“It’s About Brains…”

TOWARDS LISBON 2.1 Ljubljana, 28.09.2007
IT’S ABOUT BRAINS…
Nikolai Genov
Free University Berlin
[email_address]

TWO CONTRADICTORY SITUATIONS
-Science is getting more and more globalized , but:
-The educational and economic effects of R&D are
measured in local terms (in competitiveness of companies and nations)
- International migration of scientists is normality
in science, but:
- Who profits from the discoveries and inventions?
IT‘S ABOUT THE VALUE OF BRAINS

THE EU-LISBON STRATEGY AND EU-REALITIES
a) Decreasing native population;
b) Decreasing interest among EU-students to choose professional career in the natural sciences and engineering;
c) Growing competition on the international R&D labour market (competition for brains);
d) Seven of ten EU-born doctorate recipients in the USA use to stay there after graduation.
EU-countries need immigration of HQ in R&D

CURRENT DEBATES
EC VP Franco Frattini in September 2007:
-EU should facilitate the immigration
of HQ in R&D
German politicians - other priorities:
-To stop brain-drain from EU ;
-To integrate immigrants;
-To keep competences of member-states
and EU clearly defined and separated .

THE BACKGROUND OF THE DEBATE: Unemployment in the European Union by skill level

CAN GERMANY BE CONSISTENT IN RESTRICTING IMMIGRATION OF HQ IN R&D?
OBVIOUSLY NO:
-In 2000:„Green Card“ initiative (IT HQ) for 20000
-Till the end of 2001: some 10000
-Till December 2004: some 18000
Reasons: - Limitation of the stay
- High threshold of salary
- Family members
USA, Canada, Australia, UK: more successful
So: Competition for brains is a matter of policy

WHAT COULD EU INITIATIVES ACTUALLY ACHIEVE? (1: INTERNALLY)
TRANSFER AND EU-GENERALIZATION
OF “BEST PRACTICES” FROM VARIOUS SOURCES
To facilitate the real opening of academic and R&D positions in the EU to world-wide competition (US American style of open academic market)
To facilitate the real search for “best and brightest” worldwide (EU-wide “anti-trust” policies);
To press on supportive national legal regulations for inflow of HQ in R&D;
To foster flexicurity in academic and R&D institutions
(more project based structures)

WHAT COULD EU INITIATIVES ACTUALLY ACHIEVE? (2: EXTERNALLY)
OPEN THE EU R&D INSTITUTIONS TO
INTERNATIONAL COMPETITION AND COOPERATION
-FP7 is on the right track in funding broad joint projects;
-Strengthening cooperation with traditional partners;
-Readiness to innovate in developing the relationships
with new neighbours;
-Russia and Ukraine as special (and different) cases
-The German experience with immigrants from the
former Soviet Union

RUSSIA AND UKRAINE AS DONOR COUNTRIES?
Reasons for emigration of researchers and
university teachers at Moscow universities (2004)
_______________________________________________________________________________________________
Reason %
_________________________________________________________
Low wages 76
Decline of prestige of intellectual labour 53
Lack of opportunities to realize the scientific potential 50
Threat of social outbursts 40
Anxiety about the future of the children 35
Economic instability, threat of unemployment 35
Vague prospects concerning the professional carrier 19
_______________________________________________________________________

Research personnel at the National Academy of Science of Ukraine ■ Number of researchers (thousands) ■ Number of researchers with academic degrees (Dr, Dr. sc.)

MOBILITY OF HQ IN R&D IS A MATTER OF DOUBLE CONTINGENCY Desires for : PAa:Institutional support PBa:Knowledge &status in R&D acquisition PCa: Personal capacities PDa: Support from the personal environment Career in or outside R&D PA: Institutional environment PB: Professional education PC: Professional aspirations PD: Personal c ircumstances Experience as scientist Assessments of : PAb: Institutional constraints PBb: Value of knowledge & status acquisition PCb: Personal capacities PDb: Personal circumstances Career in or outside the home country

THE PROSPECTS?
Brain-drain?
Brain-gain?
Brain-waste?
Brain circulation?
IT‘S VERY MUCH MATTER OF POLICIES –
POLICIES OF EU MEMBER STATES
AND INCREASINGLY EU POLICIES
TO BE INCORPORATED IN LISBON 2

“It’s About Brains…”

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