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Researcher's mobility

1 Profile of Respondents

In the present survey, the profile of respondents is based on their place of birth, age group, marital status, and, number of languages known. It is also based on the economies where these respondents have been educated and worked. These data is helpful in evaluating their responses.

At the end of this section, Table A and Figures 1,2,3 & 4 classify the respondents who have evaluated this economy, Australia, based on their year of evaluation, age, marital status and languages known.

Table B and accompanying Figure 5 (Refer end of section) display the number of respondents, who were born, educated and worked in different APEC economies.

2 Channels for obtaining information

Table C and Figure 6 (Refer end of section) illustrate the popularity of different channels for obtaining information about this economy.

The following channels have been reported as the main sources of information for research or job opportunities in Australia by many of the respondents:

IAEA regular program.

Internet

Invitation for talk/seminar/collaboration

The exchange is promoted through scholarship grants.

3 Organization of the results

The main results from the survey have been classified under the following factors:

Factors or reasons for selecting or avoiding an economy

Work environment factors;

Visa factors;

Settlement factors; and

Communication and Mobility factors.

The number of responses for each of the above factors has been tabulated in Tables D, E, F, G, H (Refer end of section). The corresponding graphs are shown in Figures 7, 8, 9, 10 and 11 (Refer end of section).

4 Factors or reasons for selecting or avoiding an economy

Based on the response in the present survey, the significant factors for choosing Australia and the negative aspects encountered by the respondents have been reviewed below.

Positive factors/reasons

Quality of life is one of the most positive aspects that attracted a large number of researchers. As one of them has commented, " We decided to move back to Australia from Germany to work and live, because of the lifestyle". Language and culture is another plus point.

Advanced degree or technology or training has been found positive by about 62% of the respondents. Centres of excellence have been identified by more than 50% of the respondents.

Recognition of foreign qualifications has been ticked positive by more than half of the respondents. Degrees earned from other countries are also accepted in the university. Other specific comments made by some of the respondents are:

The high ratio of compensation to cost of living in Australia.

A 56-year old respondent indicated 'family' as the main reason for choosing Australia.

Negative factors

About 25% feel that the compensation, cost of living, career prospects and employment opportunities are low.

A few of the respondents feel that only some schools and some degrees from the country of origin are recognised by the host economy.

5 Work environment factors

Various positive and negative factors have been cited in the work environment by some of the respondents. They are listed below:

Positive factors/reasons

Freedom in workplace, availability of information, advanced research, library and other facilities available in the university and work place are some of the most significant positive factors.

Students are more informed in the campus.

Guidance from host researchers is quite good as seen from the following remarks made by some of the researchers: "Students are well guided by supervisors who share whatever knowledge is needed by the students". "Supervisors are supportive and approachable".

Negative factors

Project funding has been found inadequate by more than 34%.

While one of the visiting researcher's interest level was more on natural products, the local's interest was on synthetic type of wool.

Status and treatment of foreigners as compared to the natives is another cause for concern for a few of them.

6 Settlement Factors - housing, medical, and other social factors

Settlement factors are based on various day-to-day matters for the individual and/or his/her family. Factors cited have been grouped below as positive, negative or neutral:

Positive factors/reasons

Quality of housing wins the highest votes in the survey for Australia. As has been commented by many, housing is very cheap and well maintained. Accommodation close to the university is always available Sometimes the host organisation arranges for rental expenses, which makes housing and settling in much easier. Only a few had difficulty getting accommodation, which also wins highly positive scores in the survey.

Many of the respondents are quite happy with the food and the climate.

Availability of medical facilities is found satisfactory by many of the respondents. Quite a few respondents have found the medical care to be relatively cheap with ''free'' hospitalisation and doctors since fees are automatically deducted from salary. A few of them have been medically insured by host country, while monthly medical expenses are covered by health card. They have found no problem regarding availability of doctors and clinics.

Cultural life or activities and religious life in the economy are found to be positive by more than half of the respondents.

Good early childhood education is another positive factor for settlement.

Neutral or mixed reactions

Some of the researcher's responses have been mixed regarding a few factors. Some of the comments made are as follows:

"Food is mixed". "Culture is mixed but OK".

In some cases, spouse was able to work, while in others it was not easy for spouses to get settled in their career easily due to high unemployment rates.

Negative factors

Rental expenses have been rated negative by a few of the respondents. These can affect those on low maintenance allowances

Early childhood education is also expensive. A deterioration of public schools in the Australian education system has been observed by some.

Some of the respondents had to do without radio/TV program from their home countries e.g. the Philippines during 1990-93.

Medical expenses and spouse's career are some of the other negative factors.

7 Communication, mobility

On the communication and transport or mobility aspects, pros and cons cited by some of the respondents are as follows:

Positive factors/reasons

For some, host arranged and provided for travelling expenses to host country. There is a high frequency of flights to Australia.

Availability of telephone and fax facilities is a strong positive for almost three-fourths of the respondents. Language for communication in the host economy has been easy for many.

