Dr. Gabriela Tejada
Workshop in the framework of the
IVth Moldovan Diaspora Congress
Chisinau, 13 October, 2010
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1. Diasporas in the migration and development context
2. Beyond remittances / Identification of diaspora contributions
3. Emerging models to leverage scientific diaspora resources
4. Diaspora Knowledge Networks
5. How can countries of origin promote diaspora linkages and networks
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Diasporas in the migration and development context
Current discourse on M&D nexus focuses on:
• Remittances
• Return migration and circulation
• Opportunities for cooperation with diasporas, engaging them through:
 Investments (Chinese abroad)
 Transfer of skills, knowledge and technology
 Influencing positive policy changes (Rumanian S&T, Indian economic reform)
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Beyond remittances: identifying diaspora contributions
• Diaspora recognition: key development actors
• Diversity of diaspora should be recognised (low skilled, high skilled, intellectual and scientific, business, second and third generations, etc.)
• All types deliver contributions to home countries
• The potential positive contributions of skilled diaspora should be promoted:
• Skills, know-how, networks (focus of the ASM-EPFL joint project)
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Emerging models to leverage skilled diasporas’ resources
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Top-executives model (India)
– Indian executives in big multinationals influence investments decisions to outsource knowledge-intensive operations to India (S&T and R&D outsourcing networks)
2.
Knowledge outsourcing model (Armenia, India)
– Successful diaspora members send back outsourcing contracts to firms in the home countries (outsourcing networks)
3.
Mentoring / Venture capital model (South Africa, Korea, Taiwan, China,
Israel)
– Managers and owners of start-up companies abroad help develop and finance commercially viable projects at home (Venture capital networks)
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Emerging models… (cont.)
4. Diaspora members as investors (China, India)
5. Identification of new opportunities / setting new strategic
direction (Israel, Armenia, India)
– Diaspora members identify niches: translate global opportunities into business projects.
6. Return of talent model (Korea, China)
– Incentives (like special technology parks in China) for talent to return to the home country (brain circulation networks)
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Some success stories:
• Taiwan (China) – Hsinchu industrial park venture capital & India-Bangalore : both modelled on the Sillicon Valley
• Chile Global
-- Emerging example, invloving about 150 sucessfull professionals of Chilean origin in the USA, Canda and Europe
-- Tangible contributions> Co/funding of high/tech firms in Chile (i.e.Interlink)
• Global Scott
-- Involving about 1000 high-placed Scots all over the world
-- A part of Scottish Enterprise – Scottish Economic Development Agency
-- High sucessful network of professionals abroad
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Main challenges of DKN:
 Diaspora initiatives are easy to start but difficult to keep momentum, unless concrete results materialize
• Need for significant technical and financial resources
• Need of a strong leadership
• Lack of capable counterpart institutions and infrastructure in the home country (Colombia Caldas Network)
• Ineffective follow up mechanisms
• Institutional change, political instability
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• Creating special ministries and units
India, Senegal, Mali, Bangladesh...
• Give special recognition to diaspora
Africa, China, India, Colombia, Moldova...
• Special incentives
• Organise annual fora of diaspora
Moldova, India...
• Mobilise diaspora members as advisors
Colombia, Rumania, South Africa...
 Promote academic and policy making dialogue: bring intellectual rigor into policy making !
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Contact and further information :
Dr. Gabriela Tejada gabriela.tejada@epfl.ch
http://cooperation.epfl.ch
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