Understanding academic mobility beyond neoliberal frameworks: International doctoral students aspirations and motivations for career trajectories

• In Event: Migrant's and refugees' experience of higher education and the labor market

Proposal

Relevance of the Topic
Academic mobility is closely linked to global migration, with over 281 million people living outside their country of origin as of 2020 (IOM, 2020). Highly skilled workers, including academics and researchers, constitute over 15% of these migrants (UN, 2020), underscoring the role of intellectual migration in shaping global knowledge economies. International doctoral students, in particular, contribute significantly to this exchange of knowledge and innovation.
This study explores international doctoral student mobility beyond neoliberal frameworks, which often focus on individualism and economic incentives. While these factors are relevant, they overlook the complex motivations, such as academic aspirations and global collaboration, that drive students to study abroad. Understanding these motivations is crucial for shaping policies that address both individual goals and the broader geopolitical contexts influencing academic mobility and global knowledge exchange.

Literature Review
International doctoral students’ decisions to study abroad have traditionally been viewed through economic and social lenses, focusing on career opportunities and the prestige of foreign institutions (Curtis & Ledgerwood, 2018; Sato & Hodge, 2009; Yue & Lu, 2022). Recent research, however, highlights the need to consider broader geopolitical and psychological factors. Geopolitical elements, like home-country stability and immigration policies, significantly shape students’ choices (Kim et al., 2011). Psychological motivations, such as the emotional cost of quitting (Zhou, 2015) and aspirations to contribute to home countries (Griffin, 2023), also play a critical role. Yet much of the literature overlooks the reciprocal relationship between host and home countries. Thus, Li et al. (2021) and McGill (2013) call for examining how past experiences and future aspirations, influenced by home-country contexts, shape students’ decisions to stay or return.

Theoretical Framework
The push-pull model (Altbach, 1998) suggests students study abroad due to being “pushed” by challenges like limited education and political instability in their home countries, and “pulled” by better educational and career opportunities in host countries (Li & Bray, 2007; Mazzarol & Soutar, 2002). However, this model tend to overlook intrinsic motivations and the complex individual and environmental factors influencing decisions.
Our study uses Hein de Haas’s (2021) aspiration-capability framework, which views migration decisions as shaped by aspirations influenced by capabilities and broader structural contexts. This approach helps explore how geopolitical factors and psychological motivations impact international doctoral students’ career trajectories, shaped by experiences in both home and host countries.

Methods
This study adopts a general qualitative research methodology. To explore international doctoral students’ aspirations for pursuing doctoral programs. We conducted semi-structured interviews and photovoice activities with eight participants at the college of education of an R1 university in the Midwest United States, most coming from West Africa and Asia. At the stage of data analysis, all team members first coded themes related to academic and professional development inductively and then discussed the coding strategy with the team to ensure consistency and reliability of analysis (Saldaña, 2021).

Preliminary Findings
Aspirations: Altruistic motivations for pursuing doctoral programs
The findings reveal that international doctoral students’ motivations extend beyond career and economic goals, with altruism emerging as a key theme. Unlike the neoliberal view that frames students as rational actors focused on cost-benefit analysis, altruism provides a moral and ethical perspective on their motivations. Olivia and Sophia, with extensive pre-doctoral experience, aimed to be “role models for girls” in supporting academic and professional growth. Olivia, concerned with the dominance of Western voices in Nigerian education, aspired to “speak for my people” in shaping policy. David, studying in the U.S., taught writing in Myanmar, hoping to “contribute some time to his country and people” amid the ongoing civil war. Mia, from Kazakhstan, pursued her degree to give her children a better life. These altruistic motivations reflect their care for family, gender identity communities, and their home countries.

Capabilities: Geopolitical impact on the pursuit of doctoral programs
However, aspirations alone don’t explain their migration decisions. The ability to pursue doctoral studies is shaped by capabilities, heavily influenced by geopolitical factors. Visa concerns were a major issue for many participants. Emma said, “I didn’t want to lose my visa and go back to my country and reapply.” David applied for his program partly because of “his country’s situation (civil war) and whether it’s improved or not.” Isabella’s decision to quit her job and accept a PhD offer was driven by visa concerns: “I don’t have the privilege to wait and see… I don’t see me advancing beyond three years.” While their motivations were personal, geopolitical relationships and immigration policies significantly affected their choices.

Contribution to the Field
This study shows that international doctoral students’ migration decisions are influenced by a combination of personal motivations and structural constraints. For some, studying abroad addresses limited opportunities at home, while for others, it reflects broader intellectual or altruistic goals. Geopolitical factors, such as civil unrest and visa regulations, also play a key role in shaping their choices.
Our findings support previous research showing that students are motivated to contribute to their home countries after completing their studies (Griffin, 2023), and that geopolitical factors, like immigration policies and conflicts, significantly influence their decisions (Kim et al., 2011). While this pilot study cannot generalize its findings, it highlights the importance of considering more than individual motivations in future discussions. It also suggests that U.S. doctoral programs in education and social sciences should adopt more supportive, humane approaches to better address international students’ needs.

Authors

• Sara Bano, Michigan State University

• Yulu Hou, Michigan State University

• Yilun Jiang, Michigan State University