Collaboration in research has been gaining significance in the academic world in the past two decades. Collaborative research involves partnerships or associations among researchers, universities, institutions, and organizations in conducting research. Therefore, collaborators can be drawn from different disciplines and various institutions located across the world. Working on collaborative projects holds immense significance with team members from diverse backgrounds; such research benefits from new perspectives and skill sets, leading to significant results and breakthroughs in findings. However, it has its challenges that need to be addressed to maximize the gains.
Types of collaborative research projects
Interdisciplinary collaborations
Such types of research projects involve researchers from two or more disciplines collaborating to advance knowledge or solve complex academic and scientific research problems. Data, theories, concepts, techniques, tools, perspectives, and so on are integrated, thus basing themselves on shared knowledge. Interdisciplinary research has been gaining traction in the past years with its potential to produce integrated knowledge and creative outcomes.
Cross-institutional collaborations
Here, researchers from two or more institutions collaborate in scientific inquiry. Such collaborations can lead to innovations and breakthroughs that may not have been possible when confined to a single institution. Cross-institutional collaborations bring together the specialized strengths of each institution in terms of expertise and resources.
International collaborations
These partnerships typically involve researchers from different institutions located across geographies having shared research interests coming together to collaborate on research projects. A significant advantage of such collaboration is its broad applicability and impact. While also assuming a global perspective and being more responsive to global problems, its results become relevant for diverse regions, populations, and cultures. International collaborations have been on the rise with greater accessibility and connectivity among institutions.
Public-private partnerships
Public-private partnerships in research are increasingly being seen by governments and businesses as adding value in addressing various global challenges. For example, as part of the European Economic Recovery Plan, massive research-based public-private partnerships were introduced in 2008 in Europe, especially in sectors that were affected by the crisis, namely factories of the future, energy-efficient buildings and green cars1.
Potential challenges in collaborative research
Barriers to communication and coordination with different time zones
Among the significant challenges that researchers need to navigate are language barriers and methods of communication. Collaborators may be from other countries where English may not be a common language. This is a sensitive issue, as ineffective communication can lead to confusion and misunderstandings. Coordinating with collaborators located in different time zones is yet another challenge. Very often, they have to get used to having meetings at odd hours. Also, while some people may be comfortable with email exchanges, others would want in-person or virtual communication.
Alignment on shared goals and possibly conflicting expectations
As different collaborators are involved, there can be conflicting expectations despite initial interest and commitment to the research project. For example, collaborators can have doubts regarding the gains they receive from the project in terms of professional development or finances, or some may not completely align with the research goal. The absence of a clear and definite goal can cause disruptions and inefficiencies. It is essential, therefore, to clearly communicate the common goal and expectations of the project to all the collaborators and keep them up to date on the progress so that each one is focused on the shared goal.
Ensuring equitable distribution of funds and proper resource management
For collaborative research to achieve its goal efficiently and to make a significant impact, it is crucial to ensure equity in terms of the distribution of funds and proper resource management. This is particularly important in a context where trust is a critical component of research collaborations. A challenge that collaborative research can face is conflicts over the distribution of funds. Hence, this aspect needs to be considered seriously by the research team and the funding agencies.
Authorship credits, intellectual property, fair publication practices, and decision-making
These are areas where the collaborators need to have a clear sense of the arrangements right from the planning stage. Conflicts and disagreements may emerge when there is no clarity regarding rights to royalty, due authorship credits, the power to make decisions regarding publication and future improvements, the ownership of intellectual property rights, and so on.
References:
- OECD, Science Technology and Innovation Outlook 2016 Policy Profile, sti_in_outlook-2016-10-en.pdf (oecd-ilibrary.org)
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