Poor conditions blamed for Venezuelan scientist exodus

[Bacchus4.0]

http://www.scidev.net/global/education/news/poor-conditions-blamed-for-venezuelan-scientist-exodus.html



Government-funded universities in Venezuela are witnessing a flight of scientists and professors, leaving them unable to fill posts, according to recent reports.

At Simón Bolívar University, around 240 professors have quit over the past five years — an unusually high number, says Rafael Álvarez, a representative of the university’s Association of Professors.

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The Central University of Venezuela has lost around 700 faculty members between 2011 and 2012, according to its Association of Professors.

About 400 of those who left were considered to be the next generation of professors and researchers, says Víctor Márquez, president of the Association of Professors of the Central University of Venezuela. And around 500 of them said they were leaving because of economic conditions, he adds.
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De la Vega says the brain drain is due to high crime rates, a lack of funding for universities and low salaries.

[Socialistlemur]

1. Some left because they thought Chavez was becoming a dictator

I have a close Venezuelan friend who has a doctorate from UCV and is now living abroad. She tells me her complete family left Venezuela, and her relatives include two medical doctors, a phd in political science, one chemical engineer, one petroleum engineer, a computer science tech and a very skilled mechanic.

[Bacchus4.0]

4. Its dangerous to try to live a normal life in Venezuela nt

[Marksman_91]

2. I'd argue the crime rate is the main cause for the exodus

Nearly 25,000 murders in 2013 alone. The highest crime rate in South America. It's the same reason why my brother and I left for the US, at least; the youth is what's most exposed to nightlife and time spent on the street. It's become dangerous to go anywhere out, especially in Caracas. And even in your own home, many thugs can still get in and tie you and your family up while they rob your home to their heart's delight. 15 years of Chavista rule, 15 years enjoying the biggest oil bonanza in our history, and not one time did the government ever get serious about fixing the crime problem, because they obviously benefit from it, they benefit from it because it causes an exodus of people who belong to the middle class and above, the people who are more likely to oppose the government. In fact, I'd argue that this is the main reason why they're not bothering to fix any of the country's problems; keep people poor and dependent on the government, and they'll always vote for you. Poor populations who have no access to basic education and the opportunity to develop professionally and intellectually have always been the easiest demographic to manipulate. I'm sure more than one chavista changed their minds about their leadership after having visited the US or some other European country and seeing what it truly means to live in a developed nation and thinking "Damn... With all the oil money we have, how can we still live so backwards?"

[Bacchus4.0]

3. Yep, criminals are part of the chavista base and all of the government n/