Analysing Scientific Mobility and Collaboration in the Middle East and North Africa

TL;DR

This paper analyzes scientific mobility and collaboration patterns in the MENA region from 2008 to 2017, revealing geographical, cultural, and gender-based differences using publication affiliation data.

Contribution

It introduces a detailed, multi-approach analysis of scientific mobility flows, origins, destinations, and gender disparities in the MENA region.

Findings

Main destinations and origins are influenced by proximity and cooperation programs.

Average academic age of migrants is about 12.4 years, with younger immigrants.

Gender gap shows male scholars dominate migration flows.

Abstract

This study investigates the scientific mobility and international collaboration networks in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region between 2008 and 2017. By using affiliation metadata available in scientific publications, we analyse international scientific mobility flows and collaboration linkages. Three complementary approaches allow us to obtain a detailed characterization of scientific mobility. First, we uncover the main destinations and origins of mobile scholars for each country. Results reveal geographical, cultural and historical proximities. Cooperation programs also contribute to explain some of the observed flows. Second, we use the academic age. The average academic age of migrant scholars in MENA was about 12.4 years. The academic age group 6-to-10 years is the most common for both emigrant and immigrant scholars. Immigrants are relatively younger than emigrants, except for Iran, Palestine, Lebanon, and Turkey. Scholars who migrated to Gulf Cooperation Council countries, Jordan and Morocco were in average younger than emigrants by 1.5 year from the same countries. Third, we analyse gender differences. We observe a clear gender gap: Male scholars represent the largest group of migrants in MENA. We conclude discussing the policy relevance of the scientific mobility and collaboration aspects.