International Research Collaboration: Productivity and Costs

International collaboration is deemed to stimulate research and enable its cognitive growth. However escallating costs of conducting research has become a critical factor in deciding whether such collaboration should be conducted via working local visits or at a distance. Objectives: This study compares outcomes and costs associated with collaborative research done with international scientists who have visited at the DRI and those who have not. Methods: All international collaborators (IC) who have published with the DRI (1954-2003) or have co-presented papers at the SA IADR were extracted from the DRI data base. Two groups were identified: IC who were supported by DRI funds on local working visits (V) and those IC who never visited (NV). All outputs were identified, the numbers and co-authors of V and NV ICs listed. The number of return airfares and visits related to the collaboration was summed. Results: Sixty two ICs were identified who jointly published 124 papers, co-authored 51 SA IADR presentations, 9 technical reports and 4 other outputs. Of the 62 IC 44=VIC and 16=NVIC; 2 were uncertain. 16 VIC produced nothing. Poisson regression was p=0.03 indicating that publication/IC for V(99/44) was significantly greater than for NV (22/16). VICs attracted more co-authors (6.2±5.3) than NVICs (3.5±1.6) and were more likely (18/44) to co-author SA IADR presentations than NVICs (5/16). Vs required 59 return airfares and subsistance of 81 visits. Conclusions: Although one third of VICs did not produce, research output and co-authorship of VICs was greater than NVICs. Using barter calculation, one scientific paper was generated by 50% of a return airfare or 65% of a visit cost.