Collaborative research, especially internationally collaborative research, continues to be a fundamental principle of research. Collaborative research broadens the depth of information and results, strengthening the research enterprise, researchers, and the United States.
Avoiding international collaborations out of fear or unwillingness to take necessary precautions reduces the overall quality of research. Research security practices should be put in place for all collaborators.
Decide collaborators
- Asses the collaborator’s expertise, interest, integrity, and motivation to engage in the research
- Ensure the collaborator’s interests and affiliations align with your collaborative goals
- Conduct restricted party screenings before beginning a foreign collaboration
Define expectations
When entering a collaboration, create a written understanding of expectations and responsibilities. This may include items such as:
- Record and data management (access, storage, etc.)
- How data will be used and shared
- Research integrity standards
- Ethics review requirements (e.g. human subjects, animal models)
- Publication and communication plan
- Authorship expectations
- Conflict resolution
Share data safely
- Before sharing data, check for any sponsor limitations and screen collaborators
- Grant collaborators access only to the data and resources needed.
- Use an encrypted sharing tool
- For foreign collaborations, determine if export control laws apply