came here for precisely that reason). The reason for that is the so-called "Soviet" style of the German and French and Belgian and Dutch research establishments.

Apparently Europe gave us its tired, poor, huddled masses yearning to be free. And now we want its energetic, educated, huddled elites yearning for something worthwhile to do. The last educated German should remember to turn out the lights and close the door on the way out, because you know those east german clods won't know how to do it.

[statler]

Indeed, the situation in Germany's universities IS that bad. A quick example: I have obtained my PhD abroad and now I am back in Germany, partly for personal reasons. Here, I have to work on my Habilitation (a sort of second PhD thesis), publish in journals and teach four hours a week. That does not sound too bad, but consider that two of these hours are in an undergraduate course with 300-400 students, where teaching is not limited to the formal two hours, but involves quite bit of academic babysitting in addition to the lectures themselves. Time for research, thus, is relatively scarce.

Compare that to a young colleague in the USA. He or she is an assistant professor, needs no formal degree like the Habilitation after the PhD. He or she usually is on tenure track and therefore has a high probability of being able to stay at the current university, whereas postdoc positions in Germany are limited to a maximum of six years - then it's boom or bust, i.e., either you find a full professorship or you're unemployed. And finally, my colleague at a top university in the USA has a good chance of having his teaching workload limited to one or two hours per term, and these are often seminars instead of busy undergraduate courses.

So, yes, indeed, it is pure fun to be a young researcher in Germany...