Bring back our best and brightest

They were set up to bring key Australian scientists back from overseas. But nearly two thirds of last year's crop of Australian Research Council (ARC) Federation Fellowships was awarded to scientists already living here.

With Australia experiencing an "exodus" of talented scientists to the US and Europe, we should be creating an environment that researchers want to return to and bring back our best and brightest, a Melbourne function heard last week.

Julia Page, executive director of Victorian Endowment for Science, Knowledge and Innovation's (VESKI), told the BioMelbourne breakfast that more than 62 per cent of the ARC Federation Fellowships announced on June 15 were awarded to scientists already residing in Australia. One of VESKI's aims is to bring successful expatriates and leading researchers to Victoria.

Many expats face poor job security and lack of research funding in Australia and find it hard to adapt to the conservative, risk adverse culture here when they return, she said. "Many expats find their experience has changed them," said Page, and they try to seek out other people with global outlooks.

"Australians can be very insular and not receptive to experience from overseas," she said.

Being receptive to overseas experience also applies when searching for new staff said Jeremy Wurm, senior executive recruitment firm Brooker Consulting's managing director. "We should be comparing the international product with the local product", he said.

If companies want to hire returned Australians, employees need to work with expats and their families providing practical strategies, career development and a niche for them at home, said Page.