Trump's brain drain casts pall over higher education, talent sector

Washington

AMERICA'S high-quality universities are among the key sources of its greatness. Every year, top students from all over the world vie for access to graduate and undergraduate programmes in the US, and American universities occupy most of the top spots in global rankings. Moreover, the basic research conducted at US universities has been a primary driver of innovation and economic growth, as well as the source of a disproportionate share of Nobel prizes.

America's universities cater to a wide variety of students, researchers and other economic actors. The top research universities attract not just the best and the brightest students, but also clusters of high-tech companies, such as those in Silicon Valley and Boston. At the same time, public and private universities across the country offer excellent programmes for four-year degrees. And community colleges provide vocational training as well as a pathway to a four-year degree for countless other high-school graduates.