Many Russian professionals are heading for greener pastures outside of the country or are working in areas other than their

original academic specialization, in search of higher income. But this is neither good for Russian technology or education.

The notion of a "brain drain" is not new in Russia. Even in Soviet times, top professionals sometimes immigrated to the West or moved to socialist or developing countries to work in economics or science. But at certain periods, the flow increases. Analysts believe the "brain drain" significantly increases under the conditions of continuing instability in Russia.

According to data provided by the Ministry of Science, the loss of one scientist costs the country an estimated $300,000. Over the past 10 years, some 16,000 Russian scientists have obtained permanent foreign work contracts and left the country. Although the rate was higher in the early 1990s — 2,000 a year — it is still high, at 1,000 emigrating annually. Only about 20 percent of those departing professionals have returned.

Yelena, PR manager for the Pravda PR company, quit her job in Russia because she’s emigrating to Canada. "I loved my job and got a very good salary, but I never felt secure in Russia. Lack of economic stability and the August crisis (I was fired back then, together with everyone at our PR department, and was unemployed for a long time) made me take this step and apply to the Canadian Embassy. I heard that Canada needs mostly technical occupations, like engineers and programmers, but my educational level (which includes training in the United States) and solid work experience encouraged me to try. I don’t have regrets about my decision, and I hope I’ll find a better and more secure life in Canada."

Yuri Boryev, president of the Aesthetic Academy, said: "Those leaving are people who can easily find a job abroad, mostly scientists: mathematicians, physicists, biologists. Not only young people, but also the middle-aged and even older. Our educational level is still high, and this level will remain, at least for the next 15 years."

This happens," he continued, "because professors, Ph.D.’s of the RAS (Russian Academy of Sciences), get five to eight times less than a secretary in a commercial firm, or sometimes even the same as a janitor."

He added that, quite often, Russian specialists are exploited abroad and their achievements credited to foreign companies and research centers.

However, he continued that he’s "not against training abroad. It is a very positive thing, as you get access to advanced laboratories, facilities, you can enrich your experience, and apply the knowledge when you come back to Russia. However, such examples are rare. More frequently, we see massive emigration instead."

Dmitry Lavrov, deputy director of Russia’s research institute Information Technologies, said "Forty years ago, when we were getting ready for the first space flight, we didn’t have any ‘brain-drain’ problem. It was prestigious to work in this sphere [high technologies]. Financially, there was no difference; but those who worked for state’s science, were respected. There’s also a tendency to draw a line between (and give preference to) technical specialties. They get a priority over humanitarian ones, although not a single exact science can develop without the humanities."

Natalia Zlydneva, professor of the Slavic Studies Institute at the Russian Academy of Science, said that scientists and academics who go abroad often get slighted. "Our professionals do not have the same scientific atmosphere there, and often do not get adequate work." However, those who choose to stay in Russia also risk having to do lower-level work: Professors have to tutor high- school students, mathematicians become computer programmers, foreign language teachers start holding "Russian for foreigners" courses. For many, this is a way to survive, but it is damaging professionally and, as a result, won’t benefit Russian society. "Science is a world apart from the market economy, and you can’t use same skills [in both areas]," she said.