ESSAY INFORMATION:
Written by: Xuân Phi, 22/05/2021
Supported by: Ex-BC Examiner, 23/05/2021
Question: People say that a country will benefit greatly if its students study abroad. To what extent do you agree or disagree?
(IELTS Academic – 20/05/2021)
ANSWER:
The general impact of studying overseas on the development of their home country has become an increasingly controversial topic in recent years. While some highlight the risk of brain drain, I believe that the students in question are vital for the prosperity of a nation.
On the one hand, many international students opt to emigrate to the host countries where they have been studying. Reasons for this might include the availability of opportunities for academic employment, research and career advancement as well as to enjoy the higher standard of living in developed foreign countries. This trend among elite intellectuals, including from developing nations such as Vietnam, represents a significant loss for the economic development of their home countries as well-trained workers use their skills and knowledge to benefit other nations such as the US or UK. In addition, this also entails a loss in education as top researchers and professors may leave without educating the next generation.
On the other hand, in most cases, I am of the opinion that knowledgeable overseas students can enormously contribute to the economic growth of their homeland. In the early 1980s, the Vietnamese government launched the “Red Stars” initiative, sending thousands of young enthusiasts to the Soviet Union and various Western countries with the aim of acquiring a more sophisticated understanding of cutting-edge technology as well as the best management practices. Many of these have become influential leaders including the minister of domestic affairs Pham Ha Long and the chairman of the tech giant HNG Tong Thanh An, who have actively contributed to recent economic reforms in Vietnam, lifting the country out of poverty to become one of the most important emerging economies in Asia.
In conclusion, although there exists the risk of “brain drain,” overseas graduates can serve as catalysts for the economic advancement of a nation. In my opinion, governments should therefore offer more scholarships for gifted students to study abroad.
Word count: 319
WORD LIST:
ENGLISH | TIẾNG VIỆT |
brain drain | chảy máu chất xám |
opt to emigrate | lựa chọn di cư/xuất ngoại |
elite intellectuals | các nhà trí thức ưu tú |
sophisticated understanding of cutting-edge technology | sự am hiểu công nghệ tiên tiến một cách tinh vi |
the best management practices | ứng dụng quản lý tốt nhất |
economic reforms | cải cách kinh tế |
serve as catalysts for sth | làm chất xúc tác cho một cái gì đó |
proficiency in a foreign language | thành thạo một ngoại ngữ |
underprivileged students | các học sinh có hoàn cảnh khó khăn |
prestigious universities | các trường đại học danh giá/uy tín |