Opening the Black Box of International Collaboration Networks: A Case Study of How Elite Scholars at University S Engage Globally

• In Event: Global Knowledge Networks: Exploring Social Capital and Knowledge Dynamics Across Borders

Proposal

Relevance
This study examines the international collaboration networks of elite scholars (i.e., High-Cited Researchers), aligning with the conference theme. Understanding how these elite scholars establish, develop, and sustain their global research networks sheds light on the influence of digital technologies and connectivity on academic collaboration. By investigating the factors shaping these networks, this research provides insights into the broader implications of digital transformation in education and research, illuminating the evolving landscape of global research cooperation in a rapidly digitizing world.

Theory/Context:
Context
Previous research has primarily used bibliometric or social network analysis approaches to focus on key indicators of international research collaboration networks. However, little is known about how the scholars established their collaboration networks with others. This study adds value by “opening” the black box of international research collaboration. It integrates qualitative approaches (i.e., interviews) with quantitative (e.g., social network analysis, publication records, and CV analysis). By doing so, this research aims to reveal not only who the elite scholars’ co-authors are but also how they established these connections through elite scholars’ previous doctoral and/or postdoctoral training, or research experience abroad, offering new insights into global research collaboration dynamics.

Theory
Building on the concept of scientific and technical human capital (Bozeman et al. 2001), Jonkers and Tijssen (2008) introduced the notion of international scientific social capital to illustrate the connection between scientific mobility and international collaboration. As international mobility is often seen as crucial for academic excellence and career advancement by scholars (Leung 2013), this study explored how international scientific social capital impacts the formation and maintenance of international research collaboration networks among scholars. Additionally, the framework of the strength of ties - distinguishing between strong ties (Bian 2019), e.g., mentors, and fellow students, and weak ties (Granovetter 1973), e.g., colleagues or peers –guided the research.

Mode of Inquiry
Research question
(1) What do the international research collaboration networks of elite scholars look like? Who are the elite scholars collaborating with internationally, and what are the geographic locations of these collaborators?
(2) How do elite scholars build their international research collaboration network?
Traditional social network analysis often only provides a static view of the network (centrality, network size, density, strength of ties, etc.). This study aims to explore the dynamic evolution of these networks at various research stages (doctoral, postdoctoral, and career) and how elite scholars establish connections with international collaborators. Do they initiate these collaborations themselves or are they introduced by other scholars? What roles (e.g., first authors, corresponding authors, or co-authors) do elite scholars play in their international research networks?
(3) Which factors influence the structure of the international research collaboration network? This study investigates the impact of geopolitical, cognitive, economic, historical, and social factors (Chen et al. 2019) on the formation, development, and maintenance of an international research collaboration network.

Data, collection, analysis
(1) Sample Selection and CV Collection
Data collection occurred during the COVID-19 pandemic, limiting the expansion of scholar samples across various campuses. Therefore, the study focuses on top-tier University S in China (where the authors are affiliated) and examines Highly-Cited Researchers (HCR) identified by Clarivate (2022). We collected the full list of HCRs of University S in 2022, including their CVs (educational and career details) and contact information. The list includes 20 scholars, with 17 male and 3 female scholars, covering fields of physics, chemistry, computer science, and microbiology.

(2) Publication and Ego-network indicators
The quantitative approach reveals the size and density of the elite scholars’ international collaboration network and how these evolve across different research stages (e.g., doctoral, postdoctoral, and career experience). The qualitative method facilitates understanding how these elite scholars establish, develop, and maintain their networks. We analyzed international publications (articles, proceedings, and reviews) of HCR from University S co-authored with foreign-affiliated scholars using the Web of Science database. We performed name disambiguation, considering elite scholars’ educational and career trajectories domestically and abroad. Data on the twenty HCRs were categorized into different research stages. UCINET was used to calculate network-based indicators such as centrality, network size, density, and strength of ties. We also assessed the percentages of first or corresponding authors to explore the roles elite scholars play in their international collaboration networks.

(3) Interview Data
Invitations were sent to the 20 HCRs, and five agreed to participate in interviews. We conducted semi-structured interviews. Each interview lasted between 45 and 65 minutes and was analyzed using MAXQDA. Interviews provided crucial insights into how elite scholars initiated and maintained their international collaboration with them via both strong and weak ties.

(4) International collaboration network
Data from interviews, CVs, and publications were combined to create a visual representation of the international research collaboration network using NETDRAW. This network includes collaborations from the doctoral, postdoctoral, and career stages.

Findings
First, international scientific social capital accumulated through previous overseas academic and research experience facilitates the expansion of the international collaboration network. Preliminary quantitative findings show that network size (number of co-authors) and structures (percentage of global co-authors and participating institutions) expand due to transnational learning and working experience overseas. Qualitative interviews support this, with four out of five interviewees noting that their previous doctoral and postdoctoral experience in foreign universities or research institutions became their international scientific social capital, which facilitated the establishment of their initial international research network.
Second, both strong and weak ties play crucial roles in establishing international collaboration networks. The interviewees noted the key co-authors in their international collaboration network are based on strong ties (e.g., doctoral- and postdoctoral mentors, and colleagues and peer students working in the same laboratory). Only one interviewee reported that she met her main collaborators through weak ties (e.g., initial contact via email). Furthermore, three out of five interviewees noted that they inherited their mentors’ research networks (Melin 2004; Li & Shen 2024).
Third, various factors impact the maintenance of elite scholars’ international collaboration networks. Interviewees indicate that changes in research focus after returning home universities, geopolitical factors, and the COVID-19 pandemic are significant influences on the evolution of their global research networks.

Author

• Jiani Zhu, Shanghai Jiao Tong University