Cooperation and interdependence in global science funding

TL;DR

This study analyzes global science funding patterns, revealing China's rise in research output and the persistent role of the US as a key partner, highlighting interdependence and vulnerabilities among nations.

Contribution

It provides a detailed analysis of international funding dynamics, showing shifts in research leadership and interdependence among countries based on funding acknowledgment data.

Findings

China surpasses the US in research publications with international funding.

The US remains the primary global research partner.

Low- and middle-income countries face funding vulnerabilities.

Abstract

Investments in research and development are key to scientific and economic growth and to the well-being of society. Scientific research demands significant resources making national scientific investment a crucial driver of scientific production. As scientific production becomes increasingly multinational, it is critical to study how nations' scientific activities are funded both domestically and internationally. By tracing research grants acknowledged in scholarly publications, our study reveals a shifting duopoly of China and the United States in the global funding landscape, with a contrasting funding pattern; while China has surpassed the United States in publications with acknowledged domestic and international funding, the United States largely maintains its role as the most important global research partner. Our results also highlight the precarity of low- and middle-income countries to global funding disruptions. By revealing the complex interdependence and collaboration between countries in the global scientific enterprise, this work informs future studies investigating the national and global scientific enterprise and how funding leads to both productive cooperation and vulnerable dependencies.