Editorial

International Journal of Structural Integrity

ISSN: 1757-9864

Article publication date: 24 May 2013

69

Citation

Rodopoulos, C.A. (2013), "Editorial", International Journal of Structural Integrity, Vol. 4 No. 2. https://doi.org/10.1108/ijsi.2013.43604baa.001

Publisher

:

Emerald Group Publishing Limited

Copyright © 2013, Emerald Group Publishing Limited


Editorial

Article Type: Editorial From: International Journal of Structural Integrity, Volume 4, Issue 2

Abandoning Research in the USA, Europe and Japan due to the economic crisis. What is next?

Reading the latest NSF Report (Science and Engineering Indicators 2012) I can only see that the trends, first published in 2008, are stronger and without doubt more clear. Engineering and Natural Science degrees both in EU, USA, Japan are dropping constantly. The rate of American Engineers seeking work abroad has increased by a factor of 8 since 1996. EU-27 follows with a figure close to 6.2. Collaborative research has increased. The output of research papers, having authors from more than one country has reached the extraordinary figure of 28 percent.

Asia-8 (India, Indonesia, Malaysia, Philippines, Singapore, South Korea, Taiwan and Thailand) and China have increased their research output by a factor of 3 since 1989, while research output of Japan is in a continuing decline since 2003.

A new kid in town, especially in EU, USA, Japan is called surplus services. This is the politically correct term of expressing unemployment in highly qualified professionals, since terms like engineers of no-usage; appear bad in the eyes and ears of voters.

Many believe that engineering, high skilled professionals and research are victims of globalization and that we need to change our perceptions, being built over four decades, in order to find a new balance. Perhaps they are correct but yet, trying to conceptualize this new balance, I find myself helpless.

Chris A. Rodopoulos

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