Social Science Research Council
Fostering International Collaborations in the Social Sciences: National Funding Agency
January 9-11, 2006
Corpus Christi College, University of Cambridge Monday, January 9, 2006
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Opening Dinner and Welcome
Tuesday, January 10, 2006
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Panel 1: International Collaboration in Research and Funding: Advantages and Difficulties:This session will provide an introductory overview of significant issues in international collaborative research from a national funding agency perspective. Topics include the reasons for agency interest in promoting international collaboration in the social sciences, different strategies and modes of collaboration, and the advantages and challenges of organizing cooperation between national funding agencies to support such collaborations.
Chair: Craig Calhoun, Social Science Research Council
Presenters: Ian Diamond, Economic and Social Research Council
David Lightfoot, National Science Foundation -
Panel 2: International Exchanges and Meetings:There are numerous reasons for scholars to meet internationally to promote social science research such as identifying research questions, conceptual frameworks, and methods of research and analysis. International exchanges and meetings not only enable scholars to plan research proposals, but they are also essential for finding common interests and establishing relationships upon which international collaborative research can be based and disseminated. This session will consider what types of international exchanges and meetings most effectively foster different types of collaboration.
Chair: Henk Stronkhorst, European Science Foundation
Presenters: Metin Heper, Turkish Academy of Sciences
Hyup Choi, Korea Research Foundation -
Panel 3: Research:International collaborative research activities can be organized in multiple ways. Collaborative research ranges from an emphasis on individual researchers whose work on related themes is then shared internationally, to loose networks of information exchange and joint discussion, to tightly organized group efforts in which the research and analysis is jointly planned and carried out. This panel will consider existing and potential strategies for fostering different kinds of collaborative research and the ways in which internationalizing collaboration and research poses particular challenges.
Chair: Jean-Michel Roddaz, National Research Agency
Presenters: Janet Halliwell, Social Science & Humanities Research
Council of Canada
Wang Lei, Chinese Academy of Social Sciences -
Panel 4: Data Base Development and Sharing:International collaborative research, whether quantitative or qualitative, depends upon access to databases, archives, and other depositories as well as upon the availability of cross-regionally similar and comparable data sets. For social scientists, working collaboratively with existing data bases and developing new data bases requires considerable discussion and agreement regarding not only access but also standardization of content, formatting, analytic programs, storage, maintenance, and upgrading. This session will assess the extent to which current databases are internationally comparable and accessible, and how these or new databases might be enhanced for international collaborative research.
Chair: Juan Carlos Moreno-Brid, Economic Commission for Latin
American & the Caribbean
Presenters: Peter Elias, Economic & Social Research Council
Rolf Höijer, Swedish Research Council
Wednesday, January 11, 2006
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Panel 5: Training and Capacity Building:A common difficulty in conducting international collaborative research is asymmetries in the training and capacity of researchers. This panel will consider what extent of training is necessary to establish a clear and productive division of labor international scholars. Learning to collaborate for international collaborative research adds an additional dimension to training programs. It will also consider differences between countries with regard to the level and scope of preparation for collaborative research and the extent to which capacity building is a necessary basis for equal participation in research. An important issue to discuss is at what stage (graduate studies, post-doctoral, etc.) training would be most usefully introduced.
Chair: Willem van Schendel, South-South Exchange Program on the
History of Development
Presenters: Jìmí Adésínà, Rhodes University
Erno Taxner, Hungarian National Scientific Research Fund -
Panel 6: Infrastructure: In some instances agencies are able to support the establishment of research centers as the administrative basis for various types of research and training programs. This panel will consider the advantages of such centers and consider when infrastructure investments may become desirable and feasible in supporting international collaborative research.
Chair: Theodius Lennon, European Union
Presenters: Diana Rhoten, Social Science Research Council
Mandy Thomas, Australian Research Council -
Panel 7: Prospects for Future Cooperation:Grounded in the discussions of the previous panels, this final panel will identify promising opportunities for future inter-agency cooperation. The discussion at this panel will help to create an agenda for a follow-up meeting to consider proposals to increase inter-agency cooperation.
Chair: Craig Calhoun, Social Science Research Council
Presenters: Eili Ervelä-Myréen, Academy of Finland
Christian Sylvain, Social Science & Humanities Research Council of Canada -
Panel 8: Next Steps
Chair: Josh DeWind, Social Science Research Council
Presenters: Glyn Davies, Economic and Social Research Council
Wanda Ward, National Science Foundation
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