1

The international mobility of researchers: recent trends and policy initiatives

Ester BasriScience and Technology Policy Division

Contact: ester.basri@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?

3

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

• R&D 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

employmentAverage annual growth rate HRST occupations and total employment, %, 1995-2004

- 3 - 2 - 1 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8

Czech RepublicPortugal

Slovak RepublicPoland

SwitzerlandGermanyEU19 (2)

FinlandUnited States

United KingdomBelgiumFrance

SwedenEU15

DenmarkCanada

New ZealandAustralia

KoreaIceland

ItalyAustria

NetherlandsGreeceNorway

LuxembourgHungary

IrelandSpain

HRST occupations Total employment

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Strong growth in researchers and R&D personnel

Average annual growth rate, %, 1995-2005,

- 4

- 2

0

2

4

6

8

10

12

14

New Z

ealan

d

Singap

ore

Finlan

d

Turke

ry

Spain

South

Afri

ca

Icelan

d

Czech

Rep

ublic

Mex

ico

Irelan

d

China

Portu

gal

Austri

a

Korea

Greec

e

Denm

ark

Chines

e Taip

ei

Luxe

mbo

urg

Sweden

Hunga

ry

Austra

lia

Canad

a

Belgium

Total

OECD

EU-15

Norway

Argen

tina

EU-25

United

Sta

tes

Franc

e

United

King

domJa

pan

Poland

Switzer

land

Germ

any

Slovak

Rep

ublic

Nethe

rland

sIta

ly

Russia

n Fed

erat

ion

Researchers Total R&D personnel

%

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Maintaining capability

• Demand for researchers and HRST is expected to increase further– Total OECD R&D 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

0

5

10

15

20

25

United

Sta

tes

Spain

Japa

n

Korea

Austra

lia

Turke

y

Franc

e

Norway

Sweden

Czech

Rep

ublic

Finlan

d

Mex

ico

Belgium

Canad

aIta

ly

Denm

ark

Germ

any

Nethe

rland

s

Hunga

ry

Poland

Greec

e

Portu

gal

Slovac

Rep

ublic

Switzer

land

Austri

a

United

King

dom

Luxe

mbo

urg

Irelan

d

New Z

ealan

d

Total population Highly skilled

9

But differences across the OECD

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

0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

70%

80%

90%

100%

United

Sta

tes

Japa

n

Austra

lia

New Z

ealan

d

Korea

United

King

dom

Canad

a

Sweden

Denm

ark

Switzer

land

Franc

e

Icelan

d

Nethe

rland

s

Belgium

Norway

Germ

any

Austri

a

Hunga

ry

Luxe

mbo

urg

Irelan

d

Poland

Finlan

d

Czech

Rep

Spain

Greec

e

Slovak

Rep Ita

ly

Portu

gal

Turke

y

Mex

ico

High-skill Medium-skill Low-skill

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Expatriates concentrated in US, EU Canada and Australia

Shares of highly-skilled immigrants in the OECD, 2001

Netherlands1.1%

Sweden1.1%

United States44.6%

Canada11.0%

Australia8.0%

United Kingdom7.5%

Japan1.5%

Italy1.3%

Switzerland1.5%

Belgium1.0%

Spain2.2%

Germany6.4% France

5.5%

Other7.3%

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Almost one-third intra-OECD mobility

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

0

5

10

15

20

25

30

Luxe

mbo

urg

Switzer

land

Austra

lia

New Z

ealan

d

Irelan

d

Canad

a

Austri

a

Sweden

United

King

dom

Belgium

Norway

Greec

eEU15

Portu

gal

United

Sta

tes

Franc

e

Denm

ark

EU19

Czech

Rep

ublic

OECD

Turke

y

Nethe

rland

s

Slovak

Rep

ublic

Spain

Germ

any

Hunga

ry

Finlan

d

Mex

ico

Poland

Korea

Japa

n

Highly skilled from OECD countries Highly skilled from non-OECD countries

% 85

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Some OECD countries have high proportions of foreign

PhDsForeign-born doctoral holders as % of total doctoral

holders, by OECD country of residence, 2001

0

5

10

15

20

25

30

35

40

45

NewZealand

Ireland Sweden Norway Belgium Greece Spain CzechRepublic

Denmark Poland Finland Mexico

%

13

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

2004Distribution of foreign students by country of

destination, 2004

J apan, 4%

Canada, 5%

Australia, 6%

France, 9%Germany, 10%

United Kingdom, 11%

United States, 22%

Other non-OECD, 9%

Russian Federation, 3%

New Zealand, 3%

South Africa, 2%

Belgium, 2%Spain, 2%

Italy, 2%Sweden, 1%

Other OECD, 6%Malaysia, 1%

Austria, 1%

Switzerland, 1%

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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