The academic diaspora of Mauritius is an important and useful asset for the country. It can contribute a lot to further bolster Mauritius’s position as a major destination in Africa for higher education.
The country’s pool of academicians abroad is truly global in its depth. During the 2018 International Conference of the Mauritian Academic Diaspora, Mauritian educators practising their professions in 11 countries attended.
The University of Mauritius (UoM) organised this conference with the theme “Mauritian Diaspora Showcasing International Success.” Notably, the state-owned university held this conference as part of the 50th anniversary of Mauritian independence.
There’s a deep pool of Mauritian diaspora in the academe worldwide to support the island’s tertiary schools. Photo from the University of Mauritius.
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Diversity in scope of expertise
Significantly, the Mauritian academic diaspora is dispersed in major global learning centres, such as the UK, France, the U.S., and Australia. These Mauritian educators overseas cover many vital fields ranging from research and engineering to sciences and medicine. They are faculty members of prestigious academic institutions like London’s Queen Mary University and the Imperial College.
Recent government pronouncements bode well for some members of the academic diaspora of Mauritius to plot a homecoming. The government’s 2020-2021 budget set plans for the country to have a greater diversity of tertiary courses.
The fields of innovation and new technologies are the specific targets of this expansion. Significantly, this tack supports the country’s drive towards a knowledge-based and innovation-driven economy central to the new budget.
New school locators eyed
To expand the country’s academic capacity, the government shall offer incentives to top global tertiary schools locating in Mauritius. To achieve this, the government is preparing a comprehensive package of incentives for these locators investing in new campuses in Mauritius. These come-ons include an eight-year tax holiday from the start of operations. The government shall also grant import tax exemptions on IT and IT-related equipment and materials for online education.
The drive to further develop the Mauritian academe can also bring ripple effects to existing tertiary schools in the country. One stimulus is the MUR15 billion that the Ministry of Education, Tertiary Education, Science and Technology is getting for 2020-2021.
Opportunities in existing schools
Consequently, it just might be an opportune time for the academic diaspora to return and seek local teaching positions. Conceivably, existing tertiary schools in Mauritius are also girding to expand their course offerings and faculties to complement the government’s objectives. The academic diaspora of Mauritius can also benefit from the research fund under the Tertiary Education Commission.
Moreover, it is now quite tempting for Mauritian professionals overseas to pack their bags and return home. The government already put in place a Mauritian Diaspora Scheme loaded with incentives for them. The cards now truly appear stacked in favor of the academic diaspora of Mauritius, so expect this ace actively in play helping the country’s growth.
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