Abstract

Queen’s University Belfast, UK has been pleased to include the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, USA as a strategic partner for around 10 years. In early 2023, the institutions started exploring the potential to more intentionally support enhanced research collaborations between faculty.
In this oral presentation, RMAs at each institution discuss the initial steps and planning that were taken to support the development of transnational research collaborations by faculty. The efforts – which will be outlined in detail - focused on a clear area of synergy between the two universities, health sciences.

Key strategies included:
1. Identifying Complementary Strengths: We compared expertise to find research synergies
2. Establishing Clear Communication Channels:
a. Regular meetings between RMAs and senior leaders at each institution
b. Virtual collaborative seminars between faculty for transnational research cooperation
3. Securing Funding and Resources:
a. Institutions provided internal seed funding to encourage first steps for researchers interested in developing collaborations
b. RMAs identified external funding opportunities and supported joint grant submissions
4. Administrative frameworks:
a. Memorandums of Understanding that built institutional trust
b. Personnel Visits to foster open dialogue

As well as securing buy-in from senior managers, the RMAs from each institution liaised closely with faculty colleagues to identify 1) overlapping research themes of interest and 2) individuals leading the research. Initial researcher connections were made through bespoke virtual networking sessions, which shared expertise and know-how. Open sessions meant attendees could readily connect with leading experts and peers.
Each institution allocated competitive seed funding to support meaningful and justified requests, such as in-person meetings and lab visits. It is our intention that such transnational collaborations will have the potential to drive innovation in the future.
Lessons learned: institutional support and the backing of senior managers was extremely important to achieve our objectives. Academic staff and faculty have many tasks and people competing for their time. RMAs must drive the development of new collaboration opportunities. The ability to communicate the value and incentives for faculty is paramount to secure their attention and participation.
Learning outcomes:
• RMAs drive the process
• Incentives are key for sustainability of relationships and activities