Dr Fariba Soetan
ACU Head of Policy and Research
From climate change and global health to artificial intelligence and food security, the world's biggest challenges require international collaboration. Yet these same collaborations are taking place against a backdrop of increasing geopolitical tension, widening inequalities, shrinking development budgets and growing competition for research funding.
In this environment, how research partnerships are formed matters just as much as the research itself.
Increasingly, international funders are recognising that excellent research depends on equitable collaboration. It is no longer enough simply to demonstrate scientific excellence; applicants are also being asked to show how they will build partnerships that are fair, inclusive and mutually beneficial.
This growing expectation is reflected by organisations such as the UK's National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR), which is now promoting the ACU Equitable Research Partnerships Toolkit as a practical resource to support researchers in establishing and strengthening international collaborations.
The message is clear – equitable partnerships are no longer an aspiration; they are becoming an essential component of internationally competitive research.
From principles to practical action
Over the past decade, the research community has produced numerous statements, principles and frameworks calling for greater equity in international research partnerships.
Yet many researchers and research managers continue to ask the same question: How do we actually put these principles into practice?
The ACU developed the Equitable Research Partnerships Toolkit to answer exactly that question.
Developed through consultations with researchers, funders and universities across the Commonwealth, the toolkit provides practical, adaptable resources that help research teams identify and address power imbalances throughout the research lifecycle. It supports conversations around authorship, funding, intellectual property, data governance, community engagement and partnership governance – issues that can often determine whether a collaboration succeeds or struggles.
Rather than offering another set of principles, the toolkit provides structured exercises, templates and discussion tools that enable research teams to navigate difficult conversations before problems emerge.
Building stronger research partnerships
Earlier this year, the toolkit was showcased at the Canadian Association of Research Administrators (CARA) Conference, where the ACU I led an interactive workshop with research managers and administrators from across Canada.
Participants explored how the toolkit can be used to strengthen partnerships from the earliest stages of collaboration, helping institutional research teams to reflect on issues such as authorship, engaging with indigenous communities, funding control, assumptions, decision-making and ownership in a practical and constructive way.
The workshop reflected a growing shift across the international research sector: research managers are increasingly becoming key enablers of equitable partnerships, helping universities embed good practice from proposal development through to project delivery.
Why this matters now
As research funding becomes more competitive and international collaboration becomes more strategically important, universities need practical ways to demonstrate that partnerships are genuinely equitable, not simply in principle, but in practice.
This is particularly important in a world where global inequalities are becoming more pronounced. Differences in funding, research infrastructure, institutional capacity and geopolitical influence can all shape who defines research questions, controls resources, owns data and benefits from research outcomes.
Addressing these issues is not simply about fairness. It leads to stronger research, more sustainable partnerships and greater confidence among funders that collaborations are capable of delivering meaningful impact.
Supporting the international research community
The ACU continues to work with universities, research offices and international research teams to embed equitable partnership approaches through demonstrations and workshops using the toolkit.
If your institution is developing international research partnerships, preparing funding applications or looking to strengthen existing collaborations, we would be delighted to demonstrate how the toolkit can support your work.
The toolkit is freely available and can be adapted for research teams across disciplines and institutional contexts.
Interested in a demonstration?
The ACU Policy and Research team is available to deliver tailored demonstrations for international research teams, research offices and ACU Ambassadors at ACU member universities looking to embed equitable partnership approaches within their institution.
Request a demonstration