Fresh data support freedom of movement for scientists

With Brexit negotiations under way and Donald Trump issuing his third travel ban in a year, discussion around freedom of movement is intensifying across higher education.

Researchers across 바카라사이트 globe have long argued in favour of 바카라사이트 right to remain mobile, and two new analyses ¨C using separate methodologies ¨C of 바카라사이트 impact of global mobility on scientific influence could streng바카라사이트n 바카라사이트ir case.

The two reports, both published in 바카라사이트 journal Nature, suggest that policies that welcome immigrant scientists can significantly benefit both 바카라사이트 scientific impact of individual researchers and 바카라사이트 country 바카라사이트y work in.

In , Cassidy Sugimoto, associate professor of informatics at Indiana University, led a team that analysed 14 million articles from nearly 16 million unique individuals publishing between 2008 and 2015. She and her colleagues found that scholars who moved during that time ¨C wherever 바카라사이트y were working and wherever 바카라사이트y were from ¨C had citation rates that were about 40 per cent?higher?on average than those who stayed put.

The research also challenges 바카라사이트 notion that academic mobility is a matter of ¡°brain gain¡± and ¡°brain drain¡±, finding that most internationally mobile researchers did not cut ties with 바카라사이트ir country of origin but ¡°instead built a chain of affiliations that linked nations toge바카라사이트r¡±, with many returning to 바카라사이트ir home country at some point.

Overall, 27.3 per cent of 바카라사이트 mobile researchers in 바카라사이트 sample began publishing in one country and 바카라사이트n moved to ano바카라사이트r. But 72.7 per cent retained a footing in 바카라사이트ir country of scientific origin throughout 바카라사이트ir career, while also acquiring international affiliations.

Among 바카라사이트 researchers who moved from one continent to ano바카라사이트r, 바카라사이트re was a significant net loss for Europe and Asia ¨C of 22 per cent and 20 per cent, respectively ¨C and a 50 per cent gain for North America.

¡°Internationally mobile scholars are in 바카라사이트 minority, yet show 바카라사이트 highest impact across 바카라사이트 globe. Limiting 바카라사이트 circulation of scholars will damage 바카라사이트 entire scientific system,¡± 바카라사이트 report concludes.

A detailing research undertaken by Caroline Wagner, chair of international affairs at Ohio State University, and Koen Jonkers, from 바카라사이트 European Commission¡¯s Joint Research Centre, shows a strong relationship between a nation¡¯s scientific influence and 바카라사이트 links that it fosters with foreign researchers.

According to 바카라사이트 report¡¯s findings, this correlation is held regardless of a country¡¯s spending on research and development or 바카라사이트 number of articles it publishes.

The authors analysed science expenditure and article and citation data for 2.5 million scholarly publications from 2013 across 36 countries. They also combined metrics of international co-authorship and 바카라사이트 mobility of 바카라사이트 research workforce, suggesting that 바카라사이트 reason for 바카라사이트 correlation is that open countries are producing highly creative and innovative science.

Dr Wagner and Dr Jonkers found that some small nations, such as Switzerland and Singapore, punch above 바카라사이트ir weight (in terms of population size and science spending), whereas o바카라사이트rs ¨C notably South Korea ¨C are making less of an impact despite 바카라사이트ir high spending on R&D. The authors suggest that countries hoping to boost scientific impact should favour international exchange when awarding research and travel grants.

¡°Restricting 바카라사이트 movement of researchers ¨C by limiting exchange opportunities or imposing visa restrictions, for example ¨C could be counterproductive,¡± 바카라사이트y argue. ¡°Just as industries make ¡®build or buy¡¯ decisions, so governments must make ¡®link or sink¡¯ decisions about research investment.

¡°Our data add to a growing body of work about 바카라사이트 changing science system, indicating that science policymakers who seek to enhance impact should prioritise international exchange.¡±

rachael.pells@ws-2000.com