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Unraveling the Skilled Mobility for Sustainable Development Mantra: An Analysis of China-EU Academic Mobility

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  • Maggi W.H. Leung

    (International Development Studies, Department of Human Geography and Planning, Utrecht University, P.O. Box 80115, 3508TC Utrecht, The Netherlands)

Abstract

In the name of sustainable development, skilled persons including scholars, researchers and students have become incorporated in the “sustainable development” visions and strategies of institutions, city centers and nation-states near and far from where these potentially mobile brains are. Policies and programs have widely been implemented to foster move-in move-out mobility of these talents sans frontières who should contribute to the competitiveness of their affiliated institutions and structures in the global knowledge economy. This paper unravels this emergent academic mobility for sustainable development mantra. It unpacks the meanings of “sustainable development” and “sustainability” as used in relation to temporary (often circulatory) mobility of students and academics in different contexts. An analysis of European and specifically China-EU academic mobility initiatives illustrates the multi-fold meanings of sustainability in this policy terrain. Zooming into the Chinese-German case, the paper highlights the common dominance of economic and environmental elements in the current “academic mobility for sustainability” construct that sidelines important social components such as equity and diversity. Statistical data and narratives will be provided to illustrate the stark gender and disciplinary bias in the Chinese-German staff academic mobility field. The paper argues for conscious, affirmative efforts by policy-makers and funding agencies to correct existing imbalances.

Suggested Citation

  • Maggi W.H. Leung, 2013. "Unraveling the Skilled Mobility for Sustainable Development Mantra: An Analysis of China-EU Academic Mobility," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 5(6), pages 1-20, June.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:5:y:2013:i:6:p:2644-2663:d:26514
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    References listed on IDEAS

    as
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    5. Kristian Thorn & Lauritz B. Holm-Nielsen, 2006. "International Mobility of Researchers and Scientists: Policy Options for Turning a Drain into a Gain," WIDER Working Paper Series RP2006-83, World Institute for Development Economic Research (UNU-WIDER).
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    Cited by:

    1. Hanwei Li, 2020. "How to Retain Global Talent? Economic and Social Integration of Chinese Students in Finland," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(10), pages 1-19, May.
    2. Xiantong Zhao & Xu Liu, 2022. "Sustaining Faculty Development through Visiting Scholar Programmes: A Transformative Learning Perspective," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(1), pages 1-19, January.
    3. Xiantong Zhao & Hongbiao Yin & Chenyang Fang & Xu Liu, 2021. "For the Sustainable Development of Universities: Exploring the External Factors Impacting Returned Early Career Academic’s Research Performance in China," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(3), pages 1-20, January.
    4. Qiongqiong Chen & Yuan Li, 2019. "Mobility, Knowledge Transfer, and Innovation: An Empirical Study on Returned Chinese Academics at Two Research Universities," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 11(22), pages 1-14, November.

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