Bringing knowledge home: Agency and organizational climate in returnees’ contributions to Mongolian higher education

• This research explores how Mongolian graduates from Japanese STEM programs contribute to higher education development in Mongolia. • Analyzes the interplay of agency and organizational climate in shaping returnees’ capacity to navigate institutional constraints. • Identifies structural barriers, such as misaligned roles and rigid employment practices, that hinder the effective integration of returnees. • Highlights the critical role of supportive leadership and research-oriented policies in enhancing the contributions of internationally educated graduates. • Advances the global discourse on leveraging international education for capacity building in higher education systems of the Global South. This study examines the contributions of internationally educated STEM graduates sent from and returned to higher education institutions in developing contexts, highlighting their integration and impact within these organizational environments. Using qualitative data collected in multiple phases between 2017 and 2023,it explores the dynamics of individual agency, institutional support, and structural barriers faced by returnees. Drawing on interviews and surveys with 26 unique participants—including 19 MJEED graduates and 7 academic leaders across two Mongolian universities—the study demonstrate that although graduates experience significant professional transformation during their studies abroad, their ability to effectively apply newly acquired knowledge is often constrained by rigid organizational climates, misaligned roles, and limited resources. Nonetheless, returnees proactively leveraged their international networks and formed alliances to advance research and curriculum development. This study highlights the need for higher education institutions to adopt flexible employment practices and foster supportive organizational climates to maximize the potential of internationally educated scholars. In doing so, it uniquely contributes to ongoing scholarly conversations on international education, STEM capacity-building, and addressing institutional inequities in higher education.