Hunter, Rosalind, Oswald, Andrew J. and Charlton, Bruce (2009) The elite brain drain. Discussion Paper. Bonn, Germany: Forschungsinstitut zur Zukunft der Arbeit. (Discussion paper (Forschungsinstitut zur Zukunft der Arbeit).

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Abstract

We collect data on the movement and productivity of elite scientists. Their mobility is remarkable: nearly half of the world’s most-cited physicists work outside their country of birth. We show they migrate systematically towards nations with large R&D spending. Our study cannot adjudicate on whether migration improves scientists’ productivity, but we find that movers and stayers have identical h-index citations scores. Immigrants in the UK and US now win Nobel Prizes proportionately less often than earlier. US residents’ h-indexes are relatively high. We describe a framework where a key role is played by low mobility costs in the modern world.

Item Type:	Working or Discussion Paper (Discussion Paper)
Subjects:	J Political Science > JV Colonies and colonization. Emigration and immigration. International migration H Social Sciences > HB Economic Theory L Education > LB Theory and practice of education > LB2300 Higher Education
Divisions:	Faculty of Social Sciences > Economics
Library of Congress Subject Headings (LCSH):	Brain drain, Emigration and immigration, Bibliographical citations, Educational mobility, Intellectual cooperation, Physics -- Study and teaching (Higher), Education, Higher
Series Name:	Discussion paper (Forschungsinstitut zur Zukunft der Arbeit)
Publisher:	Forschungsinstitut zur Zukunft der Arbeit
Place of Publication:	Bonn, Germany
Date:	February 2009
Number:	No.400
Number of Pages:	41
Status:	Not Peer Reviewed
Access rights to Published version:	Open Access
Funder:	Economic and Social Research Council (Great Britain) (ESRC)
Adapted As:	Hunter, R., Oswald, A.J. and Charlton, B. (2009). The elite brain drain. Economic Journal, 119(538), pp. F231-F251.
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URI:	http://wrap.warwick.ac.uk/id/eprint/2193

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