Buses going to different places with timetables available everyday makes commuting within the economy quite easy. Travelling to work place has been at walking distance for some of the researchers.

It is very easy and cheap to have one's own means of transport in Australia, which allows for the family including kids to travel together more comfortably, as compared to some other countries like Singapore.

Internet, although was not very popular to students during 1990-93, is now easily accessible.

Mixed reactions:

One of the problems faced by some of the English-speaking researchers of other countries has been their difficulty in understanding the local English accent while for others language only needed a little adjustment.

Negative factors

Cost of owning and maintaining a car is found to be high by at least a fourth of the respondents.

High cost of international phone calls.

Travelling cost to host economy, is another negative factor.

8 Visa matters

Many have commented that procedures in obtaining / renewing visa is simpler and faster as compared to other economies.

9 Peace and order

Political stability and crime rate have been considered good, as also law and order in the economy.

Table A.
Year of Evaluation	Votes
Before 1985	24
1985 to 90	11
1991 to 95	39
After 96	129
Not available	19
Total	222

Age
30 or less	12
31 to 40	83
41 to 50	68
Above 50	26
Not available	33
Total	222

Marital Status
Single	39
Married	133
Widowed/Divorced	9
Not available	41
Total	222

Language
One	54
Two	84
Three or more	41
Not available	43
Total	222

Table B. Economy of birth, Education and Work Experience of Respondents
	Birth	Under Graduate	Masters	Doctorate	Economy visited/worked
Australia	9	12	24	36	190
Brunei					5
Canada					41
Chile	5	5	4		10
China	24	15	10		39
Hong Kong, China					27
Indonesia					31
Japan	34	34	23	10	61
Korea	8	6	6	3	7
Malaysia	5	6		5	45
Mexico					5
New Zealand	17	18	17	5	20
Papua New Guinea					6
Philippines	5	2	2		41
Singapore	15	12	5		51
Chinese Taipei	16	35
Thailand	11		15	5	36
USA	32	30	25	26	68
Rest of the world	16	22	27	33	71
Not reported	25
Total	222	197	158	123	754

Table C. Channels of Obtaining Information
	Votes
Personal	124
Emp	67
Mag	42
Govt	71
Tech journals	52
Others	14

Table D. Factors or reasons for selecting or avoiding an economy
Factors	Positive	Negative	Issues
Centres of excellence in the economy	120	10
Unique scientific resources	103	17
Compensation	43	58
Advanced degree or technology or training	139	2
Working Conditions	105	10
Recognition of foreign qualifications	126	21	4
Recognition of foreign work experience	101	16	3
Employment opportunities	58	45
Career Prospects	77	51	1
Visa and entry regulations	57	36
Immigration opportunities	46	30
Housing	85	5
Medical	78	16
Cost of living	77	53
Language and culture	131	14
Infrastructure in host economy	95	16
Quality of life in host economy	166	19

Table E. Work environment factors
	Positive	Negative	Issues
Availability of information	158	11	2
Availability of advanced facilities	151	10	2
Prior knowledge to use facilities	103	6
Guidance from host researchers	132	7	1
Willingness to share information & expertise	105	6
Interest level of projects	102	12
Project deadlines	109	16
Project funding	76	66	1
Freedom in workplace	153	1	2
Status & treatment of foreigners compared to natives	80	44

Table F. Visa Factors
	Positive	Negative	Issues
Visa Procedures	90	41	3
Visa period	84	44	1
Visa for the family	83	27
Visa Restrictions	36	48

Table G. Settlement Factors
	Positive	Negative	Issues
Housing
Ease/difficultyin getting accommodation	141	21
Rental expenses	135	75	3
Quality of housing	162	8
Medical
Ease/difficulty in obtaining medical treatment	113	10
Medical expenses	78	51	1
Availability of medical facilities	133	7
Peace and Order in the host economy
Crime rate	123	28
Political stability	160	4
Law and order	122	9
Other Social factors
Food	141	18
Climate	140	7
Maintenance allowances	93	27
Religious life	114	13
Isolation from your country men in host economy	60	28	2
Social interaction	98	22
Spouse’s career	51	39	2
Children’s education	81	11
Family/Children's health	74	7

Table H. Communication and Mobility
	Positive	Negative	Issues
Communication
Language for communication in the host economy	149	12	2
Availability of Telephone/fax	160	1
Telephone/fax cost	123	22
Internet access	141	7	1
Availability of Radio/TV programs for foreigners	110	16	2
Cultural life or activities in the host economy	119	11
Mobility
Travelling cost to host economy	89	46
Frequency of flights to host economy	126	5
Ease/difficulty of travelling within host economy	131	7
Ease/difficulty of travelling from host economy	105	15
Commuting to work place	136	23
Cost of owning and maintaining a car	62	58	2
Converting or getting a new driving license	67	27	1

 Click to download figures (MS-Excel 97 format)