An Israeli researcher’s recent report on her return to the University of Cambridge has raised alarm bells regarding Israel’s growing brain drain. Six years after completing her degree at the prestigious institution, the researcher found that the number of Israelis in Cambridge had quadrupled. This worrying trend poses the question: Is Israel’s intellectual brain drain intensifying?
To answer this, we turned to ScienceAbroad, a non-profit organization dedicated to connecting Israeli scientists and doctors abroad. For the past 19 years, ScienceAbroad has been working quietly, yet effectively, to combat the loss of Israeli talent to the global stage—an issue that the Israeli government has struggled to address. The organization maintains connections with over 11,000 Israeli professionals across 30 countries, including the US, UK, Canada, France, and Germany.
ScienceAbroad’s Mission and Impact
While the Israeli government and universities provide funding and support for ScienceAbroad, it is the organization's employees and volunteers who drive the critical efforts of supporting Israeli scientists and doctors. Through its 34 branches worldwide, ScienceAbroad has helped thousands of Israelis integrate into foreign academic and medical environments, while fostering a sense of community.
The organization's goal is clear: support Israelis abroad, help them maintain their identity, and encourage them to return home. So far, ScienceAbroad has successfully assisted more than 1,200 scientists in returning to Israel. However, this number pales in comparison to the overall challenge. Despite the efforts of ScienceAbroad, about 70% of Israeli scientists who travel abroad for postdoctoral work do not return, a rate that has remained consistent over the years.
Doctors Fare Slightly Better, but Still a Cause for Concern
The situation among Israeli doctors abroad is somewhat better, with around 31% of those who travel abroad for fellowships choosing not to return, according to a 2024 study by Dr. Maayan Gilboa and Dr. Lior Slok. While the fellowship period is relatively short, doctors still tend to settle abroad at higher rates than expected. Despite a significant shortage of doctors in Israel and excellent employment opportunities back home, the number of Israeli doctors who do not return is troubling.
Survey Shows Decline in Intent to Return
ScienceAbroad regularly conducts surveys among its community members abroad. The findings paint a stark picture of how opinions shift once Israeli professionals settle abroad. In a 2024 survey, 61% of Israeli scientists who initially planned to return to Israel after completing their training later changed their minds. Only 16% remained committed to returning home. Meanwhile, 9.5% of those who initially had no plans to emigrate abroad now expressed a desire to stay abroad, a figure that grew to 31% after going through the absorption process.
Furthermore, 52% of respondents were unsure about their future, indicating that nearly half of the undecided group might end up staying abroad.
A Growing Concern for Israel’s Future
This pattern of departure is not only troubling for the immediate future of Israel’s scientific and medical communities but also poses long-term challenges for the country's innovation and economic growth. Despite the efforts of organizations like ScienceAbroad, it is clear that more must be done to address the factors driving talented professionals abroad and to create incentives for their return. As the number of Israeli scientists and doctors remaining overseas continues to rise, the consequences for Israel’s intellectual and professional capital are becoming ever more significant.
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