What academic mobility configurations contribute to high performance: an fsQCA analysis of CSC-funded visiting scholars

• Published in: Scientometrics Vol. 126; no. 2; pp. 1079 - 1100
• Main Authors: Liu, Junwan, Wang, Rui, Xu, Shuo
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Cham Springer International Publishing 01-02-2021; Springer Nature B.V
• Subjects: Bibliometrics; Comparative analysis; Computer Science; Configuration management; Fuzzy sets; Globalization; Information Storage and Retrieval; International cooperation; Library Science; Mobility; Performance indices; Qualitative analysis; fsQCA; Antecedent configuration; CSC; Academic mobility; Research performance
• ISSN: 0138-9130; 1588-2861
• DOI: 10.1007/s11192-020-03783-0

Against the backdrop of globalization, the world is witnessing increasingly frequent transnational mobility, placing scientific mobility in the spotlight. Highly competitive researchers with an international vision are regarded as engines that, for any nation, drive scientific and technological progress and social development. Over the past two decades, the China Scholarship Council (CSC) has provided sustainable financial and policy support to promote academic mobility. This study aims to identify complex antecedent configurations contributing to the high research performance of scholars after their research visits funded by the CSC. Fuzzy set Qualitative Comparative Analysis (fsQCA) is employed to conduct a causal analysis on 630 researchers who received CSC academic mobility funding in 2012. Then, bibliometric indexes and fsQCA are combined to identify the antecedent configurations (combinations) that lead to the high research performance of these researchers. From experimental results, we identify six combinations (configurations) of visiting scholars and four combinations of postdoctoral researchers that lead to high research performance after their research visits. In more details, active international collaboration before their visits plays a core role in the high research performance of scholars after mobility. Meanwhile, the reputation of institutions and the academic position constitute an important part of the combinations that lead to high research performance. Additionally, the role of the duration of the research visit in the high performance of researchers cannot be ignored. Gender is not a crucial part of the causal combinations that explain high performance. This study provides insights to design and improve similar academic mobility programmes worldwide.