Interregional Mobility Patterns of Russian Scientists and Their Willingness to Move in the Future

Abstract

Mobility of highly skilled personnel is closely related to the issue of human capital distribution, determining innovative development prospects of various regions and countries. The present study focuses on intra-Russian interregional mobility, in particular, the movement of scientists between different cities and constituent entities of the Russian Federation. Based on the questionnaire survey of 1880 Russian researchers, we examined the actual movements of scientists (to receive education and gain work experience in other regions and countries) and their attitude to mobility (willingness to move in the future to participate in interesting projects and/or work expecting satisfying remuneration). Analysis of mobility patterns of these scientists revealed the characteristics of Russian researchers willing to move to small towns. Interregional migration occurs mostly at the time of receiving education or immediately afterwards. At later career stages, the majority of researchers prefer to work in one place for long periods of time. Scientists who already had an interregional mobility experience are more likely to consider moving in the future since they have an attitude to mobility. A certain category of researchers is willing to relocate abroad as well as to major and small Russian cities. Scientists unwilling to move to small towns are concerned about their professional growth, difficulties for the family, a different lifestyle, and a change in professional and personal social networks. Thus, in order to develop regional research and education centres and stimulate intra-Russian academic mobility, relevant programmes and measures should take these aspects into account.