Researchers from smaller systems frequently undersell what they contribute to international projects — access, context, local expertise, data nobody else can obtain.
That undervaluation shapes the terms from the first conversation onward.
What you may be bringing
- Access to a context, population or environment others cannot reach.
- Local expertise on how things actually work.
- Data collection capability.
- Domain knowledge specific to the setting.
- These are genuine intellectual contributions, not logistical services.
Finding opportunities
- Existing institutional agreements, which often go unused.
- Conferences, particularly regional ones.
- Contacting authors whose work needs your context.
- Calls that require partners in specific regions.
- Through people who have collaborated with you before.
Assessing an offer
- What is your role — intellectual partner or data provider?
- What authorship position does it lead to?
- What resources come to your institution?
- Will capability remain afterwards?
- Does it fit your own direction, or only theirs?
Negotiating terms
- Agree authorship criteria and expected position before starting.
- Agree data ownership and post-project access.
- Agree publication rights, including local-language versions.
- Agree budget allocation to your institution, including indirect costs.
- Get it in writing — this is normal practice, not distrust.
Warning signs
- Reluctance to discuss authorship.
- Your role described only as recruitment or data collection.
- No budget allocated to your institution.
- No local capability built.
- Approach only when they need access, never otherwise.
Building lasting value
- Seek roles that develop capability, not only produce output.
- Include training for your team in the agreement.
- Lead at least one output.
- Retain access to methods and data afterwards.
- Aim for a partnership that continues past this project.
One thing worth remembering
Be clear with yourself about what you bring, and say it plainly.
Access to a context others cannot reach is an intellectual contribution — and researchers who describe it as logistics get treated accordingly, from the first conversation to the author list.
Câu hỏi thường gặp
What do researchers from smaller systems often bring?
Access to contexts others cannot reach, local expertise on how things work, data collection capability, and domain knowledge specific to the setting — genuine intellectual contributions.
How should an offer be assessed?
By asking what your role is, what authorship position it leads to, what resources come to your institution, whether capability remains afterwards, and whether it fits your direction.
What terms should be negotiated?
Authorship criteria and position before starting, data ownership and post-project access, publication rights including local-language versions, and budget allocation with indirect costs.
What are the warning signs?
Reluctance to discuss authorship, your role described only as data collection, no budget to your institution, no local capability built, and approach only when they need access.
What should you be clear about?
What you bring, stated plainly — access to a context others cannot reach is an intellectual contribution, and describing it as logistics leads to being treated accordingly.
