The poll showed that 77 percent of IT students would be willing to
study abroad, while 17 percent said they would move away forever.
IT finance company Tieto Konts took the opinion poll of 400 students
from five Latvian universities and delivered the results in a meeting
at the Hotel Konventa Seta. It was not the first revelation of the
problems Latvia may face in keeping good, qualified IT specialists at
work in Latvia.
Latvia and other post-Soviet countries started to face "brain drain"
right after the collapse of communism.
Maris Ozolins, managing director at Tieto Konts, said the company
performed the survey because it needed new specialists and needed to
clarify the situation concerning the exodus of the young and talented
to the European Union.
"Recently my colleague from Romania said thousands of young
specialists are leaving for the EU in order to get better positions,"
he said.
Initially, disbelief at the presentation expressed itself along the
methodological line, which can be summed up as "Why didn't you ask
more questions and more people?"
"We wanted to clarify something for ourselves, and we did it," said
Ozolins. "I don't know why they [colleagues-counterparts] refused to
face the facts, maybe because of competition."
The research data show that Latvian students are proud of their
country's IT development. An absolute majority of people questioned
gave Latvia the second position among three Baltic states. Still,
one-third placed it in the first place.
Besides this, 44 percent of Latvian students said Latvia's IT is at
the same development level as the EU's.
Aldis Avotins, head of the marketing department at the Latvian
Development Agency, said Latvia is not worse than Estonia in terms of
IT development.
"We just don't show off so much as they do," he said.
Latvian students are positive about another thing too. A majority -
55 percent - agreed with the statement that IT education in Latvia is
not worse than abroad.
Still, 70 percent of those interviewed maintain that the practical
skills obtained in their universities are insufficient. Most
frequently named were programming skills, as well as projects design
and administration of computer networks.
"This research shows the real situation in Latvian universities. How
can we provide students with practical experience, if we have not
received money for new facilities purchase for 10 years?" said
Ronalds Tarashkevich, the chancellor of Riga Technical University.
"With current funds we cannot raise the number of students entering
the university over the 75 we have right now enrolled in the first
programs. To raise the number of students, we will have to receive
from the state three times more money per each student to raise
salaries. We will need to increase our teaching staff, enticing those
currently working for IT companies," said Ojars Judrups, the dean of
the University of Latvia Faculty of Physics and Mathematics.
The data about students' willingness to work abroad caused the
greatest controversy. A relatively small share of respondents are
ready to move abroad forever - only 17 percent. But 77 percent said
they want to study abroad for an uncertain length of time. Around 33
percent of all questioned have decided (or already decided) to go
abroad to work or study.
In fact, members of the public attending the presentation expressed
their disagreement with this part of the research data, one person
shouting from the audience "How can you publicize something like
this?"
These figures shaped the primary question of the presentation, put to
the Tieto Konts representatives several times.
"Do you want the state to stop funding IT education if so many
students are about to leave when they graduate?"
Tieto Konts' administration and one of its major competitors, Juris
Borzovs, the chairman of largest Latvian IT company Dati, admitted
that to keep students in Latvia, with low salaries compared to
Western salaries, is the business of every particular company. One
can pretend to have no problems, but the only solution is competitive
salaries, said Ozolins.
"I want to state clearly that this research does not prove the public
concern that all our students will leave after they graduate. This
question is completely in our hands," said Borzovs.
Although he thanked Tieto Konts for research - "it means that they
are not indifferent," - he addressed it with criticism.
"It is still difficult for me to answer the question of foreign
investors 'Why to invest in Latvia, if the investment environment in
Estonia is more favorable," said Borzovs.
The data on students' motivation for work explains students' opinions
concerning employment abroad. The foremost factor affecting their
choice of employers is salary. The second is professional growth
opportunities.
"I am not planning to go abroad now, but I don't exclude such a
possibility. The only reason could be money, not some cultural
achievements," said Andrei Dubrovsky, a fourth-year student and
currently a programmer at Fortech.
In general, from this research, the current position of Latvian
students could be summed up as follows: "Everything about IT in
Latvia is almost fine, but I would leave if not on the first, then on
the second chance."
This does not go for all students.
"As for me, I am not planning to leave Latvia until I complete my
master's degree. So it's two years more to spend here. Later on,
maybe I'll go to Germany or USA for a while to make some money, but
I'll really try to come back. It will also depend on the job I would
have here. If it isn't really interesting, maybe I'll decide to
move," said Oksana Scegulnaja, who just received a bachelor's of
computer science at University of Latvia and is currently working on
a University of Latvia and Ministry for Education and Science joint
project.
Still, made to defend the credibility of the research data, its
presenters emphasized that attitude and behavior are two different
things, and willingness will not always end in behavior. This
research was just another opinion poll, they said.
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