Peter Schuurman introducing Richard Middleton’s presentation on Christian Worldview.

“This immersion in the Christian faith and a biblical worldview challenges us to discern new questions that others may not think to ask; to seek truth and understanding instead of competitive success; to be aware of suffering and brokenness in the world (including the world of scholarship); to treat students with grace and love, while holding them to high standards; to offer our research and our teaching for the benefit of other scholars; and to intentionally seek to contribute to God’s purposes for the healing and flourishing of the world.” (Richard Middleton, reflecting on the Kenya conference)

As I had written previously, I attended the Society of Christian Scholars’ Global Leadership Conference in Kenya. I gave a paper presentation as well. My colleague, Shiao Chong, Associate Director at Global Scholars Canada (GSC), recently wrote about GSC’s contributions to the conference, including presentations by myself and three other scholars. Chong expertly summarizes our three papers delivered at the conference, covering the topics of brain drain, Christian worldview, and Christian scholarship.

These are three key aspects of Global Scholars Canada. Below is an excerpt of the article.

Global Scholars Canada Impacts Global Conference

By Shiao Chong, Associate Director at GSC

The first ever Society of Christian Scholars’ (SCS) Global Conference was held recently in Nairobi, Kenya on August 3-9, 2026. Global Scholars Canada (GSC), a long time partner of the SCS, made a significant contribution to the conference, with three of our scholars – J. Richard Middleton, Stephen Ney and Yawo Kobara – each giving presentations along with Executive Director Peter Schuurman. Schuurman was also part of the SCS’s leadership council as well as the team that planned and organized the conference, which brought together about 50 scholars from 23 different countries across the globe.

The aims of this first ever conference, with the theme of “Christian Scholarship for a Flourishing World: Calling, Connection, and Community,” were to evaluate mission, align leadership, strengthen a unified vision, enhance capacity for scholarship and to determine strategic priorities for the future.

Brain Drain and Justice

In Kenya, Schuurman gave a presentation on “Christian Scholars Without Borders: Doing Justice Where Brain Drain Depletes the Common Good.” Brain drain, defined as the migration of human talent where the net flow skews in one direction, is a justice issue according to Schuurman. It can create a vicious circle that exacerbates global inequalities. For example, as talent leaves a less developed country, it contributes to its slower development, which in turn encourages talent to seek better opportunities in more developed countries. Filling the gaps with expensive foreign talent can drain the government coffers and create a dependency mindset on the developed West.

One of the few museums in Kenya. Because there are fewer academic opportunities, many talented people leave. Because these highly skilled people leave, less academic infrastructure grows. The vicious circle continues.

Recognizing that the dream of personal upward mobility and security is a major fuel for the talent migration, Schuurman challenges the Society of Christian Scholars to offer a different dream, one that offers both a different motivation and a different strategy for education and scholarship. “The Society,” proposed Schuurman, “should be a place that intentionally, and actively, works against brain drain and fosters a culture of brain gain for the majority world.”

Christian scholars, Schuurman suggested, should live into the narrative of Christ who came to serve rather than to be served. The alternative dream to that of upward mobility is to go where the need is greater. Schuurman continued by encouraging the SCS to explore how it can leverage its global network to foster brain gain for developing countries. You can read Schuurman’s experience of the entire conference here: “Academic Safari, Harambi, and an Impossible Dream: Christian Scholars Gather in Kenya from Around the Globe.” And his previous blog on the topic: “Brain Drain in African Higher Education: Motivations and Methods for Bolstering African Educational Opportunities”.

For the rest of the article, go to Global Scholars Canada’s page: https://www.globalscholarscanada.ca/news-stories/global-scholars-canada-impacts-global-conference/