Global Research Partnerships in a Polarised and Politicised World

In a rapidly changing world, global partnerships in research and teaching connect across geographical boundaries and foster innovative solutions to complex problems. In recent years, however, multiple crises and conflicts have accelerated societal fragmentation and polarization, placing global research partnerships under increasing strain. Researchers and research organizations are facing growing politically motivated pressures related to their collaborations or to research topics that have become highly politicized. This creates considerable uncertainty and requires careful consideration of potential risks, including reputational damage, the safety of research partners, and the protection of sensitive data.

Project goal

With this project, the GRP-Alliance aims to provide a platform for discussing how researchers and research organizations can best prepare for working in politicized contexts. By presenting concrete examples of research partnerships affected by polarization and politicization, as well as approaches to addressing related challenges (e.g., regulations for evaluating risks in research collaborations), we seek to identify key issues and explore different strategies and best practices for navigating them.

Activities

We plan to organize two to three workshops for our Associated Members to discuss strategies and best practices for sustaining global research partnerships across political divides.

Workshop 'Conducting Global Research Partnerships in a Polarised and Politicised World'

05 November 2025: Event for GRP Alliance member institutions, Hotel Kreuz, Bern

At the GRP Alliance event representatives from member institutions met in Bern to exchange experiences on how to navigate global collaborations in politically complex environments. Following expert inputs by Laurent Goetschel (swisspeace, University of Basel) and Stephanie Glaeser (University of Lausanne), participants engaged in a workshop to discuss challenges and best practices for working in research partnerships in an ethically sound way. The discussions revealed that the challenges are diverse, ranging from ensuring partner safety and data protection to maintaining institutional integrity in strained geopolitical contexts.