Abstract

The aim of the planned research project is to answer two research questions that deal with the vertical interdependence of organisational and individual competition in the higher education system. First, how has the success of the doctoral university in the Excellence Initiative affected the international orientation of doctoral graduates in Germany? Secondly, what is the connection between the recruitment of international researchers and the competition for excellence among universities? To this end, new data sets on the international mobility of researchers will be compiled based on information from the data catalogue of the German National Library (DNB) and patent data. In addition, a panel on the international mobility of scientists from the most important countries of origin will be established. The effects of university excellence funding on the international mobility of doctoral researchers will be investigated. It is of interest whether incorporated knowledge of doctoral graduates, the emergence of which was promoted by excellence funding, flows permanently out of the German science system or whether knowledge exchange is made possible by temporary international mobility. Furthermore, connections between the promotion of excellence and the international recruitment of academic staff and their characteristics or retention in Germany will be examined in more detail.