Scientific mobility and international linking networks. The case of the Uruguayan researchers

Abstract

This article analyzes the determinants of the size of the international link networks that make up Uruguayan researchers, with special emphasis on the study of how the migratory status of researchers is associated with belonging to international networks of greater or lesser size. It is based on the data of the census of teachers of the Universidad de la República (Uruguay) of 2015 and an econometric analysis is made based on the estimation of logit ordinal models. The results of the analysis indicate that the migratory status is not unequivocally associated with the number of countries with which the researchers develop links. The status of returnees has a significant and positive effect on the size of the international teacher exchange network, but not on the size of international networks of another nature. The individual attributes that do have a clear association with the size of the international networks are those that indicate the academic trajectory of the researcher (consolidation and years since obtaining the doctorate degree), which have a positive and significant effect on the size of the international networks