Stopping science funding and breaking up tech companies is causing a brain drain

“We are witnessing a new brain drain, which is fundamental to any project to rebuild the country,” the former Minister of Education said recently. The politician’s sentence was uttered during an event that took place in Brasilia in the second week of July, while he was talking about a definition of Coordination for the improvement of staff of higher education (Capes) and Brazilian Federal Universities.

However, according to an expert report from Dataprev and Serpro, this evasion does not only occur during higher education. “There are cases of people who have received more investment from the state for many years, but there is no way to develop their potential in Brazil today,” says one of them.

This specialist refers to the privatization and decommissioning of public technology companies in the country, such as Dataprev and Serpro mentioned above, but also Ceitec, for example. this is the last , In the liquidation process stopped since September 2021 by decision of the Federal Court of Audit (TCU).

According to one Serpro employee, who prefers to remain anonymous, with the home office popularizing after the pandemic, foreign companies are taking the “brains” and often leaving the “bodies” of Brazilians on the national territory. They hire Brazilian professionals remotely, pay in dollars or euros, and make all the investment the state makes in an individual’s academic training, often professional, for nothing: “Professionals start working in the private sector, finding solutions and this wealth generation is beyond our borders” , he said sadly.

“For an individual, this can be a great opportunity, as he or she will not have to bear the burden of developing a career abroad, such as being away from family and friends, as well as a change in climate and culture,” he says.

However, while the individual wins, Brazil loses.

The same official claims that if the Serpro privatization schedule is maintained – At the moment, studies for the privatization of the public company will continue until the end of 2022, and the possible privatization will take place from 2023 To join one of the jobs offered abroad.

“I will not wait for us (Serpro and its employees) to auction off a foreign company and then come up with improper proposals to cut salaries to keep the job,” he said. He says he hasn’t left yet because he is waiting for the outcome of the situation.

For Brazil to retain its talent and, as the former Minister said, use it to rebuild the economy and the country, it is necessary not only that Dataprev and Serpro remain public companies, but also that they receive investments that guarantee recognition. From the workers and the work they bring to the country and the Brazilians.

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