The multifaceted ethical dilemmas of postdoctoral researchers

Toward equitable policies in international mobility

Authors

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.32674/s76ctc44

Keywords:

Ethical Dilemmas, internationalization, International Academic Mobility, International Students Mobility , Postdoctoral Research, Higher Education, International Students

Abstract

International postdoctoral mobility is framed as a pathway to academic development, career advancement, and global collaboration. However, for many early-career researchers, the decision to pursue a postdoctoral position abroad involves navigating conflicts between competing values: ethical dilemmas. This study identifies and examines ethical dilemmas through 40 in-depth interviews with Israeli postdoctoral researchers in the humanities and social sciences: 20 who pursued postdoctoral training abroad and 20 who remained in Israel. The findings identify recurring ethical dilemmas shaped by tensions between collective and individual values, including family stability versus professional self-fulfillment, community belonging versus professional development, and national or religious identity versus cosmopolitan academic opportunities. By conceptualizing these tensions as ethical dilemmas rather than barriers/challenges, the article offers a new lens for understanding inequality in postdoctoral mobility. The study develops a multidimensional model of ethical dilemmas and highlights the need for equitable policies that recognize family, cultural, and social contexts.

Author Biographies

  • Yosef Katanov, Bar-Ilan University, Ramat Gan, Israel

    YOSEF KATANOV, PhD student in the Department of Educational Administration and Leadership, Faculty of Education, Bar-Ilan University, Ramat Gan, Israel. His research focuses on international mobility in postdoctoral studies, ethical dilemmas in higher education, the integration of underrepresented populations in academia, and the training and professional development of teachers and school principals. Email: Yossef.Katanov@biu.ac.il

  • Prof. Orly Shapira-Lishchinsky , Bar-Ilan University, Ramat Gan, Israel

    ORLY SHAPIRA-LISHCHINSKY, PhD, is a Professor in the Department of Educational Administration and Leadership, Faculty of Education, and Head of the Institute for Social Integration at Bar-Ilan University, Ramat Gan, Israel. Her major research interests lie in organizational ethics, school leadership, mentoring, and the assessment of school effectiveness. Email: Orly.Shapira@biu.ac.il

  • Dr. Annette Bamberger , Bar-Ilan University, Ramat Gan, Israel; Institute of Education, University College London, UK

    ANNETTE BAMBERGER, PhD, is a Lecturer in Higher Education at the Institute of Education, University College London, UK, and Senior Lecturer and Head of the Higher Education Program in the Department of Educational Administration and Leadership, Faculty of Education, Bar-Ilan University, Ramat Gan, Israel. Her major research interests lie in comparative and international education and in higher education policy and politics. Email: Annette.Bamberger@ucl.ac.uk; Annette.Bamberger@biu.ac.il

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2026-05-21

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Vol. 16 No. 10 (2026): Journal of International Students

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Research Articles (English, regular edition)

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Copyright (c) 2026 Yosef Katanov, Prof. Orly Shapira-Lishchinsky , Dr. Annette Bamberger

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How to Cite

Katanov, Y., Shapira-Lishchinsky, O., & Bamberger, A. (2026). The multifaceted ethical dilemmas of postdoctoral researchers: Toward equitable policies in international mobility. Journal of International Students, 16(10), 295-322. https://doi.org/10.32674/s76ctc44