What does it take to have a mutually beneficial research collaboration across countries?

Abstract

We reflect on the challenges researchers face when working in multi-national collaborations in conservation science, whereby the researchers' countries are unequal in terms of financial and institutional support or other factors that contribute to a power imbalance. Based on our personal experiences and challenges, we outline four key aspects of the research cycle that provide opportunities to build or strengthen more equitable research partnerships: defining the shared research agenda, obtaining funding, publication, and the connecting thread of effective communication. We give recommendations for both the visiting scientist and the local scientist hosting international collaborators, as well as for institutions involved in conservation science. We hope that our perspectives can help other conservation scientists achieve productive and mutually beneficial collaborations that can lead to positive conservation outcomes.