Collaboration and Networking

When it comes to research, there is often strength in numbers. This is for several reasons:

• It allows you to create an inter-disciplinary team made up of academics with different research expertise. This will allow you to tackle more complex topics or to use a more innovative approach. Inter-disciplinary research is increasingly sought after by certain funders, particularly for large-scale projects or international funds.
• Many funders will consider the track records of applicants as part of their appraisal process. Working alongside colleagues will enable you to demonstrate your collective experience which may be more persuasive than submitting as individuals. This is particularly helpful for those who are new to research.

In order to find potential partners for this sort of collaboration, you need to develop and use an academic network.  You can do this through attendance at events in your field.  A direct approach is also perfectly acceptable if you are aware of the person’s work.  Asking if you can meet to discuss areas of mutual interest is often met very positively, especially if you have a particular niche area of expertise that may benefit their research.

For certain funding it is necessary to collaborate with partners outside academia, e.g. from business or the voluntary sector.  Bringing key stakeholders on board ensures that you can demonstrate buy-in and that any findings will directly influence people working in that area, leading to increased impact of the research.

We can advise you on the best way to proceed for your project idea, and if possible, put you in touch with potential collaborators, whether they are external or internal.

Growing your Networking Activities

For developing innovative, creative and genuinely collaborative programmes of networking and co-designing activities, these could include:

• Digital collaboration, such as running webinars.
• Mobility and networking, including travel for one or more investigators.
• Researcher exchanges (for example, research visits, short stays and staff exchanges).
• Review or preparation of data to enable new research.
• Review of existing research activities and provision of advice on their progression.
• Seminars to share findings from research with other stakeholders, or knowledge exchange activities with a specific focus on networking and partnership building between the community, academia and other stakeholders.
• Scoping studies and pilot activities.
• Workshops to explore opportunities for collaboration and to identify shared priorities, agendas, research and evidence needs or areas of interest around specific challenges.
• Other collaborative activities aimed at developing or sustaining research networks and giving way to future cooperation.