The Indian and Chinese academic diaspora in Australia: A comparison

Abstract

The shift in international migration research away from a focus on permanent displacement and settlement to transnationalism has not been accompanied by a similar shift in international migration systems which are still based on the old paradigm. This study utilizes Australia-based secondary and primary data to show the actual nature of population movement between two of Australia's major countries of origin of migrants: China and India. It focuses particularly on one group of migrants - university-based researchers and teachers. The paper demonstrates that the mobility relationship between Australia on the one hand, and India and China on the other, is most accurately depicted as a complex system involving substantial and diverse flows in both directions. Survey data are used to explore the linkages maintained by Indian and Chinese academics in Australia with their home-lands. The findings suggest that there is considerable scope from the perspectives of China and India to engage their diaspora in activities which will be beneficial to development.