The paper Brain Drain or Brain Gain? Effects of High-Skilled International Emigration on Origin Countries was released on May 22, 2025, and marks a significant personal achievement, as well as highlighting the global relevance of her research.
Crossing Borders
Discover how our research into the complexities of cross-border mobility is advancing knowledge, shaping policy, benefiting society and addressing global challenges.
Navigating the complexities of cross-borders mobility
The increase in cross-border human mobility—driven by greater freedom of movement within the European Union, advances in transport and communications technology, global inequality and political instability—has created both opportunities and challenges. People move as permanent or temporary migrants, refugees or daily commuters, raising complex issues for sending and receiving countries, including Luxembourg.
Crossing Borders is committed to advancing innovative research and developing data-driven tools that support informed decision-making. By promoting evidence-based policies, we aim to increase resilience, cohesion and prosperity across borders, ensuring that cross-border mobility benefits individuals and societies worldwide.
Key topics
Discover how our research is shaping policy for a more inclusive and sustainable future, while deepening our understanding of the complex dynamics of cross-border mobility, social cohesion and economic growth.
ACROSS: Shaping the Future of Cross-Border Mobility Research
ACROSS is more than a PhD programme—it’s a powerhouse for training the next generation of experts in cross-border mobility. Funded by the Luxembourg National Fund for Scientific Research and led by LISER, the University of Luxembourg, and STATEC, this doctoral training unit brings together the best minds in economics and geography.
With 12 PhD candidates, ACROSS promotes collaboration, advanced research and practical training. Students dive into specialised courses, master cutting-edge methodologies, and expand their networks through international conferences and research visits.
One of ACROSS’s highlights? Monthly doctoral lectures by world-renowned scholars, ensuring students stay at the forefront of mobility research. ACROSS isn’t just about education—it’s about shaping policy, building expertise and redefining the future of cross-border movement.
Meet the Crossing Borders Team
Our transversal programme integrates ongoing and new cross-border mobility projects at LISER. It promotes international publications, enhances research visibility, fosters scientific collaboration and engages public authorities and other stakeholders.
Prof. Frédéric Docquier
Vice Executive Director
Discover our Research Insights
Explore our flagship projects and recent publications. These resources highlight our commitment to advancing knowledge and driving positive change in society.
Ranked consistently among top research institutions
Since 2020, LISER has achieved recognition as one of the world's top institutions in the field of Economics of Human Migration due to its significant research contributions in this area: top ten in the world, top five in Europe, first in Benelux (source: RePEc).
18
Active projects
News
See all newsPUBLICATION
CONFERENCE
In recent years, there has been a discernible shift in the discourse on industrial relations in Europe. Contentious collective bargaining in response to surging inflation, tighter labour markets leading to a stronger bargaining position for workers, renewed strike activity in many countries and organising drives in the low-wage service sector have been noticeable developments. These changes contrast with the preceding decades marked by the erosion of sectoral collective bargaining and associated institutions.
SYMPOSIUM
SYMPOSIUM
The Urban Development and Mobility department (LISER) and the Cosmopolis Centre for Urban Research (VUB) have organised a one-day symposium titled "To pay or not to pay – The role of fares in public transport" on the 20th of March 2025 at the Black Box (Maison des Sciences). The symposium marks the end of the LiFT project, a bilateral project funded by the Luxembourg National Research Fund (FNR) and the Research Foundation Flanders (FWO). The LiFT project focused on the policy of abolishing fares in public transport, otherwise known as fare-free public transport (FFPT).
