Researcher Compass

Collaboration in SciVal indicates the extent to which an entity’s publications have international, national, or institutional co-authorship, and single authorship. Each publication is assigned to 1 of 4 mutually exclusive collaboration types, based on its affiliation information: international, national, institutional, or single authorship. A single publication may of course display each of international, national and institutional collaboration in its affiliation information, but a single collaboration type is assigned to ensure that the sum of an entity’s publications across the 4 categories adds up to 100% of the publications with the necessary affiliation information.

The assignment of geographical collaboration type in SciVal is performed using the following cascading decision tree:

International Collaboration

International collaboration refers to the co-authorship of research publications by scholars affiliated with institutions in different countries, which is often viewed as a hallmark of global connectivity and is associated with higher research impact. In SciVal, the International Collaboration indicator allows users to track the percentage of an institution’s or country’s research output that involves international co-authors (in accordance with SciVal’s geographical entities). This metric is particularly valuable for identifying key international partners, assessing the impact of cross-border collaborations, and benchmark the collaboration of institutions.

National Collaboration

National collaboration, on the other hand, refers to research co-authored by scholars from different institutions within the same country. In SciVal, the National Collaboration indicator measures the proportion of publications that involve co-authors from multiple institutions within the same country. National collaboration is crucial for addressing region-specific challenges; it also highlights the strength of a nation’s internal research networks and its ability to foster partnerships across universities, research centers, and industries. This metric helps institutions identify their most active domestic collaborators and evaluate the effectiveness of national research policies or funding programs.

Institutional Collaboration

Institutional collaboration is the narrowest scope of collaboration and involves co-authorship among researchers affiliated with the same institution. It tracks the percentage of an institution’s publications that are co-authored internally. While this type of collaboration may seem limited in scope, it reflects the internal cohesion and interdisciplinarity within an institution, which is valuable for assessing the level of interdisciplinary research within an institution and identifying opportunities to strengthen internal networks.

The Value of Collaboration Indicators in Research Performance Analytics

Collaboration indicators in SciVal are essential tools for analyzing research performance. They provide a nuanced view of how institutions and researchers engage with others at different levels—locally, nationally, and globally. These metrics are especially valuable for:

1. Strategic Planning: Institutions can use collaboration data to identify strengths in their global, national, or internal networks and prioritize areas for improvement. For instance, a university seeking to increase its international visibility may target partnerships with high-impact global institutions.
2. Benchmarking and Comparisons: Collaboration metrics allow institutions to compare their performance with peers, assess their positioning in the global research landscape, and align their goals with competitors or collaborators.
3. Enhancing Research Impact: By focusing on collaboration types associated with higher citation impact (such as international partnerships), institutions can strategically boost the visibility and influence of their research.
4. Resource Allocation: Collaboration data helps decision-makers allocate funding and resources to foster partnerships that align with institutional priorities or national goals.

In conclusion, international, national, and institutional collaboration metrics in SciVal provide a comprehensive framework for understanding and enhancing research performance. By analyzing these indicators, institutions and researchers can make data-driven decisions to expand their networks, improve research outcomes, and maximize their impact across all levels of collaboration.