How Researchers Across Borders are Solving Big Problems

Research is the cornerstone of innovation and progress. The sparks of new ideas, breakthroughs, and solutions to long-standing puzzles and challenges come from the hard work and curiosity of dedicated researchers. Research teams often cross geographical and political boundaries, too, to explore and get to the bottom of issues that affect people around the world. In this article, we will highlight how researchers across the world are coming together to solve some of the biggest problems that confront our world today.

Examples of Big Problems Solved by Researchers Across Borders 

Researchers around the world have banded together to tackle some of the biggest problems we face today. Here are just a few examples:

1. Climate Change
   The future of our planet hinges on taking effective action to mitigate and limit the effects of global warming and climate change. Researchers have worked tirelessly, collaborating across countries and continents, to monitor environmental changes and the effectiveness of plans and proposed political interventions. In 2019, a group of leading scientists from universities in the UK, Sweden, Finland, Norway, and Iceland published a study in the journal Science that looked at the effects of climate change on the rates of tree growth and death in boreal forests.

2. Disease Control and Prevention
   Tackling contagious and deadly diseases requires teams of specialists from many countries with different expertise. For instance, the World Health Organization (WHO) recently brought together international experts to develop the Global Mosquito Alert (GMA) platform, to help health authorities around the world better identify and control the spread of vector-borne diseases like malaria and Zika.

3. Poverty Reduction
   In 2019, the World Bank published a report on global poverty, that demonstrated how donor countries working together with government, civil society, and business around the world had made significant progress in reducing poverty since 1990. The report also highlighted “if progress continues at the same trend, global poverty could be cut in half by 2030”.

The Benefits of Collaborative Research 

Cross-border research teams have shown remarkable progress in tackling big problems, but what exactly are the benefits of this kind of collaboration? Let’s take a closer look.

1. Wider Perspective and New Ideas
   When researchers come together from different national and cultural backgrounds, they bring with them a variety of perspectives and approaches to problem-solving. This can lead to discovering new solutions and ideas for tackling problems.

2. Broader Knowledge Sharing
   Collaborative research allows for knowledge to be disseminated widely, from contributor to recipient. For example, a team of English language teachers from the UK can share techniques and resources with an equivalent team from the United States, contributing to a wealth of educational resources available around the world.

3. Increased Efficiency
   Because of the better sharing and pooling of resources, external collaborations can reduce costs and increase the efficiency of research projects. For instance, a team of researchers from the US and EU may be able to jointly purchase and use specialized scientific equipment to conduct experiments.

Collaboration Challenges and Solutions

Despite the highly beneficial outcomes of cross-border collaboration, there are several challenges and obstacles that may arise, including:

1. Financial
   The most significant problem is financial: research is not cheap, and funding can be difficult to secure, especially when a project involves collaboration across multiple national borders. Solutions to this include applying for joint grants, partnering with charities and foundations, and finding corporate sponsors.

2. Distance
   When researchers are working in different countries, communication can be more difficult: different language and time zones, varying levels of access to technology, cross-border delays and restrictions, just to name a few. Solutions to this include making use of teleconferencing technologies, or holding face-to-face meetings at least once a year.

3. Cultural
   The different norms, values, and cultural expectations mean that working together can lead to misunderstandings, miscommunications, and broader conflicts. So it’s important to ensure teams recognize and respect each other’s culture, and take the time to learn from each other.

The Role of Research Centers and Academic Networks 

Research centers and academic networks play an important role in facilitating cross-border collaborations. These organizations provide a platform where researchers can find potential partners, sources of funding, and useful resources.

1. United Nations University
   The United Nations University (UNU) is an international network working with governments, civil society, and the private sector to achieve global excellence in research and training. UNU research ranges from sustainable energy to artificial intelligence, and spans numerous countries and regions.

2. The Association of Commonwealth Universities
   The Association of Commonwealth Universities (ACU) is the world’s oldest international university network, with members from 54 countries in the Commonwealth. Through the ACU, researchers are able to share resources, expertise, and collaborate across borders to tackle regional and global problems.

3. International Cooperative Biodiversity Groups
   International cooperative biodiversity groups (ICBGs) bring together researchers from different countries to work together on large-scale, cross-border surveys and environmental assessments. The ICBG platform offers researchers an opportunity to learn from each other and work towards a common goal.

Research teams collaborating across borders are playing a vital role in tackling some of the world’s biggest issues. However, these efforts need more support, both financially and in terms of increased communication between the various parties involved. By utilizing the resources of research centers, academic networks, and international bodies, the hope is that more cross-border research initiatives can be enabled, and that together, we can find solutions for the greatest problems of our time.