The United States has long been considered the global center for scientific research and higher education. Its universities and research centers have attracted scientists and researchers of various nationalities, thanks to an environment promoting academic freedom, generous financial support, and advanced infrastructure. However, recent years have revealed profound structural changes that herald a gradual decline in this status, with the rise of a wave of “reverse brain drain,” as many American scientists and residents have begun to move to countries that offer a more stable and supportive environment for their research projects.

An-Nahar interviewed Dr. Nizar Al-Muhtar, assistant professor of education at Haigazian University. Dr. Al-Muhtar shed light on the roots of this crisis and its future repercussions on the global knowledge production system, highlighting the worrying similarities to what has occurred in Lebanon since 2019, when its economic crisis began to drain its academic institutions of talent.

Dr. Al-Muhtar emphasizes that what is happening in the United States is not merely a natural movement in the talent market, but rather an alarming decline in the pillars of American scientific excellence. The departure of scientists is not due solely to individual factors but to structural imbalances that threaten the very essence of academia, from funding to legislation, immigration policies, and the imbalance between research and administration in educational institutions.

He cites several reasons, including increased political interference in university affairs, which has led to restrictions on freedom of expression and research and created a climate of self-censorship on campus. Dr. Al-Muhtar points to the sharp decline in federal funding, particularly for key institutions such as the National Institutes of Health (NIH) and the National Science Foundation (NSF), which has resulted in the layoff of researchers, the downsizing of projects, and even the closure of departments at prestigious universities.

He adds that new immigration policies have played a decisive role in reducing the attractiveness of the United States, as international scholars face increasing legal obstacles that threaten their professional and personal stability. Institutionally, American universities have shifted to non-permanent employment patterns based on short-term contracts, which has reduced job security and weakened the quality of scientific output, especially among young professors who form the nucleus of academic renewal.

These internal challenges, says Al- Muhtar, have paved the way for the rise of global alternatives. The European Union launched programs to attract researchers with a budget of more than €566 million, Canada has invested more than $22 billion since 2016 in developing scientific research, while China has become a leader in terms of scientific output, supported by strategic initiatives such as the “Thousand Talents Plan.” This shift reflects not only a change in research positioning, but also in the global balance of knowledge power.

Ironically, as Al-Mahdar explains, what the United States is experiencing today is very similar to what developing countries such as Lebanon have faced since the beginning of its crisis in 2019. While America viewed academic migration as a source of intellectual strength, Lebanon was experiencing a severe drain on its academic and medical talent due to financial collapse and institutional instability.
 The paths have now converged in an unexpected way: the US is ceding what it once attracted, and Lebanon has found an opportunity to be a partner in “brain circulation,” instead of losing its talent for good.

Al- Muhtar asserts that Lebanon, despite its suffocating financial and political crises, can capitalize on this global moment, if it adopts a smart strategy  grounded in the concept of “brain circulation.” He proposes building partnerships with international institutions that would allow Lebanese researchers abroad to work with their home universities without having to return full-time, while providing them with attractive research and professional incentives.

Dr. Al-Muhtar emphasizes that any effective strategy must start from within, by reforming the higher education system, freeing universities from politicization and bureaucracy, providing a research environment based on independence and transparency, and modernizing funding and support mechanisms.

What we are witnessing today is a transformation in the map of knowledge production and distribution at the global level. The brain drain from the United States is no longer just a local phenomenon, but a wake-up call for a global education system in need of radical restructuring. International cooperation, equal opportunities, and the building of a flexible and inclusive knowledge environment are therefore priorities for the coming phase for all those who seek a sustainable future.