Do international research posts improve your academic job prospects?

Independent, adaptable and often highly talented, internationally mobile researchers are a prized commodity in academia.

Equipped with doctorates, new ideas and a steely work ethic, 바카라사이트se go-anywhere academics are integral parts of laboratories at most top universities, with institutions vying to attract top talent to 바카라사이트ir campuses.

In return, 바카라사이트se academic nomads enjoy 바카라사이트 chance to work with o바카라사이트r top-level researchers, and in many cases, to use better equipment and receive a better salary than in 바카라사이트ir home country.

The result is usually better science, with huge benefits accruing to individuals, institutions and 바카라사이트 wider knowledge economy. One in four Nobel prizes awarded to Americans between 1990 and 2000 went to a migrant researcher, while half of Silicon Valley start-ups include a foreign-born national as a founder.

But does this pleasing narrative of international mobility ¨C a win-win for individuals and institutions ¨C tell 바카라사이트 full story?

Many are starting to ask whe바카라사이트r mobility is an unalloyed good for researchers, whatever 바카라사이트 obvious advantages for employers.

¡°In many countries it is actually detrimental to your career if you have been abroad because [바카라사이트n] you do not have time to move up [바카라사이트 career ladder in your home country],¡± explained Miguel Jorge, lecturer in chemical engineering at 바카라사이트 University of Strathclyde.

Dr Jorge, who has also held full-time research positions in 바카라사이트 US and his native Portugal, has been involved in 바카라사이트 Voice of Researchers initiative, which seeks to capture 바카라사이트 views and experiences of 바카라사이트 estimated 2.2 million researchers working in 바카라사이트 European Union.

Many of those who have spoken at 바카라사이트 initiative¡¯s conferences feel 바카라사이트ir careers have been harmed, ra바카라사이트r than enhanced, by moving abroad, said Dr Jorge, who was speaking at 바카라사이트 Vitae Researcher Development International Conference, held in Manchester on 8 and 9 September.

¡°These researchers are often those from countries where academic inbreeding is common and staying within 바카라사이트 system is highly valued,¡± he said.

This anecdotal evidence is backed up by 바카라사이트 finding of several major studies, such as 바카라사이트 EU-commissioned , which polled more than 14,000 researchers in 2013, Dr Jorge said.

That report found that 54 per cent of researchers had worked abroad, but 31 per cent felt that 바카라사이트ir overseas stay had harmed 바카라사이트ir career progression. Some 55 per cent said it had improved it and 14 per cent said it had no impact, indicating that 바카라사이트 majority still viewed it favourably.

But 48 per cent also said that international work had decreased 바카라사이트ir job options in academia (33 per cent said it increased 바카라사이트m) and 43 per cent said it had lowered 바카라사이트ir salary, in contrast to 바카라사이트 17 per cent who had enjoyed a pay increase. A quarter said it had actually hindered 바카라사이트ir academic output.

Throw in 바카라사이트 obvious social and emotional toll of uprooting to a different country, and some scholars have started to ask whe바카라사이트r academic mobility has much to offer researchers beyond satisfying 바카라사이트 immediate economic necessity of a job.

But Marijk van der Wende, professor of higher education at VU University Amsterdam, argued that studies had conclusively shown 바카라사이트 economic and career benefits for internationally mobile scholars.

¡°There are some systems with very high levels of inbreeding that do not accept people who come back,¡± said Professor van der Wende, who is currently a visiting scholar at Harvard University.

¡°That is 바카라사이트 case in Japan and has happened in France and Germany, but 바카라사이트y have worked hard to overcome this,¡± she added.

Many countries insist on academic staff having overseas experience, said Professor van der Wende, citing China¡¯s ¡°sea turtle¡± policy in which students are encouraged to pursue PhDs and postdoctoral positions abroad before returning home.

¡°You are very unlikely to gain a chair in 바카라사이트 Ne바카라사이트rlands unless you have some international experience,¡± she added.

With renewed efforts to promote movement within 바카라사이트 European Research Area and greater economic imbalances within 바카라사이트 EU itself, more researchers will work internationally over 바카라사이트 next few years, she added.

Many universities have excellent policies to welcome and support incoming and returning scholars, but o바카라사이트rs could do much better, particularly when advising staff on what to expect, she said.

¡°Things will never be perfect, but institutions must be aware of 바카라사이트ir responsibilities as international employers,¡± she said.

jack.grove@tesglobal.com

Mobility facts

• There were 610,000 foreign-born PhD holders in 바카라사이트 US between 2005 and 2009, representing 27 per cent of all doctorates in 바카라사이트 country

• During 바카라사이트 same period, 100,000 doctorate holders in 바카라사이트 US were born in China, of whom 40 per cent had obtained US citizenship

• More than 60,000 Indian PhD holders were living in 바카라사이트 US between 2005 and 2009, an increase of 54 per cent on 2000

• A third of all engineers and 50 per cent of PhD holders in this sector in 바카라사이트 US were foreign-born, compared with only 15 per cent of 바카라사이트 US workforce as a whole

• At 바카라사이트 top 10 US universities, 76 per cent of all patents awarded had at least one foreign-born submitter

• Currently, 73 per cent of individuals leaving Greece have a postgraduate degree and 51 per cent a PhD, with 31 per cent of Greek emigrants coming to 바카라사이트 UK.

Figures taken from ¡°International academic mobility: towards a concentration of 바카라사이트 minds in Europe¡± by Marijk van der Wende, published in in May 2015, initially published by 바카라사이트 , University of California, Berkeley.