Russian Scientific Diaspora in Germany in 1990s-2010s: Formation Paths and Development Features

Abstract

This article examines the process of formation and transformations of the Russian scientific diaspora in Germany in the 1990s-2010s. It raises questions about the reasons and paths of creating a large community of scientific workers and researchers who moved from Russia to Germany. An approximate estimate of the number of members of the group under study at the turn of the XX-XXI centuries is provided. Special attention is paid to the analysis of forms and types of association among Russian compatriot scientists in Germany. Sources include data from Russian and German state statistical agencies, documents from the German Academic Exchange Service, a transcript of the German government’s report to the Bundestag, and others. An overview of the tools used by the German authorities to attract scientific personnel from Russia in the 1990s-2010s is conducted. The policy of Russian authorities regarding interaction with the scientific diaspora during the period under review is analyzed. It is shown how Moscow increased contacts with the scientific diaspora in Germany in the early 2010s amid intensified competition for highly qualified personnel. It is noted that although these initiatives contributed to the development of new formats of cooperation between scientists of Russian origin in Germany and Russian scientific institutions, they were later suspended and did not lead to a systemic activation of interaction.

Keywords

• scientific diaspora
• scientific diplomacy
• international scientific and technical cooperation
• russian-german relations
• brain drain