Many scholars from developing countries receive financial incentives to go to Western countries to study and are then expected to return to develop their home country's research capacity. Given the common assumption that diasporic study will be beneficial for local research, the repatriation of these academics is an issue worthy of exploration. In this article, we propose that tension can result from the relationship between the expectations of scholars who have studied in the West and the practices of their home universities. We draw on in-depth data from three Vietnamese universities and four academics all affiliated to these institutions. The degree of congruence between the specific Vietnamese universities' policies and practices and participants' understanding of research was found to be a conspicuous influence on their repatriation decision. We discuss the implications of this on academic mobility and apply these implications to develop a framework for scholars' sustainable repatriation.