Postdoc abroad: inherited scientific contacts or establishment of new networks?

This study targets the phenomenon of spending a significant period abroad after having graduated as PhD, frequently undertaken in many countries and often referred to as a 'postdoc', using a survey sent to a Swedish sample as the tool for investigation. Questions regarding the sociological dimensions of doing a postdoc abroad are investigated. A postdoc abroad is found to have important integrating effects between the home and the host country. Contacts are made during the postdoc and they often lead to research collaboration and co-publication later on. The travelling pattern is rather limited to traditionally strong science-nations and the postdoc is rarely used as an opportunity to explore 'new' scientific environments. As senior colleagues often give advice of where to go and act as references, their contacts and networks are partly inherited by the younger generation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]