Elsevier, a global provider of evidence-based clinical practice content, research publishing, and information analytics, has published a new report that examines global research trends, with a specific focus on collaborations among the largest economies in the world. The report, titled "Fostering collaboration: a study of scientific publications with authors in G20 countries," analyzed data from Elsevier's SCOPUS database and revealed that researchers from G20 nations contributed to 75% of the total scientific publications worldwide between 2012 and 2021.
The report, which was presented at a seminar jointly organized by India's Ministry of Education in partnership with Elsevier, examines the scientific output of the 19 G20 member countries, all of which have robust research and development programs. Elsevier analyzed a staggering 24,746,950 scientific publications from researchers affiliated with nearly 20,000 institutions. The data uncovered some remarkable trends in global research.
One of the most significant findings is that India has surpassed the United Kingdom to become the third-largest producer of research globally, trailing only China and the United States. The report demonstrates that all G20 countries have witnessed substantial growth in their scientific capacity over the past three decades, with countries from the Global South experiencing the most notable progress. Between 1999 and 2022, the number of scientific publications with authors from India grew at a rate of 11.2% per year. China witnessed a growth rate of 14.7%, Saudi Arabia at 16%, and Indonesia at an impressive 20.1% per year. Looking at the past decade, Indonesia's research output surged by 26% annually, while Saudi Arabia and South Africa grew at rates of 17% and 7.8% respectively, surpassing the global average growth rate of 3.6%. Furthermore, data reveals that China and India exhibited growth rates of 9.3% and 9.7% respectively, significantly higher than the U.S. at 0.5%.
Dr. Carlos Henrique de Brito Cruz, Senior Vice President at Elsevier and Professor Emeritus at the State University of Campinas, authored the report, highlighting the changing research landscape.
The report also examines research collaboration trends among G20 countries. International co-authorship ranged from 18% to 73% between 2017 and 2021, with Saudi Arabia, Australia, France, and the U.K. having the highest percentages of international collaboration worldwide. The strategies for collaboration varied among G20 countries. For example, India's main collaborators were the U.S., U.K., and China, while China preferred collaborating with the U.S., U.K., and Australia. Argentina, on the other hand, worked closely with the U.S., Brazil, and Germany. The primary collaborator for all G20 members, except Indonesia, was the U.S., with Indonesia primarily collaborating with Japan.
The report also delved into research trends related to the field of artificial intelligence (AI). SCOPUS data revealed that the growth rate of AI-related publications in China and India outpaced that of the U.S., U.K., and Germany. Notably, there has been a significant increase in the number of AI-related publications from Saudi Arabia in recent years. When considering AI research programs in the Global South as a whole, the report observed that in 2013, only four countries (China, India, Brazil, and Iran) were viewed as major contributors to global AI research. However, as of 2022, the list expanded to include Indonesia, Malaysia, Turkey, Saudi Arabia, Bangladesh, and Russia, while Brazil dropped from the list. Nevertheless, there has been a recent decline in AI-related publications from Russia.
The comprehensive report, "Fostering collaboration: a study of scientific publications with authors in G20 countries," is available online for further exploration and analysis.
Click here to read the original press release.
