Identifying International Research Partners thanks to A.I platforms

Category of recipe: Internationalisation through partnerships; Internationalisation through Research activities.

Objective: Enhance international visibility and impact; access funding opportunities and collaborative grants; build interdisciplinary and cross-border research projects; strengthen the university’s research ecosystem.

Short description: This recipe guides researchers in identifying and connecting with relevant international partners using AI-powered research platforms like Semantic Scholar, IBM Watson Discovery, and ResearchGate.

Academic recognition: In this case the recognition is linked with the co-authorship opportunities, and potential for inter-national funding that are facilitated through this Recipe

Level of difficulty: Beginner to medium.

Calendar and time needed: Continuous process; initial partner identification may take 2–4 weeks.

Cost summary: € (Mostly free; premium access to some platforms may be required).

Language and level required: English proficiency beneficial but not compulsory; free online translators (e.g., DeepL) may be used.

Roles and responsibilities:
Teachers/Researchers: Actively search for potential partners using the outlined platforms and initiate contact.
University Research Support Office: Provide training on AI-driven research tools and facilitate partnerships.
International Relations Office: Assist in formalising agreements and collaborations.

Ingredients:
Access to online research platforms (Semantic Scholar, IBM Watson Discovery, ResearchGate, Google Scholar, Scopus, Web of Science).
Your research profile (up-to-date publications, keywords, expertise areas).
A clear research focus (defined objectives and thematic areas for collaboration).
Networking tools (LinkedIn, email templates for outreach, university networks).

Steps:
Step 1: Define your research collaboration goals

• Identify what you seek in an international partner:
• Expertise in a complementary field?
• Access to specific resources or datasets?
• Joint publication or funding applications?
• Example: If you’re in climate science, you might look for experts in AI for climate modelling to collaborate on interdisciplinary research.

Step 2: Use AI-powered research discovery tools

• Semantic Scholar (www.semanticscholar.org)
• Enter your research topic (e.g., "machine learning in healthcare").
• Use filters (most-cited papers, recent publications, author networks).
• Click on "Authors" to find experts in the field.
• IBM Watson Discovery
• Analyse research trends using AI.
• Identify institutions and individuals leading in your research area.
• Google Scholar / Scopus / Web of Science
• Search for papers with high citation impact in your domain.
• Use the "Related Authors" and "Cited By" features.
• ResearchGate
• Join research groups and forums.
• Engage with researchers by commenting on relevant publications.
• Example: If you find that a leading researcher in your field has co-authored with multiple institutions, trace their collaborations and explore their networks.

Step 3: Evaluate and shortlist potential partners

• Create a shortlist based on:
• Number of relevant publications.
• Institutional affiliation and research funding.
• Citation impact and network connections.
• Open Access publications (indicates willingness to collaborate)

Step 4: Initiate Contact and build collaboration

• Craft a personalised email:
• Mention shared research interests and specific papers you found insightful.
• Propose a small initial collaboration (e.g., co-authoring a review paper, exchanging datasets).
• Request a virtual meeting:
• Use Teams or any other software to discuss possible collaboration avenues, online.
• Leverage academic conferences:
• Present in international symposia and approach relevant researchers.

Example email template:
Subject: Exploring Collaboration on [Research Topic]
Dear Teacher [Name],
I recently came across your paper on [Topic] in [Journal/Platform] and found your work highly relevant to my current research on [Your Topic]. I believe there is strong potential for collaboration, particularly in [Specific Idea].
I would love to explore potential synergies between our researches. Would you be open to a short virtual meeting to discuss this further?
Best regards,

[Your Name]
[Your University]

Tip: Mention a specific research grant or upcoming conference as a potential collaboration point.

Step 5: Formalise and strengthen collaboration

• Co-develop a research agenda:
• Define mutual expectations and roles.
• Identify potential co-funding opportunities.
• Sign a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) (if required)
• Maintain ongoing communication:
• Use shared cloud platforms (Google Drive, Overleaf, Mendeley).
• Plan follow-up projects or joint grant applications.

Budget description:

• Cost for the organising institution: minimal (primarily time investment; optional premium platform subscriptions).
• Business model: voluntary researcher-driven initiative; may leverage institutional research grants for premium tool access.
• Budget type / sources of revenue: institutional research funds; grants for AI-tool subscriptions; pilot project funding.

Non-mandatory items

• Resource: (tutorial / template documents / videos / Flash-learns, international skills framework, etc.)
• Guide on using AI for Research Discovery
• List of International Research grants & funding opportunities
• Sample Research Collaboration Agreement template

Tips and tricks:

• Join university-wide research networks to access institutional collaborations.
• Track research impact via Altmetric or Google Scholar Citations.
• Questions / comments
• What if I don’t receive a response? → Follow up after 10 days or try another contact method (LinkedIn, conference networking).
• How do I ensure collaboration is mutually beneficial? → Clarify shared research goals and define roles early on.