New High Council Mobilizes Global Algerian Scientific Talent
Algeria has established a new High Council for the National Scientific Community Abroad, a strategic initiative aimed at mobilizing its global scientific diaspora for national development. This body seeks to integrate the expertise of Algerian researchers, engineers, and academics worldwide, transforming the long-held perception of "brain drain" into an opportunity to harness expatriate competencies as a valuable national asset. Functioning as a consultative body to the President of the Republic, the Council possesses legal personality and financial autonomy, affirming the state's commitment to facilitating the useful return of this intellectual capital through advice, expertise transfer, and investment.
The High Council's robust structure includes 39 volunteer members, comprising 30 national experts residing abroad, six representatives from key ministries, and three leaders of Algerian companies established outside the country. It will be led by a president, selected from highly recognized competencies, appointed for a three-year term renewable once, based on joint proposals from the Ministries of Higher Education and Foreign Affairs. The Council's extensive missions include linking the diaspora to the national higher education, research, and innovation system, fostering human capital development, supporting multidimensional national growth, formulating visions for priority projects, and ensuring higher education standards align with international benchmarks.
Beyond its internal focus, the new High Council also embraces an international dimension, tasked with strategic monitoring of advanced technologies and facilitating international scientific dialogue. This positions Algeria to assert its voice in major scientific discussions globally, acting as an instrument of knowledge diplomacy and a significant actor from the global South in the race for innovation. The initiative draws inspiration from successful models, such as India's, by promoting "virtual mobility," co-tutored theses, joint research projects, and remote mentorship, rather than requiring a permanent physical return, thereby encouraging co-invention and direct engagement with the national entrepreneurial ecosystem.
