Abstract
(International) research collaboration (IRC) is considered one of the most important aspects of academic careers and, although it is often linked to co-authorship, investigations of academic perceptions and practices are rare. Reflections on factors affecting IRC, as well as effective technology for use in IRC are also now particularly vital, due to the outbreak of COVID-19. The aim of this three-round Delphi study, conducted prior to the pandemic, was to explore why and how academics conduct IRC in the field of Education. The results indicate that the benefits of IRC are more relevant than the barriers, and that networking with and learning from others are two of the most important reasons for conducting IRC. Four stages of IRC were identified, alongside a range of influencing factors, which could inform future project management training. Suggestions for institutional IRC policy are provided, as well as considerations for early career researchers.
Highlights
International research collaboration (IRC) has become “one of the hottest topics in recent years” (Chen et al, 2019, p. 149), with a growing number of studies in the field of bibliometrics and scientometrics in particular, and increases in international co-authorship found across a range of contexts (e.g., Abramo et al, 2019; Gazni et al, 2012)
It has become even more important in light of the 2020 Coronavirus pandemic, with the extent to which countries have been affected by COVID-19, found to increase the likelihood of international collaboration (Lee & Haupt, 2020b), as well as a greater increase of internationally co-authored science and engineering research on COVID-19, than those arising from IRC in the past (Lee & Haupt, 2020a)
An adapted version of the definition was included in the second round, and again reached broad agreement consensus (M = 8.86, ST = 0.663): International research collaboration involves researchers from different countries, cooperating on research projects, which involve two or more of these activities: discussing ideas, presenting at conferences, preparing grant proposals, conducting joint research, and/or writing joint scholarly publications between team members
Summary
International research collaboration (IRC) has become “one of the hottest topics in recent years” (Chen et al, 2019, p. 149), with a growing number of studies in the field of bibliometrics and scientometrics in particular, and increases in international co-authorship found across a range of contexts (e.g., Abramo et al, 2019; Gazni et al, 2012). 149), with a growing number of studies in the field of bibliometrics and scientometrics in particular, and increases in international co-authorship found across a range of contexts (e.g., Abramo et al, 2019; Gazni et al, 2012). It has become even more important in light of the 2020 Coronavirus pandemic, with the extent to which countries have been affected by COVID-19, found to increase the likelihood of international collaboration (Lee & Haupt, 2020b), as well as a greater increase of internationally co-authored science and engineering research on COVID-19, than those arising from IRC in the past (Lee & Haupt, 2020a).
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