Migration of ‘Knowledge Workers’ in the Baltic Sea Macro-Region Countries

Abstract

The article studies the priorities of the strategic framework for Europe 2020, the trends and problems of human resources due to increased mobility, the emergence of new conditions of migration processes, and increasing the total requirements for competence in the Baltic Sea region. Specifically, a comparative analysis of the demographical and labour migration processes taking place in Latvia, Lithuania and Estonia was carried out. The huge migration of highly skilled labour force has had a negative impact on the innovative and socio-cultural potential of the Baltic States—in Lithuania and Latvia, and to some degree in Estonia. It has also negatively affected the efficiency of the countries’ economy. This could be considered as the consequence of a loss of investments that could have otherwise been used to maintain and further develop the education system. It is shown that the traditional structure of higher education does not correspond to the requirements laid down in the Europe 2020 strategy.