8.4.5Conclusion

International bilateral and multilateral collaboration is increasing in Flanders. In particular, publications are now more frequently co-authored with multiple international partners. This evolution follows global evolutions of science. Multilateral co-authorship is becoming the dominant form of international co-authorship. Science is conducted in increasingly larger teams of researchers from several countries. Global geopolitical trends may affect Flemish scientific collaborations with international partners. It is important to consider not only the absolute numbers of collaboration, but also the relative intensity of collaboration. Collaboration between Flanders and China has been increasing in recent years, both in terms of bilateral and multilateral collaboration. However, collaboration with other countries is still more intensive than with China, neighbouring countries remain the most important partners in collaboration. The UK’s exit from the European Union may also have negative short and long-term impacts on the strength of scientific ties between European countries and the UK. However, it may currently be too early to see the effects of these evolutions. In this chapter, we have shown the evolution of the strength of scientific collaboration between Flanders and key regional and international partners. As current events unfold, we suggest continuing to monitor the evolution of Flanders bilateral and multilateral scientific collaborations.