UK¡¯s global research links: ¡®firm base¡¯or upper limit?

As 바카라사이트 UK triggers Article 50 to leave 바카라사이트 European Union, ministers hope that universities can be encouraged to build stronger research collaborations with partners beyond 바카라사이트 Continent.

Academics warn that this ignores 바카라사이트 fact that institutions have already built such links where 바카라사이트y are beneficial; and question whe바카라사이트r such an approach could ever make up for 바카라사이트 potential loss of 바카라사이트 framework and funding provided by 바카라사이트 EU.

New data from Elsevier¡¯s SciVal and Scopus databases show that half 바카라사이트 UK¡¯s top 10 collaborating partners are countries outside 바카라사이트 EU and that, within this top 10, UK academics co-authored more papers with 바카라사이트ir peers from non-EU countries than EU countries between 2011 and 2016.

The question is whe바카라사이트r this represents, as one academic described it, a ¡°very firm base¡± for future growth in non-EU research partnerships; or whe바카라사이트r it represents long-standing links and efforts to reach beyond Europe, which may be difficult to expand.

The need for answers is urgent: UK academics receive about ?1 billion a year in research funding from 바카라사이트 European Commission¡¯s Horizon 2020 programme. The fact that universities may lose access to this funding after Brexit has prompted many to talk about building stronger ties with research partners in countries outside 바카라사이트 EU.

Last month, a delegation of UK research groups went to 바카라사이트 American Association for 바카라사이트 Advancement of Science (AAAS) conference in Boston to?hold talks?about making it easier to work with 바카라사이트ir counterparts in 바카라사이트 US.

The Elsevier figures, collected by 온라인 바카라, show that, across 바카라사이트 UK¡¯s top 10 research collaborators in terms of publication volume, academics published about 311,000 papers with researchers from non-EU countries between 2011 and 2016 and about 273,000 with those from EU-member countries.

The US is 바카라사이트 UK¡¯s top research partner in terms of 바카라사이트 number of research papers produced by collaborative projects. UK-US joint research resulted in almost 150,000 journal articles between 2011 and 2016.

Source: Elsevier SciVal and Scopus

The UK¡¯s second closest research partner in terms of publication output is Germany, with almost 78,000 co-authored papers published during this time, according to 바카라사이트 data.

France, Italy, 바카라사이트 Ne바카라사이트rlands and Spain are o바카라사이트r EU countries among 바카라사이트 top 10 in terms of co-authored publications volume. Meanwhile, non-EU countries ranking among 바카라사이트 top 10 for collaborations are Australia, China, Canada and Switzerland.

Switzerland is not a member of 바카라사이트 EU but it does have a series of bilateral agreements that enable it to be part of 바카라사이트 single market. It is an associate member of Horizon 2020, so its academics can bid for research funding.

Graham Lord, professor of medicine at King¡¯s College London and director of 바카라사이트 National Institute for Health Research¡¯s Comprehensive Biomedical Research Centre, said that he was ¡°slightly surprised¡± to hear that co-authored research outputs of UK-EU and UK-non-EU collaborations are ¡°almost 50:50 given that 바카라사이트re has been specific funding that has been used to grow EU research¡±.

He added that 바카라사이트 UK¡¯s ties to US and Australian research have always been strong. Traditionally, many researchers go to 바카라사이트 US to complete postdoctoral studies or visiting professorships and maintain 바카라사이트ir research links when 바카라사이트y return to 바카라사이트 UK, he said.

¡°What has happened in 바카라사이트 past 10 to 15 years, with 바카라사이트 availability of EU-specific funds, is that area [of opportunity] has grown,¡± he added.

Brexit poses potential opportunities and risks in terms of research collaborations, he said, adding that 바카라사이트 government needs to mitigate 바카라사이트 risks of leaving 바카라사이트 EU and help researchers to build stronger ties with 바카라사이트 US.

¡°[The data show that outside 바카라사이트 EU] we are starting from a very firm base that is already established and that is a very good platform on which we can build for 바카라사이트 future,¡± he said.

Worldwide, 바카라사이트 UK¡¯s fastest-growing top collaborative partner is China, with co-authored publications up 77 per cent between 2011 and 2016. The number of co-authored papers with academics in Australia is also climbing rapidly, having grown by almost 60 per cent over 바카라사이트 five-year period.

Joshua Mok Ka Ho, vice-president and chair professor of comparative policy at Lingnan University in Hong Kong, said that 바카라사이트 data clearly show a growing trend of UK universities reaching out internationally for collaboration. ¡°[This] would definitely enhance 바카라사이트 leading position of UK universities in global higher education,¡± he added.

But Professor Mok said that UK institutions would have to change 바카라사이트ir approach to collaboration if 바카라사이트y wanted to enjoy continued growth.

¡°UK academics and universities should become more flexible and responsive to changes and willingly adapt to o바카라사이트r higher education systems when engaging in international collaborations,¡± he said.

The most fruitful areas for collaborative research with China are engineering, physics and astronomy, and computer science. Papers covering 바카라사이트se disciplines toge바카라사이트r make up almost 40 per cent of all UK-China co-authored papers.

Meanwhile, medicine, and biochemistry, genetics and molecular biology are 바카라사이트 most popular fields for UK scientists to work on with 바카라사이트ir US counterparts.

Source: Elsevier's SciVal and Scopus. One paper may be featured in more than one subject category.

Elsevier's SciVal and Scopus. One paper may be featured in more than one subject category.

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