Studying Abroad, Social Capital, and Sino-Swiss Scientific Research Collaboration: A Study of Chinese Scholars Studying in Switzerland

Abstract

This study explores the relationship between studying abroad, social capital, and Sino-Swiss scientific research cooperation. Evidence from in-depth interviews involving 16 Chinese doctoral students, postdoctoral researchers, and visiting doctoral students in Switzerland informs the findings and conclusions drawn from this study. Social capital plays a vital role in the establishment of scientific research relations between China and Switzerland, especially in the initial stages of cooperation. Specifically, Chinese scholars use strong and weak ties to obtain information about studying in Switzerland. Findings show that in the initial stage of cooperative relationship establishment, structural holes play an essential role, and the relationship between trust and international research collaboration is differentiated between three types of academic mobility. Under the trend of antiglobalization, international scientific research cooperation is facing new challenges. How to build a trust relationship to maintain effective international cooperation deserves further research.

Reconceptualising international academic mobility in the global knowledge system: towards a new research agenda

“…The social capital theory was also employed to explore the relationships established, maintained, or terminated during international academic mobility (e.g. Bauder, 2020 ; Wang & Shen, 2020 ). Furthermore, building on the human capital and social capital theories, scholars proposed the scientific and technical human capital theory to explore the relationship between individual academics and collaborative networks (Bozeman et al, 2001 ; Jacob & Meek, 2013 ).…”