The added value of international mobility for research groups and institutions
International mobility has long been an important instrument for attracting talent. The coalition agreement of the next cabinet has also expressed the intention to invest in the targeted attraction and retention of international talent. The Rathenau Instituut is organising two workshops in which we will work with scientists to map out the impact of international mobility on research groups and higher education institutions. With these workshops, we want to establish a broader agenda for discussion: not only ‘What talent do we need now?’, but also ‘What is the added value of international mobility for research groups and institutions, for example in the field of knowledge circulation?’, and ‘Where are the bottlenecks in realising this added value?’
What: Workshops about the impact of international mobility on research groups and higher education institutions
When: 2 april (14:00 – 16:00) and 9 april (10:00 – 12:00)
Where: Rathenau Instituut, Anna van Saksenlaan 51, Den Haag
Language: English
Registration required
Are you a group leader, PI, lector or otherwise responsible for a research group, and do you work at a university, university of applied sciences, university medical centre or institute of NWO or the KNAW, then we warmly invite you to join us for a discussion. Personal experience as an internationally mobile scientist is welcome but not required. For the second workshop, we would also like to invite HR and policy staff of institutes for higher education in the Netherlands to contribute with their experiences.
Reason and workshop focus
On 23 October 2025, the Rathenau Institute published a report on the international mobility of scientists in the Netherlands at the request of the ministry of Education, Culture and Science. This study showed that international mobility in the Netherlands is balanced in terms of both scale and scientific impact. Of all scientists active in the Netherlands between 2008 and 2023, 12% came to the Netherlands during that period, while 11% left the Netherlands.
But do these insights correspond with actual experiences on the ground? Or is there a significant difference? What is the added value of international mobility for research groups? And what are the disadvantages? What bottlenecks or challenges stand in the way of realising that added value? By discussing these issues, we want to provide more context for the results of the report and identify the most important opportunities and challenges.
During the workshops, we will discuss these issues based on which developments have had an impact on international mobility to and from the Netherlands in recent years, the (desired) added value of international mobility for research groups, and the challenges in realizing that added value. We are interested to learn about the consequences of these developments and any concerns or opportunities that may arise from them.
We will publish a reflection on the outcomes of the workshops on our website, including an agenda with the most pressing talking points to feed discussions on international mobility of scientists in the Netherlands. Insights from the workshop may be shared, but only without revealing the participants’ identities (Chatham House Rule).
If there are many applications, the Rathenau Institute will make a selection of participants, striving for the greatest possible diversity in background with regard to institution and scientific field.
Related publications:
Dutch-only
