Higher Education and academic research

Emerging regions have robust collaborations, but need more researchers.

Researchers are in demand in east Asia, Latin America and southern Africa — regions not considered traditional scientific powerhouses — where doctoral-degree holders tend to leave academia for government or the private sector, says a report. CODOC — Cooperation on Doctoral Education Between Africa, Asia, Latin America and Europe, published on 4 October by the European University Association (EUA) in Brussels, examined international collaboration across fields at universities to assess efforts to build research capacity. It documents ample international collaboration at universities in east Asia and an increasing number in Brazil and Mexico, but notes the need for more research investment in southern Africa to expand such efforts. Thomas Jørgensen, head of the EUA's council for doctoral education and author of the report, says that increasing collaboration hasn't made it any easier to retain academic faculty members at universities in the three emerging regions. But early-career scientists who are willing to leave their home countries can find posts that match their research specialities, he says. “The need for early-stage researchers is desperately there,” adds Jørgensen. - Naturejobs,

Nature 490,573(2012), 24 October 2012