Scientific research is increasingly collaborative. The once siloed approach to research activity has given way to a more interconnected global model, which has enabled a global research network to evolve. For many research economies and groups, international collaboration now accounts for  more academic publications, than purely domestic output. Institutions that do not form international collaborations risk disenfranchisement.

Deciphering the trends in research funding

Staying up to date is made easier by following reports and events that examine the ebb and flow of research funding and provide insights into the priorities and strategies of major funding organizations. An example is the Funding Trends Report published annually by Research Professional News. This year the report was matched with a virtual panel discussion that explored the nuances of working with organizations such as the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, the U.S. National Science Foundation, and the Australian National Health and Medical Research Council, some of the world’s largest research funding agencies. During the panel discussion, guest speakers Adam Golberg, research development manager at the University of Nottingham, and Lorna Wilson, director of research development and operations at Durham University provided broader tips for international research collaboration. (see box)

A key take-away: the massive budgets of these funders belie a challenging reality. Despite a steady increase in overall funding budgets, the actual size of individual grants and success rates have remained relatively stagnant, indicating a complex and fiercely competitive funding landscape.

Mastering the art of securing funding

Securing research funding from major organizations requires a deep understanding of the unique goals and requirements of each one. The Gates Foundation, for instance, is known for its directive funding approach. Researchers accustomed to a high degree of autonomy may find themselves receiving more specific guidance regarding the direction of their projects, according to the discussion in the event. This hands-on approach may determine whether the Gates Foundation is the right fit for a particular project.

Conversely, the Wellcome Trust is currently working toward diversifying its recipients. Researchers with ideas centered around health and wellbeing may find the Wellcome Trust an attractive option. The organization’s recent outreach efforts across the U.K. and its webinars aimed at researchers and institutions in Latin America, Africa and Asia signal a clear intent to broaden their funding recipients.

Facing the challenges in securing funding

Rising competition and the need for a robust delivery plan pose significant hurdles for researchers. Partnerships assembled hastily often falter when it comes to securing large grants, particularly in the face of competition from teams with a long-term history of collaboration. Funders and assessors are increasingly interested in the track record of a team and its ability to deliver the project, further raising the bar for successful bids.

Pursuing equitable partnerships

In the context of research partnerships between the Global North and Global South, the quest for equity is a pressing concern. Power imbalances, resource hoarding and a lack of inclusivity in research are detrimental traits that often hinder the success of international partnerships.

Attendees at the event learned that to foster more equitable collaborations, it’s crucial to hold discussions with partners early and to maintain a focus on the research itself rather than the allure of funding. Ensuring fair recognition of contributions and providing opportunities for leadership roles can go a long way in establishing authentic relationships and promoting inclusivity.

Charting the course for future scientific endeavors

The challenges for scientific research endeavor in the 21st century are significant, from the fierce competition for funding to the need for robust delivery plans and long-standing collaborations. Yet, these challenges are not insurmountable. With strategic acumen, a deep understanding of funding organizations and a commitment to fostering equitable partnerships, researchers can unlock new avenues for funding and collaboration.

Moreover, the pursuit of equity in research partnerships, particularly between the Global North and Global South, is not just a moral imperative but a strategic one. Equitable partnerships can lead to more innovative and impactful research, benefiting not just the partners involved but the global scientific community.

As we grapple with the complex challenges facing humanity, from climate change to global health crises, the role of international research collaborations will be pivotal. These collaborations will drive the scientific advancements needed to confront these challenges and propel societal development.

The journey through the global research funding landscape may be complex, but the potential rewards – groundbreaking discoveries, scientific growth and societal progress – are immense and worthy of our collective effort.

Clarivate can help you implement confident, evidence-informed strategies to drive research excellence. Get in touch  with our experts to learn more.

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At the University of South Florida (USF), the fastest rising university in the U.S. News & World Report’s U.S. rankings, maintaining the pace of global engagement, high-impact research and innovation is supported with a metrics dashboard that informs strategic planning and provides ongoing insight into the university’s international activity.

The University of South Florida defines itself as a ‘global’ university and has the research metrics to back it up: in 2021, 60% of all USF citations involved an international collaborator. To support the continuation of high-impact, global research USF World – the USF unit that leads globalization efforts for students, faculty and alumni – set ambitious goals aligned to the university’s strategic plan. Among the goals is “To conduct high-impact research and innovation to advance frontiers of knowledge, solve global problems and improve lives.”

Defining global engagement with data

Laurel Thomas, International Research & Global Engagement Data Manager at USF World, supports the unit and university goal by providing access to international research data. As the data expert, Thomas needed to build a bridge between the USF moniker “global” and the data that illustrates USF’s global engagement. To address this gap Thomas led a data discovery project.

While every institution is unique, the process Thomas used can be replicated at other universities trying to understand their own research landscape:

• Know your department’s role and needs.
• Identify the data available and the data you need to find.
• Determine where your resources are, including people, software and subscriptions.
• Plan how to bring the data together.

The team at USF World had data about the international activities of students, partners and Fulbright Scholars but little visibility into faculty activity.

Gaining insight into faculty activity

Collaborating with Clarivate, Thomas brought in the important insights and analytics about faculty activity needed to present a comprehensive picture of international research activity and impact. Bibliometric data from Web of Science served as a proxy for faculty research data. Adding InCites provided better metrics and benchmarking against peers.

