Background: Increasing emphasis on the development of the ‘knowledge economy’ focuses attention on the role of international mobility as the basis for the optimal generation and transfer of knowledge and scientific expertise. Recognition of the potential tension between the desire to promote scientific specialisation - and its corollary ‘circulation’ - and concerns to ensure ‘balanced growth’ have begun to surface on political agenda.
Aims: The study explored the relationship between highly-skilled, scientific migration and the transfer of knowledge within the European Union. It considered the effects of these forms of mobility on the individuals concerned (in terms of their career progression and well-being) and on the selected countries (in terms of scientific development and capacity). It addressed the following questions:
- Who is moving (what are the characteristics of migrants)?
- Why are they moving (what motivates and shapes mobility)?
- How are they moving (how long are they staying; how frequently are they moving; and are they returning)?
- What relationship exists between these forms of human mobility and the distribution of scientific knowledge and expertise (can highly skilled mobility generate forms of ‘disembodied’ knowledge transfer)?
- What would happen if they did not move (would scientists continue to work productively in scientific research in the sending countries and would receiving countries suffer as a result)?
What we did: This study examined the movement of natural scientists between two ‘receiving’ locations - the UK and Germany - and two ‘sending’ locations - Bulgaria and Poland. The research involved in-depth literature reviews and national and analysed European legal and policy associated with scientific mobility. Alongside this macro- and meso-level analysis, the study also conducted an online survey of Polish and Bulgarian researchers who are, or have been, based in Germany or the UK (a total of 284 responses were generated). A further 89 face-to-face, semi-structured interviews were carried out with Polish and Bulgarian scientists (either at doctoral level or higher) in the four locations.
Findings
Analysis of patterns of mobility indicate an increase in the level of short-term circulation both prior to longer mobility episodes and following returns. The majority of respondents in our return sample - those based in Poland and Bulgaria - were using repeated short-stays to sustain their scientific productivity and support their livelihood. The ability to move for quite long periods without relinquishing a secure position in the sending country has an important ‘anchoring’ effect increasing return potential and connectedness.
Mobility was strongly influenced by economic necessity and, at least in the context of Bulgaria and Poland, characterisation as ‘knowledge migrants’ is an over-simplification of scientists’ motives. Personal circumstances, including partners and family ties, a commitment to the home country or simply a desire not to be mobile mediate any direct relationship between mobility and scientific excellence.
Undergraduate and doctoral mobility amongst Polish and Bulgarian researchers was somewhat restricted, prior to accession, mainly due to financial issues. There are signs that this will increase in the near future with the UK emerging as an increasingly popular destination. The volume of ‘early career’ entry positions in the UK and Germany coupled with a perception of transparent and meritocratic recruitment, motivates and directs moves as does geographic proximity. Networks play a major role in stimulating and channelling initial outward migrations. Connections achieved through the social capital of supervisors play a particularly influential role.
The European Research Area has increased the opportunities to move to and fro for the purposes of scientific research in other Member States. It has also played an important role in funding scientific mobility and fostering the growth of Centres of Excellence. These activities, in themselves, do not exacerbate forms of ‘brain drain’: rather they generate new and more fluid resource frameworks for investment in scientists in the new Member States. The onus lies on the Member States to respond to these developments and develop policies designed to harness this investment and stimulate opportunities for connections and collaboration.
Dissemination: Over the duration of the project, the team have presented papers at national and international conferences and seminars. We have published articles in leading journals such as International Migration, Journal of Ethnic and Migration Studies, Women Studies International Forum, Higher Education in Europe, and the European Law Journal, as well as a Special Issue of INNOVATION: The European Journal of Social Science Research (‘Scientific Migration in the European Union’, 2005). A book from the project – Moving People and Knowledge – will be published by Edward Elgar in 2008. MOBEX2 has also featured in several articles in the Times Higher Education Supplement (THES), as well as The Guardian, The Times, The Scientist and Nature.
Impact: This project has had some success in informing national and European policy debates on academic science labour markets and highly-skilled migration. Our findings have been actively shaping the development of the revised Concordat and Code of Practice for the Management of Researchers here in the UK. The results around internationalisation also have fed into the Research Councils UK’s submission to the Government on the impact of the Roberts Review in 2006. In Europe, MOBEX2 insights on the different types of mobility – as presented in our response to the ERA Green Paper – were influential in the discussions at a recent European Commission Research Steering Group on Human Resources and Mobility.