Leveraging remittances for STEM education

A capability approach to development in the Global South

Authors

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.32674/mm8enm20

Keywords:

international development, foreign aid, foreign direct investment, income inequality, remittance-enhanced model, capability approach, STEM education

Abstract

Income disparities between developed and developing countries hinder global progress, while traditional funding sources like foreign aid and direct investment remain unreliable. This paper proposes a remittance-enhanced development model, grounded in the capability approach, to strengthen higher education in STEM fields. By investing remittances in tertiary education infrastructure and faculty training, developing countries can build human capital vital for innovation and long-term resilience. The model emphasizes aligning remittances-supported initiatives with national STEM priorities, particularly in remittance-dependent regions. This approach offers a sustainable, community-driven strategy for addressing inequality and fostering inclusive development. by empowering individuals through education. This paper concludes that remittances are repositioned as a transformative tool for advancing STEM education, preparing the Global South for a knowledge-based future.

Author Biographies

  • Basu Sharma, University of New Brunswick, Canada

    Basu Sharma joined the Faculty of Management at UNB in Fredericton in 1985 and is a member of the Organisation Studies area. He is also a Certified Human Resource Professional. He received the UNB Merit Award for extraordinary performance in research, service and teaching during 1990, 1998 and 2008. He also received the Faculty of Management's Excellence in Research Award in November 2006 for outstanding performance across his career. Dr. Sharma has held appointments at the National University of Singapore, Tribhuvan University (Kathmandu, Nepal) and University of Saskatchewan. He has been a consultant for the International Labour Organisation, the Singapore National Federation of Employers and the Singapore Institute of Labour. He has held position of the president of the Atlantic Schools of Business Conference Society thrice--in 2005, 2006 and 2016. He has served the Administrative Sciences Association of Canada at different times in different capacities such as member of the Executive, Awards Chair, and division Chair for Management Education division and for International Business division as recently as 2015. Dr. Sharma is the founding editor and editor-in-chief of the Journal of Comparative International Management. And he has been or was on the editorial boards of many academic journals including Labour and Management in Development, Canadian Journal of Administrative Sciences, Workplace Review, Transnational Corporations Review, and International Journal of Comparative Management. He is the author of Aspects of Industrial Relations in ASEAN---also translated into Japanese by Professor Kagawa and published in Japan by Doshisha University in Tokyo. His current research interests are in the areas of remittance for capacity building in developing countries, citizenship model of immigration for human resource development in developed countries, and cross-cultural negotiation for dispute resolution and business development at a global level.

  • Bhanu Bhakta Acharya, University of Ottawa, Canada

    Bhanu Bhakta Acharya, PhD, is an Part-time Professor of journalism, communication, and media studies at the University of Ottawa, and Saint Paul University, Ottawa, Canada. Acharya, an editorial board member of the World of Media: Journal of Russian Media and Journalism Studies, has authored five books on journalism and communication (including Mass Communication and Journalism Studies, and Glossary of Journalism and Mass Communication), several research articles and book chapters. He has been engaged in several initiatives for the capacity building of journalists about employing professional standards and ethical practices in journalism on multiple platforms. His primary research interests include press freedom and media ethics, digital divide, diaspora communication, immigration studies, and e government. He can be reached at bb.acharya@hotmail.com.

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Published

2025-06-27

Issue

Vol. 13 (2025): American Journal of STEM Education: Issues and Perspectives

Section

STEM Education (regular)

How to Cite

Sharma, B., & Acharya, B. (2025). Leveraging remittances for STEM education: A capability approach to development in the Global South. American Journal of STEM Education, 13, 1-20. https://doi.org/10.32674/mm8enm20