IMPACT OF HUMAN CAPITAL FLIGHT ON ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT OF ABIA STATE UNIVERSITY, UTURU

Abstract

This paper examined the impact of human capital flight on the institutionaldevelopment of Abia State University, Uturu. The objective is to find out the causes of humancapital flight, its effects, and the various strategies to reduce it, as well as improve the institutionaldevelopment of the University. A survey research design was adopted for the study, utilizing amixed-method approach that combined both primary and secondary data collection. The study isanchored in structural functional theory. The research instrument was tagged “Human CapitalFlight and Institutional Development Survey Questionnaire” (HCFIDSQ), and a reliabilitycoefficient of 0.80 was obtained. Data collected were analyzed using frequency counts, percentagesand mean. The hypotheses were tested using Pearson’s Product-Moment Correlation Coefficient ata 0.05 significance level. The findings showed that there was a relationship between the causes ofhuman capital flight, its effects and the dwindling development in the University, and that theinstitution management expressed interest in using the various strategies which could help them toreduce the rate of brain drain, but could not effectively utilize them. Based on the findings, it wasrecommended that the government should regularly organize workshops/seminars to educate theuniversity management on the need to effectively utilize the various strategies to reduce brain drain,and create an effective and efficient institutional policy capable of establishing a platform forentrepreneurship, as well as create opportunities to enhance development in the Abia StateUniversity.