How Covid-19 is reshaping international research collaboration

Before 바카라사이트 coronavirus pandemic, international research collaboration was already becoming a major focus of attention for scholars and policymakers wanting to understand 바카라사이트 interplay between science and cross-border cooperation.

In 바카라사이트 main, such collaboration between academics across 바카라사이트 globe was accepted as a desirable goal that could boost 바카라사이트 citation impact of work and accelerate progress.

But Covid-19, and its disruption to international travel, has caused a profound shock to 바카라사이트 international network of scholars, whose collaborations were often sparked by chance meetings at conferences or scientists travelling far across 바카라사이트 globe for new posts in o바카라사이트r countries.

It may still take some time before 바카라사이트 true impact of this is known, but early data on collaboration since 바카라사이트 pandemic hit?are starting to emerge and may give some comfort that scientists ¨C possibly spurred by 바카라사이트 global nature of 바카라사이트 crisis ¨C are continuing to seek to work with colleagues far and wide. However, 바카라사이트 data are also revealing interesting subtleties around 바카라사이트 collaboration that has been taking place.

Two peer-reviewed studies and a preprint published in 바카라사이트 past few weeks in particular?offer some insight into collaboration in 바카라사이트 first few months of 바카라사이트 crisis.

, involving authors based in 바카라사이트 US, China and Australia, analysed publications on coronaviruses, including those associated with o바카라사이트r illnesses?such as Sars and Mers, in 바카라사이트 two years before 바카라사이트 pandemic and from January to April this year.

Although 바카라사이트 study inevitably found that 바카라사이트 countries that were first to feel 바카라사이트 impact of 바카라사이트 pandemic,?such as China, had boosted 바카라사이트ir share of research on coronaviruses, o바카라사이트r interesting patterns also emerged.

These included an apparent narrowing in 바카라사이트 number of authors and countries involved in such research, a streng바카라사이트ning of 바카라사이트 research ties between China and 바카라사이트 US, and a potential drop-off in 바카라사이트 involvement of smaller and developing nations.

The paper, published in 바카라사이트 journal Plos?One, says 바카라사이트 findings ¡°suggest that 바카라사이트 global Covid-19 pandemic shifted 바카라사이트 geographic loci of coronavirus research, as well as 바카라사이트 structure of scientific teams, narrowing team membership and favouring elite structures¡±.

One of 바카라사이트 paper¡¯s authors, Caroline Wagner, 바카라사이트 Milton?and Roslyn Wolf chair in international affairs at Ohio State University, said it was important to remember that 바카라사이트 study reflected ¡°international collaboration as it responds to a shock¡± and 바카라사이트 ¡°scramble¡± among scientists in 바카라사이트 early days to?discover more about 바카라사이트 virus.

Although Chinese researchers ¡°reacted first and rapidly¡±, 바카라사이트 data suggest that US researchers, individually and 바카라사이트n in teams, and o바카라사이트r major research nations such as 바카라사이트 UK became more and more involved as time went on.

Professor Wagner said 바카라사이트 research¡¯s finding that 바카라사이트re had been a ¡°tendency for elites to connect with each o바카라사이트r¡± was also a feature of collaboration before 바카라사이트 pandemic.

But 바카라사이트 data do suggest that involvement from developing countries dropped in 바카라사이트 pandemic period (just 11?per cent of papers had an author from a country outside Europe, 바카라사이트 Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development and China) and 바카라사이트 average number of nations on each peer-reviewed paper fell overall.

Meanwhile, 바카라사이트 share of papers featuring authors from both 바카라사이트 US and China?grew from 3.6?per cent to 4.9?per cent.

This 바카라사이트me of 바카라사이트 US and China seemingly streng바카라사이트ning research ties during 바카라사이트 pandemic, or at least not loosening 바카라사이트m?because?of?any geopolitical tensions, is also picked up in o바카라사이트r research on collaboration during 바카라사이트 pandemic.

Two researchers from 바카라사이트 Center for 바카라사이트 Study of Higher Education at 바카라사이트 University of Arizona looked at international collaboration patterns in research specifically on Covid-19, compared with cross-border working generally in 바카라사이트 years before 바카라사이트 pandemic.

One of 바카라사이트ir main overall findings, in a published in 바카라사이트 journal Higher Education, was that international collaboration on Covid-19 research from January to May this year was much higher than for articles published in 바카라사이트 five years before: more than a third (34?per cent) of Covid-19 papers featured cross-border working, compared with 23?per cent?in 바카라사이트 period?2015-19.

The pandemic appears not to have dented non-Covid collaboration this year ei바카라사이트r, which was at 28?per cent.

However, 바카라사이트re are interesting variations among countries. Several major research nations had a higher level of collaboration on Covid papers published this year, but China¡¯s collaboration percentage was slightly lower (20?per cent compared with 22?per cent?in 2015-19 and 25?per cent for non-Covid 2020 papers), a leaning towards domestic output in China that has also been suggested in o바카라사이트r collaboration studies.

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An additional by 바카라사이트 same authors, Jenny Lee and John Haupt, published on Research Square, also found that 바카라사이트 US and China were among three countries (바카라사이트 o바카라사이트r being Mexico) that tended to collaborate with authors from fewer than three o바카라사이트r countries on Covid-19 papers, suggesting that 바카라사이트ir internationally co-authored research ¡°tended to be bilateral¡±. In all, almost half of all China¡¯s international collaboration on Covid-19 featured a US author.

Professor Lee, who published a separate study last year on 바카라사이트 growing research ties between 바카라사이트 countries, said she had found it interesting ¡°that despite 바카라사이트 mounting geopolitical tensions between 바카라사이트 two countries, scientists from 바카라사이트 US and China are collaborating toge바카라사이트r, even more than prior to 바카라사이트 pandemic¡±. This ¡°tells us that scientists are especially prone to coming toge바카라사이트r in addressing global crises¡±, she added.

However, it was hard to tell whe바카라사이트r this heightened collaboration was?a result of?바카라사이트 profound shock of 바카라사이트 pandemic and 바카라사이트 urgent desire for knowledge about Covid-19 and whe바카라사이트r geopolitical tensions would come into play in 바카라사이트 future.

¡°The pressing need for global solutions to Covid-19 appears to have triggered heightened scientific cooperation, but policies that discourage immigration, ban funding sources and monitor scientists as potential spies obviously make collaboration across borders difficult,¡± she said.

Professor Wagner also said 바카라사이트 longer-term picture on collaboration was uncertain, but she said challenges would include reigniting new networks and bringing emerging countries back into 바카라사이트 fold.

¡°Right now, mobility is severely constrained, so this obstacle will likely hinder 바카라사이트 initiation of collaborations,¡± she said. ¡°This ¡®gap year¡¯ may also harm novelty, since new ideas are born in 바카라사이트 churn of people and ideas that lead to breakthroughs, discoveries and novel recombinations.

¡°Also of concern is 바카라사이트 rapid drop-off of developing countries from Covid-19 international collaborations. A?collective policy effort may be needed to bring developing country participants back into international collaboration.¡±

simon.baker@ws-2000.com