The international mobility of researchers: recent trends and policy initiatives

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The international mobility of researchers recent
trends and policy initiatives

• Ester Basri
• Science and Technology Policy Division
• Contact ester.basri_at_oecd.org

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Outline

• Why is international mobility important?
• Why is international mobility increasing?
• Where are the highly skilled moving?
• What are the motives of researchers?
• How are policy makers responding?

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Data issues

• Significant attempts to improve data on students,
  migration, foreign PhDs and HRST generally
• This presentation draws on the latest data
• However, continuing data problems, especially on
  migration and researchers

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Why is international mobility an important policy
issue?

• Human resources in science and technology (HRST)
  are critical to innovation and growth
• RD expenditure and demand for HRST is growing
• International mobility is growing rapidly
• International mobility is not just a supply issue
  it facilitates knowledge diffusion and catch-up
  development

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Demand HRST occupations growing faster than
employment

• Average annual growth rate HRST occupations and
  total employment, , 1995-2004

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Strong growth in researchers and RD personnel

• Average annual growth rate, , 1995-2005,

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Maintaining capability

• Demand for researchers and HRST is expected to
  increase further
• Total OECD RD expenditure reached USD 726
  billion in 2004, average annual increase almost
  10 from 2000
• Demand is also driven by demographic changes
• Supply is affected by the attractiveness of
  research careers

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A large proportion of expatriates are
highly-skilled

• Expatriates as a of all native-born, OECD, 2001

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But differences across the OECD

• Distribution of expatriates by skill level and
  country of origin, 2001

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Expatriates concentrated in US, EU Canada and
Australia

• Shares of highly-skilled immigrants in the OECD,
  2001

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Almost one-third intra-OECD mobility

• Highly skilled migrants by OECD country of
  residence, 2001, as of highly skilled natives

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Some OECD countries have high proportions of
foreign PhDs

• Foreign-born doctoral holders as of total
  doctoral holders, by OECD country of residence,
  2001

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Tertiary education has internationalised - 0.6
million students in 1975 to 2.7 million in 2004

• Distribution of foreign students by country of
  destination, 2004

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Why are researchers mobile?

• Employment related
• Better employment opportunities, professional
  development, career advancement
• Access to scientific infrastructure research
  funding
• Personal reasons
• Family-related, lifestyle

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Policy options to foster international mobility

• Policy initiatives now involve coordinated and
  explicit strategies across ministerial portfolios
• Initiatives include economic incentives,
  immigration programmes, support mechanisms
  (housing, language training etc)

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Main messages

• The global demand for talent has become
  increasingly competitive
• This is likely to continue and may accelerate
  since opportunities are improving across
  countries
• Policies cannot simply focus on monetary
  incentives HRST and researchers are attracted
  by wider support for science and innovation

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Moving forward

• Need for data improvements
• Major questions on how international mobility
  relates to domestic capacity-building
• Need for better understanding of optimal mobility
  rates