Why are academics leaving? Proposing and examining the framework for Iraqi university student brain drain

Abstract

Purpose: The primary objective of the present study is to examine the effects of employee branding and career progression possibilities on the retention of teaching personnel at Iraqi universities. Furthermore, this study has also investigated the mediating function of employee engagement in the relationship between employee branding, career progression prospects, and the retention of teaching staff at Iraqi universities. The present study has formulated and analyzed a conceptual framework in order to elucidate the phenomenon of brain drain among teaching faculty in Iraqi institutions. Methodology: The study employed a survey-based methodology, which involved collecting data through the use of a survey questionnaire that was either produced by the authors or adapted from previous research. The data for this study was collected through the utilization of a questionnaire, with university teachers selected as the sample population for the study. The researchers issued a total of 500 questionnaires, out of which 320 were utilized for the purpose of analysis. Therefore, the study's response rate is 64 percent. The present study employed the Structural Equation Modeling-Partial Least Squares (SEM-PLS) technique for data analysis. SEM-PLS is a statistical tool commonly utilised to examine the associations between numerous variables. Results: Results suggest that there is a significant and favorable relationship between employee branding, career progression, employee engagement, and employee retention. The findings suggest that there is a mediating role of employee engagement in the association between career progression and employee retention, as well as between employee branding and employee retention. Novelty: This paper represents a pioneering effort in proposing and examining a paradigm for analysing the phenomenon of brain drain from institutions in Iraq. Implications: This study aims to provide a comprehensive policy framework for researchers and policymakers to enhance their understanding of the multifaceted difficulties associated with the phenomenon of brain drain from universities in Iraq.