International mobility boosts scientific careers: a synthetic control analysis of Brazilian researchers

Leonardo Biazoli (), Bruna Paula Fonseca, Mine Çetinkaya-Rundel, Eric Araújo and Izabela Regina Cardoso Oliveira
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Leonardo Biazoli: Federal University of Alfenas
Bruna Paula Fonseca: Centro de Desenvolvimento Tecnológico em Saúde
Mine Çetinkaya-Rundel: Duke University
Eric Araújo: Calvin University
Izabela Regina Cardoso Oliveira: Federal University of Lavras

Scientometrics, 2025, vol. 130, issue 5, No 22, 3029-3051

Abstract: Abstract The study of the relationship between scientific output and academic mobility is crucial for the formulation of public policies in developing countries. In this article, we present an application of the generalized synthetic control method for mobile Brazilian researchers in the health and life sciences field to estimate the effects of mobility on the recognition and prestige of publications, as well as on international collaboration networks. To improve the necessary assumptions prior to implementing the synthetic control and to enhance estimation accuracy, we introduce a matching technique as a pre-selection step for the synthetic control design, pairing control individuals equivalent to treated individuals based on pre-intervention observable variables. Finally, we apply the generalized synthetic control to estimate the causal effects of international mobility on the scientific output of mobile Brazilian researchers, comparing the impact on the number of citations received, SJR, and international collaborations after the first year of mobility with their respective synthetic authors. The results suggest that international mobility leads to changes in the analyzed variables, particularly for emigrant mobile researchers. This work provides guidance on the use of synthetic control in bibliometric data. Additionally, the study offers insights for the development of science internationalization policies. The method we employed can also be applied to study the effects of international mobility in other fields of knowledge.

Keywords: Bibliometrics data; Synthetic control; PSM; Brazilian science; Academic mobility (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2025
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DOI: 10.1007/s11192-025-05327-w

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