Comparing Chinese academic returnees in Chengdu and Guangzhou: reasons for return, choice of destination and onward migration intention

Abstract

ABSTRACT This is a comparative study on Chinese academic returnees in Chengdu and Guangzhou, China. Adopting the concepts of intellectual gateway (IG), intellectual node (IN) and intellectual capital (IC) from the intellectual migration (IM) framework, as well as the amenities perspective in migration studies, this article conceptualises Chengdu as an emerging IG and Guangzhou as a typical IG. Through analysing macro-level public data and first-hand interviews and survey data at the micro level, it explores academic returnees’destination choice and if urban amenities and individual preferences influence their onward migration intention. It concludes that academic returnees’choice of destination is not only highly related to their pursuit of IC development and economic capital, but is also influenced by their preferences of different types of cultural amenities. Chengdu’s cultural amenities tend to attract and retain more personal-life-oriented academic returnees, while Guangzhou is favoured by professional-life-oriented returnees. Furthermore, compared to returnees in Guangzhou, those in Chengdu are more likely to stay for longer terms. It is suggested that building rich cultural amenities and intellectual networks can be potential advantages for emerging IGs in attracting and retaining intellectual migrants.