International networking. A healthy vehicle for research?

Abstract

Collaboration between research centres has existed for a long time, but the possibility of obtaining external funding has been an extra motive for centres to participate in international networks. This paper discusses the opportunities and limitations of international networking based upon the case of the CityHealth Research Network in which the authors participated. They reflect upon the functioning of European networking in practice and highlight aspects that could be Improved. The structure, organization and functioning of the CityHealth Research Network are considered as well as its influence on research output. Furthermore, recommendations are formulated on establishing and implementing a coherent and efficient cross-national research network. It is not a one-sided success story about collaboration between international research teams, but rather a reflection upon the learning experiences and the successes achieved within this network. In general, the complexity of networking between research teams from different countries not only seems to be a challenge for research practice, but it also provides a challenging topic for scientific inquiry itself.