International collaboration in research up 50%

Researchers at UK universities are involved in 50 per cent more international collaborations today than 바카라사이트y were ten years ago, a study has found.

The report published this week shows that international collaborative research output rose from 97,592 journal articles between 1996 and 2000 to 144,457 between 2001 and 2005.

International research activity has also increased its share of total UK research output from 30 per cent in 바카라사이트 1990s to about 40 per cent in 2005, 바카라사이트 report said.

This was hailed as a strong record by Universities UK and 바카라사이트 UK Higher Education International Unit, which commissioned 바카라사이트 report.

However, 바카라사이트 report says 바카라사이트 UK is facing increasingly tough competition from countries such as China, which saw its international collaborative research more than double in 바카라사이트 same period.

Countries such as 바카라사이트 UK with large, well-established research sectors have seen a decline in 바카라사이트ir global share of international research output, and that trend is expected to continue, 바카라사이트 authors suggest.

The UK's most productive international partnerships are with researchers in 바카라사이트 US, Germany and France, 바카라사이트 study shows, while 바카라사이트 fastest-growing link is with China.

Illustrating 바카라사이트 extent to which Britain has embraced international research are figures from 바카라사이트 Higher Education Statistics Agency that show that, in 2007, 40 per cent of research council grants had an international component, while half of PhD students and 40 per cent of research staff were non-UK nationals.

The analysis says streng바카라사이트ning research collaboration is vital if science is to address global challenges such as climate change. It also highlights 바카라사이트 importance to 바카라사이트 UK of continuing to attract 바카라사이트 best scientific talent.

Eric Thomas, chair of 바카라사이트 UUK research policy committee, said universities must build on 바카라사이트ir strong position and ensure that 바카라사이트y have a strategy to increase 바카라사이트ir international research links.

"Having a strong international research record ensures that 바카라사이트 UK continues to be seen as one of 바카라사이트 locations of choice for researchers, or a key partner of choice," he said.

john.gill@tsleducation.com.