Why Promote International Research?

For years, academic scholarship has not been bound to the geographic border of our campus. The scholarly outputs of UF researchers have a global impact; and likewise, the research community outside of UF influences us. Undeniably, research with an international focus has a targeted effect on our faculty and students. How?

Goals for International Research Partnerships
  • To extend international networks and build knowledge partnerships to enhance the quality of research and scholarship at UF.
  • To expand UF faculty access to new, creative, and innovative global opportunities for scholarship.
  • To build and develop global competence in our faculty and students to prepare them for a multicultural world and global economy.
  • To build international collaborative initiatives that contribute to promotin

  1. Working with researchers in other countries will add value through their contribution to greater diversity in scientific knowledge and ideas. Data support that researchers who collaborate internationally are cited more frequently.[1]

  2. The American Academy of Arts and Sciences determined that international collaborative efforts contribute to the growth of science, knowledge, and innovation. The Academy determined that successfully advancing complex research requires a diversity of research capabilities, perspectives, and access to resources.[2]

  3. International research collaboration fosters global innovation and competitiveness.[3] 

  4. International research will extend our opportunities to apply for funding outside of the US. Whether independently or in an international collaboration, an international focus will provide access to a larger set of funding programs.

  5. Working internationally, provides access to unique study sites and populations leading to innovation and discovery.

  6. Collaborating with international faculty provides access to facilities and resources not available on campus.

  7. An international focus enables a greater global perspective and allows us to understand how our research translates outside of the US.

  8. Increase our awareness of how disciplines are practiced in other countries.

  9. Attract students from undergraduates to post-doctoral fellows from abroad.

  10. By extending the international focus to the classroom, we can contribute to students’ global competencies as we prepare them for a multicultural world and global economy.

  11. Advance UF’s international ranking and global presence.

[1] Smith MJ, Weinberger C, Bruna EM, Allesina S (2014) The Scientific Impact of Nations: Journal Placement and Citation Performance. PLoS ONE 9(10): e109195. doi:10.1371/journal.pone

[2] American Academy of Arts and Sciences, America and the International Future of Science (Cambridge, Mass.: American Academy of Arts and Sciences, 2020).

[3] Glänzel, W. (2001). National Characteristics in International Scientific Co-authorship Relations. Scientometrics 51(1), 69-115.