Strategic management and promotion issues in international research cooperation

This paper examines the issues involved in establishing multilateral, sustained and balanced international research cooperation activities with particular references to transport research.First, the paper presents a review of the current practices and does this in terms of a number of “key – strategic issues” grouped under the headings of four basic functions that are later defined as the pillars of a more permanent and institutionalised international research cooperation framework. As part of the presentation of the current situation and practices, the paper also presents – as a case study in successful multilateral international cooperation – the experience from the European Joint Programming Initiatives (JPIs) that are taking place among European countries under the support of the European Commission. These initiatives provide a good example of a functioning framework for multilateral international cooperation that could be taken as a blueprint for such cooperation between other countries at global level.The main conclusions and recommendations of the paper are that a truly multilateral and sustained framework for international research cooperation should consist of a number of well-established and documented functions as well as a number of organisations that would ensure its proper functioning and operation. The basic functions are the following four: Strategic Management/Research performing and capacity building/Programme monitoring and funding/Implementation and market uptake of research results. The suggested organisations include the creation of an independent and “trusted” organisation, which could be called the “International Research Cooperation Council” – IRCC. This organisation should be attached to a “trusted” global institution like the UN and will perform a number of functions such as issuance of guidelines, harmonisation of procedures, monitoring and governance functions, (international) research needs assessment and formulation, funding management, etc. It is also suggested, that a number of individual, research-performing organisations, the so called International Cooperation Promotion and Networking Centres (ICPNC) should be designated and encouraged to act as “champion organisations”, in promoting international cooperative work at global level.