Global research workforce grows but demographic fall and STEM stagnation threaten longevity, report shows

Opportunities for highly skilled research and innovation (R&I) personnel are reaching record highs across developed economies, but looming demographic contraction, static shares of advanced STEM qualifications and acute early-career precarity pose severe threats to long-term scientific capacity.

These are the conclusions of the Research and Innovation Careers Observatory 2026 report, published jointly by the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) and the European Union on 14/09/2026.

It reveals high employment and earnings for PhD holders alongside early-career precarity, persistent gender gaps and fierce global competition for mobile scientific talent. Drawing on a dataset spanning 51 countries, the Observatory provides an international assessment of how countries…