SIM-ReC

Description

The SIM-ReC project is a study of international mobility and researchers career development. This project aimed to shed light on the consequences of international mobility on researchers’ patterns of collaboration, academic performance and career consolidation. SIM-ReC was a 10-country study carried out for ERAWATCH Network on behalf of the IPTS. It focused on the successful design and implementation of a survey to better understand the extent of researcher mobility and the effects it has on aspects such as collaborations, academic performance and career development. The target population was primarily those currently working in the HES (higher education sector).

In 2013, NIFU extended the survey to include a comparable sample of Norwegian researchers. In addition to higher education institutions, the extended version was sent to a representative sample of public research institutes. Following the Frascati Manual, 17 three fields of science are used: Physical Sciences and Engineering, Life Sciences, and Social Sciences and Humanities.

The study did not adopt or propose a specific definition of or framework for research careers. It surveyed “experienced researchers” defined as researchers with at least 5 years of research experience since completing their highest educational degree.

Documentation

FINAL REPORT for the Specific Contract: Study on international mobility and researchers' career development / X13 – SIM ReC

Data Collection Rounds [= waves]

UK, Belgium, France, Germany, Italy, Netherlands, Poland, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland and Norway

Results

The published results to date address the connection between researchers’ mobility profile and the likelihood of holding a permanent position, the motives for changing jobs and the extent to which these are influenced by mobility patterns and the gender dimension of the registered motivations for job changes depending on the parental status and the mobility profile of researchers.