Quantifying the Effect of Individual and Institutional Collaboration Networks on Scientific Mobility

• In Event: 40216 - New applications of social network analysis

Abstract

Scholarly migration plays a crucial role in shaping individual careers, research fields, and institutional collaborations, driving the global flow of knowledge. This study leverages large-scale digital trace data to examine how co-authorship and institutional networks influence migration patterns. By integrating multinomial logistic regressions and discrete choice models, we systematically assess the effects of first- and second-order co-authorship ties and institutional linkages on migration direction. Our findings reveal that both co-authorship and institutional networks strongly predict migration trajectories. Highly connected scholars are more likely to migrate along co-authorship networks, whereas those with medium or smaller co-authorship networks tend to move along institutional pathways. Furthermore, we identify significant heterogeneity in mobility patterns based on institutional prestige, with scholars from highly ranked institutions more frequently following institutional connections. Additionally, international scientific migration is less constrained by pre-existing networks compared to internal migration. These findings provide new insights into the relational factors shaping scholarly migration, offering an empirical foundation for policies aimed at promoting cross-border knowledge exchange and enhancing international scientific collaboration.

Authors

• Alexandra Rottenkolber, Linkoping University

• Ola Ali, Complexity Science Hub

• Gergely Monus, Corvinus University Budapest

• Jiaxuan Li, University of Oxford

• Jisu Kim, Max Planck Institute for Demographic Research

• Daniela Perrotta, Max Planck Institute for Demographic Research

• Aliakbar Akbaritabar, Max Planck Institute for Demographic Research (MPIDR)