Reproducing scientists’ mobility: a data-driven model
OPEN ACCESS
Loading...
Author / Producer
Date
2021-05
Publication Type
Journal Article
ETH Bibliography
yes
Citations
Altmetric
OPEN ACCESS
Data
Rights / License
Abstract
High skill labour is an important factor underpinning the competitive advantage of modern economies. Therefore, attracting and retaining scientists has become a major concern for migration policy. In this work, we study the migration of scientists on a global scale, by combining two large data sets covering the publications of 3.5 million scientists over 60 years. We analyse their geographical distances moved for a new affiliation and their age when moving, this way reconstructing their geographical “career paths”. These paths are used to derive the world network of scientists’ mobility between cities and to analyse its topological properties. We further develop and calibrate an agent-based model, such that it reproduces the empirical findings both at the level of scientists and of the global network. Our model takes into account that the academic hiring process is largely demand-driven and demonstrates that the probability of scientists to relocate decreases both with age and with distance. Our results allow interpreting the model assumptions as micro-based decision rules that can explain the observed mobility patterns of scientists.
Permanent link
Publication status
published
External links
Editor
Book title
Journal / series
Volume
11 (1)
Pages / Article No.
10733
Publisher
Springer
Event
Edition / version
Methods
Software
Geographic location
Date collected
Date created
Subject
Organisational unit
03682 - Schweitzer, Frank (emeritus) / Schweitzer, Frank (emeritus)
Notes
Funding
Related publications and datasets
Is new version of: http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.11850/315922
Is new version of: http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.11850/459278