International Research Collaborations: The Experiences of South African and United States Researchers Learning to Adapt during the COVID-19 Pandemic
Open Access DepositedThe purpose of this basic qualitative study is to understand the experiences of learning to adapt of university researchers engaged in international research collaborations (IRCs) during the complex environment created by the COVID-19 pandemic in the context of South Africa and the United States. The research questions framing this study were 1). How do university researchers from South Africa and the U.S. describe their collaborative research experiences during COVID-19?; 2). How do university researchers from South Africa and the U.S. learn to adapt during COVID-19?; and 3). What facilitated and hindered their learning to adapt in their collaboration during COVID-19? The questions were explored through a lens of complexity theory and adaptive learning. Eleven interviews were conducted with individuals engaged in IRCs in South Africa and the United States over the course of a month. Three themes emerged over the course of the study: factors facilitating collaborations, factors hindering collaboration, and learning to adapt through contingency plans. Conclusions were drawn which included the role of flexibility and self-organizing during the complex environment created by the COVID-19 pandemic. Networks and innovation in promoting mutual benefit in IRCs. Finally, the centrality of technology in facilitating fluid communication and aiding in adaptive learning practices during the pandemic.
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