After the data sources were identified Thomas brought them together into a centralized database.

Today the USF Global Discovery Hub uses the data for dashboards with visualizations on faculty engagement worldwide, global student mobility, international partnerships and more. The Global Discovery Hub informs strategic planning and, importantly, highlights the faculty and researchers making a difference. Now Thomas has a tool to illustrate the impact of international research collaboration which she showcases in an annual report.

Thomas shared advice to help other institutions successfully undertake a similar project:

• Get the word out and share the benefits of a centralized database through collaboration with units across the institution.
• Run and save reports for frequently requested data and insights.
• Maintain easy access to insightful reports. They are key to gaining and maintaining support for the database.

A centralized database and dashboard support planning and funding allocations. With reporting on hand, units can engage in cooperative, strategic decision-making based on the latest data. Reports uncover new areas for partnership, how a program contributes to the metrics and more.

How we help

The bibliometrics from InCites and Web of Science are an integral part of the Global Discovery Hub and allow Thomas and the USF World team to understand the position of the university in relation to global research activity, identify new research opportunities and reveal the positive impact of global researcher engagement.

Partner with Clarivate analytics solutions and expert teams at your institution to:

• detect emerging trends,
• collect researcher activity data at scale,
• select the right indicators for benchmarking and evaluation,
• collate evidence of the broader, real-world outcomes of research.

Read the full case study and watch the webinar to learn more about how Laurel Thomas used Web of Science and InCites to identify, evaluate and benchmark key insights for successful international collaborations.

The post How to take an evidence-based approach to building a scholarly community appeared first on Clarivate.

Writing a great research paper is easier when you have a timely and focused topic. Our latest Global Research Report on ocean health by the Institute for Scientific Information (ISI) identifies compelling insights that can be explored for your next research paper. Keep reading for ocean research topics and keywords that branch across many different disciplines—from business to economics to the hard sciences.

According to data scientists at Clarivate and Oregon State University, ocean science research articles have increased threefold between 2000 and 2020, demonstrating a marked interest in ocean health.

You can use the insights from Ocean Science: sustainability concerns add urgency for research to identify focused, relevant and compelling ocean research topics for your next paper.

Why write about ocean health?

You will write a better paper if you care about the topic. If you need a little help getting on board with the importance of the planet’s oceans, read this passage from the introduction of our latest ISI Global Research Report:

Earth’s oceans cover approximately 70% of its surface and ultimately reach a depth of ~11 km in the Mariana Trench in the Pacific Ocean. (Mt. Everest, for comparison, reaches a height of “only” ~9 km.) Most of the life on Earth is in its oceans, whether it is the fish that provide sustenance to coastal communities, or the plant life that supplies much of the air that we breathe (at least 50% of photosynthesis happens in the ocean). The oceans also mediate how Earth’s climate changes, for example, by exchanging immense amounts of thermal energy and gasses, such as carbon dioxide and oxygen, with the atmosphere, or through the impact that ocean conditions have on the fate of polar ice (this ice reflects many of the sun’s warming rays back to space and provides essential habitats).

You can also read our blog about how the research was conducted and its results.

Here are five ocean research topics and keywords for you to explore

Learn more about any of the following topics by using the suggested keywords in your literature search.

The impact of microplastics on ocean health

According to our ISI report, there is an “astonishing growth” of research on microplastics and oceans, providing a rich array of content for you to explore for a paper on the impact of microplastics on ocean health.

Keywords to search as you gather information: Microplastics; Nanoplastics; “Plastic debris”; “Marine litter”

Energy resources and plant life

Research growth is happening in other areas, too. What has researchers so interested in these two ocean research topics?

Gas Hydrates: They reside in some marine sediments. Pro: Their carbon content makes them a valuable energy resource. Con: decomposition can release greenhouse gases

Keywords to use in your search: Hydrate Formation; Methane Hydrate; Hydrate Stability

Seagrasses: These are flowering plants that grow entirely underwater and contribute to the ocean ecosystem.

Keywords to use in your search: food webs; herbivory; marine phanerogams; Biofouling; Marine macroalgae; Seagrasses

Ocean health’s impact on island nations

Ocean research is globally connected and includes significant collaboration with island nations and territories. Possible topic for your paper: “Ocean health’s impact on island nations.”

Keywords to use in your search: Ocean health; Socio-ecological assessment; “island nations”; Ocean Health Index (OHI); ocean, countries

Best practices for sustaining the Blue Economy

Sustainability of the “Blue Economy” is dependent upon finding balance between mitigating climate change and maintaining jobs and other essential components of this growing economy. Possible topic for your paper: “Best practices for sustaining the Blue Economy.”

Keywords to use in your search: “blue economy”; ocean economy; coastal blue growth

Next steps for your ocean health topic

Once you have your topic and are sufficiently inspired, check out “How to write research papers that impress your professors.” This blog breaks down the tricky aspects of writing a research paper. It explains where to start, where to look and top tips for a fast yet robust research process.

Get more ideas for research papers by exploring ISI’s Global Research Reports and Insights papers, which include a variety of important, timely topics like climate change, ethnic diversity in STEM and the research performance of the G20 nations. You can also find more tips and techniques for producing great research papers by checking out Clarivate’s Research Smarter series. Our series includes blogs about using reference management software, finding relevant papers in a research field and how to get noticed by journal editors.

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