8.4.2International collaboration in general - a growing trend

Figure 1 shows the overall trends in Flemish co-authorship involving other countries. The number of publications exclusively authored by researchers affiliated with one or more Flemish organisation is stagnating/slowly decreasing, while international co-authorship has been increasing. Among international collaborations, we distinguish between bilateral and multilateral collaboration. Since 2014, the number of publications involving multilateral collaboration has exceeded the number of publications involving bilateral collaboration. Indeed, Adams and Szomszor (2022) have shown an increase in multilaterally coauthored papers and a stagnation in bilaterally coauthored papers. Papers authored in collaboration with more than one other country are becoming more prevalent.

Figure 1. Flemish international co-authorship trends

Internationally co-authored publications (sum of bilateral and multilateral)Publications not involving international collaborationBilaterally co-authored publicationsMultilaterally co-authored publications020004000600080001000012000140001600018000Number of publications2000200120022003200420052006200720082009201020112012201320142015201620172018201920202021202220232024Publication year0200040006000800010000120001400016000180002000200120022003200420052006200720082009201020112012201320142015201620172018201920202021202220232024 Internationally co-authored publications (sum of bilateral and multilateral)Publications not involving international collaborationBilaterally co-authored publicationsMultilaterally co-authored publications020004000600080001000012000140001600018000Number of publications2000200120022003200420052006200720082009201020112012201320142015201620172018201920202021202220232024Publication year0200040006000800010000120001400016000180002000200120022003200420052006200720082009201020112012201320142015201620172018201920202021202220232024 Internationally co-authored publications (sum of bilateral andmultilateral)Publications not involving international collaborationBilaterally co-authored publicationsMultilaterally co-authored publications050001000015000Number of publications2000200120022003200420052006200720082009201020112012201320142015201620172018201920202021202220232024Publication year0500010000150002000200120022003200420052006200720082009201020112012201320142015201620172018201920202021202220232024