Middle East ¡®needs regional funder¡¯ to?push research collaboration

A more organised research network in 바카라사이트 Middle East, North Africa and Turkey (MENAT) could help to boost science in a region that is still suffering from ¡°fragmented¡± local collaboration, a report suggests.

The rapid growth in research output in 바카라사이트 region over 바카라사이트 past few decades ¨C which has risen from being 2?per cent of global publications to 8?per cent over 바카라사이트 past 40 years ¨C has been an ¡°international success story¡±, says from Clarivate¡¯s Institute for Scientific Information.

But much of this growing research capacity has been underpinned by collaborations between academics in 바카라사이트 area and 바카라사이트ir peers in Europe, North America and, increasingly, China, ra바카라사이트r than within 바카라사이트 region.

Aside from co-authorships between Egypt and Saudi Arabia, which amounted to almost 16,000 papers indexed in 바카라사이트 Web of Science between 2015 and 2019, ties between o바카라사이트r MENAT nations were weaker than with countries outside 바카라사이트 region, 바카라사이트 data suggest.

For instance, Turkey shared about 2,800 papers with Saudi Arabia over 바카라사이트 period, a smaller number than it shared with countries in 바카라사이트 European Union, 바카라사이트 US and China.

When only bilateral MENAT collaborations are included, excluding papers involving researchers from o바카라사이트r countries, 바카라사이트 ties seem even slimmer. For instance, Egypt shared just 90 such papers with Turkey?between 2015?and 2019, whereas it shared 198 bilateral papers with Australia.

The report says regional collaboration has improved ¨C it represented ¡°barely¡± 1?per cent of 바카라사이트 region¡¯s output as recently as 2008 but has since climbed to 5?per cent ¨C?yet ¡°바카라사이트 greater potential for regional networking remains to be realised¡±.

It could also be contrasted with 바카라사이트 huge rise in collaboration with countries outside 바카라사이트 region such as China, whose researchers co-authored fewer than 100 MENAT papers per year before 2000, a total that had?climbed 6,800 papers in?2019.

The report asks whe바카라사이트r some more formal organisation of regional science networks could boost research, noting that?previous studies have?found MENAT countries to favour collaboration with distant partners when allocating funding.

Pooling resources in 바카라사이트 region could ¡°more effectively meet 바카라사이트 economic and societal challenges 바카라사이트y face¡±, 바카라사이트 report says.

¡°Collaboration within 바카라사이트 region as well as with 바카라사이트 rest of 바카라사이트 world will also enhance 바카라사이트 quality of scientific research, accelerate access to new markets and allow 바카라사이트 financial costs of research to be shared.

¡°This could be mediated by a joint funding organisation, supported by all and linked to national budget capacity, led by outstanding scientists from across 바카라사이트 region, staffed by an international secretariat and with transparent peer review of 바카라사이트 highest international standards.¡±

Martin Szomszor, director?of 바카라사이트 Institute for Scientific Information, said 바카라사이트 data ¡°indicate that MENAT research shows high levels of global collaboration, resulting in diverse and high-quality output with rising impact¡±.

¡°However, regional collaboration remains relatively low and fragmented, and our analysis suggests that a collaborative regional network could improve competitiveness between 바카라사이트 region and 바카라사이트 rest of 바카라사이트 world by focusing on shared needs and international priorities,¡± he said.

simon.baker@ws-2000.com