Collaborative research for sustainable regional-development: experiences from “learning economies” Italy-Serbia bilateral project

Abstract

Worldwide, researchers are working together to achieve the common goal of producing new scientific knowledge. Development of ICT facilitated communication, exchange of information and collaboration between scientists, and paved the way to increase in number, size and diversity of collaborative research projects. The number of the research partnerships is also growing because they are considered to be the critical element of the innovation landscape and the knowledge-based economy. As such, they stand at the core of national and subnational research and innovation strategies, and are supported by the wide range of funding programmes. This trend is about to continue in the future. Nevertheless, very few studies investigate experiences and lessons learned from collaboration. This paper presents and analyse the process, forms and the effects of collaboration in the „Learning Economies. Modelling Community-Led Local Development for the Sustainable Economic Trajectories of the Negotin and ZlatiborRegions“Italy-Serbia bilateral research project. Based on the concept of territorialisation as crucial for regional sustainability, and by appreciating different “ways of knowing” that intersect in face-to face communication, it attempts to theorise and discuss the role of workshops (as spatially localised and material events) in collaborative research, in ever more virtual and global research environment.