HSE scientists reveal how staying at alma mater can affect early-career researchers

(Press-News.org) Many early-career scientists continue their academic careers at the same university where they studied, a practice known as academic inbreeding. A researcher at the HSE Institute of Education analysed the impact of academic inbreeding on publication activity in the natural sciences and mathematics. The study found that the impact is ambiguous and depends on various factors, including the university's geographical location, its financial resources, and the state of the regional academic employment market. A paper with the study findings has been published in Research Policy. 

In Russia, nearly half of all PhD holders continue working at the same university where they earned their degree—a career path known as academic inbreeding. This practice is believed to contribute to academic isolation and diminish the potential for innovation. Nevertheless, the impact of academic inbreeding on the productivity of early-career scientists remains insufficiently studied.

Victoria Slepyh, Junior Research Fellow at the HSE Laboratory for University Development, examined the career trajectories of 1,132 Russian scientists who earned their PhDs in 2012 in the fields of physics, biology, chemistry, and mathematics. To assess research productivity, the author analysed publications in international journals, their citation counts, and the presence of articles in first-quartile (Q1) journals. 

The analysis was conducted on two levels. First, the author examined all 1,132 PhD holders who remained in academia during the first eight years following their dissertation defence. Among this group, the rate of academic inbreeding was 61%. The results showed that graduates who moved to different universities after earning their degrees were, on average, more likely to publish, have articles accepted in prestigious journals, and receive higher citation counts compared to those who remained at their alma mater.

The most pronounced negative effect of academic inbreeding was observed at universities without special status—those not designated as federal or national research universities and not participating in government science support programmes. Early-career researchers at such universities published, on average, 34% fewer articles indexed by Scopus, and their likelihood of having at least one publication in a prestigious journal was nearly half that of more mobile scientists.

According to the author, if an early-career researcher remains at a university with limited scientific activity and resources, they tend to reproduce low academic standards. Moreover, a limited professional experience reduces their competitiveness compared to their more mobile colleagues. 

Victoria Slepykh

'In prestigious, research-oriented institutions, academic inbreeding generally does not have a significant impact on productivity. This can be attributed to a rich professional environment, including a strong research team, modern equipment, stable collaborations with other organisations, and involvement in major projects,' explains Slepykh.

Next, the author identified a subgroup of the most productive scientists—417 individuals whose number of publications exceeded the median (ranging from four to six publications during the first eight years of their academic careers). The proportion of inbreds was 56% in this sample. At the same time, the impact of academic inbreeding on productivity within this subgroup was minimal and appeared only in certain cases—specifically, among graduates who earned their degrees in regions with a saturated academic employment market.

In regions with numerous scientific institutions, graduates have greater opportunities to move to a different employer. When remaining at one’s alma mater under such circumstances stems from inertia rather than a deliberate choice, early-career researchers may miss the opportunity to thrive in a more suitable professional environment. In less developed regions, academic inbreeding is typically driven by limited alternatives. The study findings support the hypothesis that when early-career scientists have more employment options, remaining at their alma mater can negatively affect their productivity.

Additionally, the study revealed differences in behaviour across scientific disciplines. For example, mathematicians were more likely to pursue mobile career paths and less likely to remain at the universities where they earned their degrees, whereas physicists and chemists exhibited a stronger tendency toward academic inbreeding. The author attributes these differences to the nature of research infrastructure and publication traditions in various scientific fields. 

'Academic inbreeding, in itself, is not necessarily problematic. However, its consequences can adversely affect scientific productivity, especially at universities without special status or with limited resources. To mitigate the risks of isolation, measures should be implemented to encourage academic mobility and the expansion of external collaborations. These may include internships, academic exchanges, and the development of partnerships with leading research centres. Such initiatives will enhance not only productivity but also the overall quality of the academic environment,' according to Slepykh.

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