Benefits
- Improve quality, relevance and usefulness of research
- develop valuable insights based on others’ perspectives
- expand existing views and roles
- enhance research capacity
- improve chances of research funding
- contribute to positive changes in practice, policy and/or the community
- build a research and evaluation culture within practice, policy and the community
- provide wider networks for dissemination.
Values guiding partnerships
Key values that form the basis for effective collaborative partnerships in research include:
- trust and respect
- commitment to the collaboration
- realistic expectations of each partner
- clarity of purpose and roles
- mutual agreed goals
- tangible benefits for each partner
- flexibility
- recognition of diversity
- reflection and evaluation.
Costs and challenges
- increased time needed for development and planning
- need for greater flexibility
- acceptance of differences and diversity
- increased financial investment
- increased resources
- increased potential for conflict
- commitment to the collaboration
- communication amongst the partners.
Factors associated with success and effectiveness
- ensure there is sufficient commonality of purpose or interest
- attend to the collaborative processes as well as to the research processes
- agree to a dissemination plan
- ensure the approach is compatible with the subject, topic, skills and styles of the partners
- identify and provide strategic opportunities for involvement
- identify and respond early to potential obstacles to the collaboration
- offer opportunities for capacity development to support involvement
- invest time and resources in the collaboration
- ensure all partners have ownership of the collaboration.
Funding for Collaborative Research
Activities supporting collaborative research partnerships
| Phases |
Key questions to consider
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| Planning |
- What are the goals of the collaboration?
- What goals are of interest to all partners?
- Who else is needed or should be involved?
- Where (in what organisation and with what key players) are the goals most likely to be achieved?
- What access to these key players is required?
|
| Assessment |
- Who are the key players in the system and what are their goals, roles, skills and needs?
- Who should be contacted and by whom?
- Who else needs to support this goal if it is to be enacted?
- What are the roles of each organisation?
- How do the planned goals fit with the roles of others in this context?
- What can be offered by all partners?
- What can be offered to all partners?
- What is the best strategy for entering the context?
What is the feasibility of these goals being achieved?
|
| Formulation |
- What are the terms of agreement? (eg. What? From whom? In exchange for what? Provided by whom? When? With whose permission?)
- What is the structure of the collaboration, including reporting relationships?
|
| Implementation |
- What structure will enlist the commitment, competence, consistency of constituents, competitors and members of various organisations? Terms of reference? Membership?
- What are the strengths or weaknesses in the system that will support or prevent the continued change?
- What risks will need to be managed, and by whom?
|
| Evaluation |
- What continuing activities, contacts, communications are necessary to allow development of the innovation or prevent sabotage?
- What are the indicators that the system is accommodating to the new goals?
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Resources
Collaboration and partnerships: developing the evidence base El Ansari W, Phillips CJ, Hammick M. (2001). Collaboration and partnerships: developing the evidence base. Health and Social Care in the Community, 9(4), 215-227.
Checklists for assessing research - policy interactions Bammer G. (2008). Checklists for assessing research - policy interactions: ANU College of Medicine and Health Sciences
Enhancing Research Collaborations Bammer G. (2008). Enhancing Research Collaborations: ANU College of Medicine and Health Sciences
 What supports Effective Links between Divisions of General Practice and universities? Opportunity and Fair Relationships Beacham B, Kalucy L, Veale B, Lowcay B, Pearce C, Yates R. (2005). What supports Effective Links between Divisions of General Practice and universities? Opportunity and Fair Relationships
Assessing the CCPH principles of partnership in a community campus partnership California Breast Cancer Research Program (CBCRP) Bell-Elkins J. (2002). Assessing the CCPH principles of partnership in a community campus partnership California Breast Cancer Research Program (CBCRP)
University/hospital collaboration in research: one model Browne G, Arpin K, Fitch M & Corey P. (1988). University/hospital collaboration in research: one model. Nursing Connections 1(2):69-80.
Journal Health Services Research and Policy special issue on collaborative research
Volume 8 Supplement 2, 2 October 2003
Conceptualising successful partnerships Dowling B, Powell M & Glendinning C. (2004). Conceptualising successful partnerships. Health and Social Care in the Community, 12(4), 309-317.
 PHC RIS infoBytes: Practice-Based Research Networks (PBRN)
PHC RIS JournalWatch: Collaborative Partnerships in Research
Cooperative Research Centres
Collaborative research for social service agencies: Boon or Bane? Stiffman AR, Feldman RA, Evans DA, Orme JG. (1984). Collaborative research for social service agencies: Boon or Bane? Administration in Social Work, 8(1), 45-57.
What is research collaboration?
Sylvan Katz J, Martin B. (1995). What is research collaboration? Centre for Science, Technology, Energy and Environment Policy, University of Sussex.
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