International R&D Collaboration in Response to Global Disruptions: A Comparative Bibliometric Analysis of Research Networks

Abstract

This study examines the international research and development (R&D) collaboration related to global crises or disruptions, focusing on its role in addressing challenges arising from diverse crises. Bibliometric analysis of 160 peer-reviewed articles identified patterns of collaboration and mapped global research networks. We adopted a comparative analytical framework to examine differences in research collaboration focus and forms across multiple types of disruption or crisis. The results show that R&D collaboration related to disruptive events was concentrated in research centers such as the United States, the United Kingdom, and Germany, with the strongest links between the United States and China and between China and the United Kingdom. Other countries occupy more peripheral positions in global collaboration networks, reflecting lower overall engagement in research on the topic. In Central and Eastern Europe (CEE), Czechia stands out as one of the few countries whose research activities on collaboration during turbulence are internationally visible. Existing networks of connections between research centers are mostly bilateral, with researchers from CEE and the Global South being underrepresented. Furthermore, six thematic areas related to crises emerged as focal points for R&D collaborations: environmental crises, health emergencies, technological change, economic shocks, institutional instability, and humanitarian challenges. By identifying patterns of international R&D collaboration related to destabilizing events, the results of the analyses may inspire more effective responses to global challenges and support the development of more resilient and crisis-responsive R&D strategies.