Diversity and reciprocity of cross - border mobility networks of scientific and technological talents located in China mainland

中国内地科技人才跨境流动网络多样性与互惠性

Abstract

The cross-border mobility of scientific and technological (S&T) talents, a critical occurrence in contemporary society, holds substantial economic and political connotations. The domains of global politics, economy, and society are swiftly evolving towards heightened complexity, morphing into a broader, more intricately linked, diverse, and dynamic system. Phenomena such as technological innovation, the spread of pandemics, and the increasing intricacy of the world question a linear, unidirectional, and static perspective that has largely guided studies on scientists' mobility. The dialogue on the cross-border mobility of S&T talents has progressed from the concepts of brain drain and brain gain to the idea of brain circulation, a term coined to illustrate the rising trend of temporary, transnational, and cyclical movements among highly skilled workers. This shift in paradigm necessitates an understanding of S&T talents' global mobility through the lens of complex network analysis. Diversity and reciprocity play crucial roles in upholding the stability and dynamics of networks. The diversity and reciprocity of cross-border mobility networks of S&T talents contribute to the creation of diverse and complementary human resources in the field of science and technology. Diversity and reciprocity in the global mobility network of S&T talents promote sustainable exchange and sharing of knowledge, information, and other academic resources within such a network. While the cross-border mobility of S&T talents has been widely studied, research on the complex network attributes of the global mobility network of S&T talents is limited. Moreover, quantifying global mobility of S&T talents on a large scale presents challenges. This research, based on extensive bibliometric data collected from the Scopus database spanning from 1950 to 2020, measures cross-border mobility of S&T talents by examining changes in their affiliations over time. The study identifies over 0.96 million cross-border mobility events generated by S&T talents located in China mainland, associated with 182 countries/regions, 5,282 cities, and more than 46 thousand institutions. The study employs complex network analysis methods and convergence cross mapping to measure the diversity and reciprocity of the global mobility network generated by China mainland's S&T talents and to explore the developmental trends of these two network characteristics. Considering four key dimensions of disparities in science and technology development between countries/regions, this research analyzes how such disparities influence the reciprocity of mobility of S&T talents between countries/regions. The study uncovers that the diversity and reciprocity of cross-border mobility networks generated by China mainland's S&T talents are continually strengthening. Research collaboration distance between nations/regions fosters reciprocal S&T talent mobility, while cognitive distance between nations/regions obstructs such reciprocity. This research provides several policy suggestions for enhancing the recruitment of overseas S&T talents to China mainland. Firstly, it is crucial to fully leverage the diverse and varied reserves of S&T human resources to stimulate the growth of disruptive innovation. Secondly, the reciprocity of S&T talents mobility between China mainland and other countries/regions is progressively intensifying. This indicates a diminishing trend in the one-way inflow and outflow of S&T talents, while brain circulation is increasingly noticeable. When it comes to attracting overseas S&T talents, policy emphasis should transition from merely seeking a large number of talents to enhancing the quality and optimizing the composition of talents. The reciprocity level in the cross-border mobility of S&T talents between China mainland and countries/regions with a significant cognitive distance, as well as those with close research collaboration, tends to be lower due to the absence of a common knowledge foundation or weak complementarity in terms of information, knowledge, perspectives, and academic resources. Implementing targeted talent exchange initiatives or specific policies for attracting talents can bolster the mobility of talents between China mainland and these countries/regions, thereby enhancing the reciprocity of talent mobility.