EmailImperial College London and University of Queensland
Project: looking at the conservation of biodiversity on private land.
EJ Milner-Gulland, professor in conservation science, Imperial College London
• Benefits: “In conservation science, international collaboration is essential because the problems that the world faces are often international or are similar in different places. The more we can learn and act together the more powerful our impact will be.”
• Challenges: “Collaboration at long distance can be challenging in terms of logistics and keeping communications going.”
Morena Mills, postdoctoral research fellow, University of Queensland
• Benefits: “International collaboration between researchers allows us to understand which ideas can be applied across different countries.”
• Challenges: “International collaboration has challenges such as differences in culture or priorities, language barriers and the need to work around various time zones.”
Swansea University and Deakin University
Project: examining the possibility of sea turtles becoming extinct as a result of climate change.
Jacques Laloë, researcher in the department of biosciences, Swansea University
• Benefits: “The exchange of ideas, the fresh and new perspectives provided, the sharing of knowledge, experience, and research techniques.”
• Challenges: “Not being able to discuss research ideas on a day-to-day basis.”
Graeme Hays, chair of marine science, Deakin University
• Benefits: “I keep in regular contact with Jacques in Swansea by email and by Skyping. Academics typically work well beyond 9-5, so often I’ll see Jacques online either early morning or late at night and we’ll have a chat about our work.”
• Challenges: “Dealing with the time difference between the UK and Australia when having chats via Skype needs late nights or early mornings online."
University of Surrey and University of Melbourne
Project: to develop a secure electronic voting system.
Steve Schneider, professor of computing, University of Surrey
• Benefits: “The introduction of electronic voting into Australia provides a demanding testbed for the practical application of our research into secure electronic voting.”
• Challenges: “Often there can be a 24-hour turnaround on an email exchange, and we have to be well-organised and well-prepared for Skype calls, especially if they involve our Luxembourg collaborators as well.”
Vanessa Teague, research fellow, University of Melbourne
• Benefits: “I like working with colleagues in the UK because we get twice as much work done in a week: one side works while the other side sleeps.”
• Challenge: “Funding round-the-world travel is always a challenge, but we've managed to finance just enough plane tickets to keep the collaboration going well."
Loughborough University and Monash University
Project: Using cutting-edge technology to build a comprehensive understanding of the causes and consequences of serious injury crashes.
Andrew Morris, professor of human factors in transport safety, Loughborough University
• Benefits: “Loughborough University has a very strong track record of collaboration with Monash University as there’s strength in road safety research at both of the institutions."
• Challenges: “The fact that we’re separated by several time zones and operate in different hemispheres could have been challenging, but we have always managed to work extremely well together."
Michael Fitzharris, associate director of regulation and in-depth crash investigations, Monash University
• Benefits: "The joint collaboration provides the opportunities for large scale collaborations in road safety, providing the critical mass that is necessary to address questions that otherwise could not be answered."
• Challenges: "Technology has played an enormous role in shrinking the world and has in large part overcome the tyranny of distance that has made this type of collaboration in the past difficult."
University of Manchester and University of Queensland
Project: the Parenting and Family Research Group, which aims to improve the wellbeing of communities through research into evidence-based parenting and family interventions.
Rachel Calam, professor of child and family psychology, University of Manchester
• Benefits: "Our students can be jointly supervised and mentored by academic staff in Manchester and Queensland so they get a great international overview of the developments in this area."
• Challenges: "I really enjoy working with collaborators in Australia – I can send something off in the evening and next morning a reply is ready and waiting. So the time difference actually speeds things up."
Matthew Sanders, professor of clinical psychology, University of Queensland
• Benefits: "We have had an excellent collaboration. Skype combined with periodic visits and contact at international conferences has allowed for very efficient communication with our UK partners."
• Challenges: "The narrow window for communications to take place each day means conversations need to be efficient, brief and seriously outcome-focused."
Queen Mary University of London and University of Melbourne
Project: Looking at problems from enumerative combinatorics – a branch of mathematics that examines how patterns can be formed in discrete, modular structures.
Thomas Prellberg, reader in applied mathematics at Queen Mary University of London
• Benefits: “International exchange operates at all levels, and in my opinion is especially beneficial within the context of doctoral and postdoctoral training, as it significantly enhances career opportunities.”
• Challenges: “In the face of local workload pressures it is challenging to keep up international collaborations, but they are essential if one wants to create world-leading research.”
Aleks Owczarek, head of the department of mathematics and statistics, University of Melbourne
• Benefits: “The benefits extend far beyond the individual interaction between the two researchers but encompass students and departments by creating multiple connections.”
• Challenges: “Modern means of communication, such as Skype, do not replace intensive face-to-face interactions, which can be a challenge for long-distance collaborations.”
University of York and University of Melbourne
Project: research into the social, economic and cultural factors which help to enhance mental well-being and support recovery from mental distress.
Martin Webber, director of the international centre for mental health social research, University of York
• Benefits: "Our mental health services are similar, though have some key differences. Our practice-focused research helps us to understand how to work more effectively, improve outcomes and learn from each other."
• Challenges: “We want to engage practitioners from both countries in real-time discussions about research, but this means being more internet-savvy and flexible about when we work during the day."
Lynette Joubert, director of research, department of social work, University of Melbourne
• Benefits: "Our collaboration exists on multiple levels, which has also extended to a global classroom where Martin participated in a practice research class that I was teaching at the University of Melbourne via Skype."
• Challenges: "Seeking opportunities for competitive Anglo-Australian research funding is a challenge."
Aberystwyth University and University of Melbourne
Project: Creating an online oral history database using interviews recorded with Australian artists, curators and critics who were active in Britain in the 1950s and 1960s.
Simon Pierse, senior lecturer, school of art, Aberystwyth University
• Benefits: "Researching Australian art in Aberystwyth is easier than you might think. There is so much online these days. The Australian libraries are way ahead of us in making their archives accessible. And sending an email to research colleagues in Melbourne or Perth is just as quick as sending one to a person in the next door office."
• Challenges: "It’s difficult to get the necessary funding to develop or sustain a collaborative project over the medium to long term. The Leverhume Trust does offer an international networks grant to build a new collaborative research project with overseas institutions over three years but competition is fierce."
Jaynie Anderson, herald chair of fine arts and foundation director of the Australian institute of art history, University of Melbourne
• Benefits: "Simon's project is to develop with us a database that will be about dealing and the art industry in Australia. We have taught courses on the art market but this will be the first time that there will be a permanent online research project hosted by the institute."
• Challenges: "In the 21st century long distance collaboration is easier than at any other period. When I wrote my undergraduate thesis I had to order key articles by microfilm six months in advance, now they are easily available online. The arts faculty at the University of Melbourne gives scholars the chance to travel abroad to conferences twice a year, if their presentation will be published, giving us opportunities to create research networks. Australians have in the past not worked very much on European archives for Australian art, but this is gradually changing as we break down the tyranny of distance."
This blog post is part of our two-week series on the differences and similarities between Australian and UK higher education.
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