Skip to main content
Log in

Network collaboration in the 6th Framework Programmes: country participation in the health thematic area

  • Published:
Scientometrics Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

This paper aims to explore the role of each country in the health thematic area of the 6th Framework Programme (6FP) of the EU. We try to explain how the collaborative research processes are generated in a research programme using social network analysis (SNA) tools. We have modelled a one-mode network set up by 2,132 organizations which participate in 601 research projects. This network was shrunk at the country level, obtaining a network of 31 countries. Results show that there is a strong relationship between R&D indicators and the structural position of each country in the network. The paper concludes that the SNA techniques are a suitable tool to assess the country performance in the EU research programmes.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Fig. 1
Fig. 2
Fig. 3

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Avedas AG, CWTS Leiden University, Fas.Research, Stockholm School of Economics. (2009). Structuring effects of community research––the impact of the framework programme on research and technological development (RTD) on network formation. Final Draft Report NetPact.

  • Barabasi, A. L., & Albert, R. (1999). Emergence of scaling in random networks. Science, 286(5439), 509–512.

    Article  MathSciNet  Google Scholar 

  • Barabasi, A., Jeong, H., Neda, Z., Ravasz, E., Schubert, A., & Vicsek, T. (2002). Evolution of the social network of scientific collaborations. Physica A, 311(3–4), 590–614.

    Article  MATH  MathSciNet  Google Scholar 

  • Barber, M. J., Krueger, A., Krueger, T., & Roediger-Schulga, T. (2006). The network of European research and development projects. Physical Review E (Statistical, Nonlinear and Soft Matter Physics), 73(3), 1–13.

    Google Scholar 

  • Borgatti, S. P., Everett, M. G., & Freeman, L. C. (2002). Ucinet for windows: Software for social network analysis. Harvard, MA: Analytic Technologies.

    Google Scholar 

  • Braun, M., Lepori, B., Reale, E., Slipersaeter, S., Kaloudis, A., Filiatreau, G., et al. (2009). Tools and indicators for community research evaluation and monitoring. Final report.

  • Breschi, S., & Cusmano, L. (2004). Unveiling the texture of a European research area: Emergence of oligarchic networks under the EU Framework Programmes. International Journal of Technology Management, 27(8), 747–772.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Bundesministerium für Bildung und Forschung. (BMBF). (2009). Studie zur deutschen Beteiligung am 6. Forschungsrahmenprogramm der Europäischen Union. Berlin: BMBF. http://www.forschungsrahmenprogramm.de/_media/ZEW-Studie_Print.pdf.

  • Cabo, P. G. (1999). Industrial participation and knowledge transfer in joint R&D projects. International Journal of Technology Management, 18(3–4), 188–206.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • e-CORDA. (2010). Welcome to eCORDA: Common research data warehouse. https://webgate.ec.europa.eu/e-corda/.

  • European Comission. (2008). FP6 final review: Subscription, implementation, participation. Brussel: Research Directorate General. http://ec.europa.eu/research/reports/2008/pdf/fp6-final-review.pdf.

  • Freeman, L. C. (1979). Centrality in networks: I. conceptual clarification. Social Networks, 1, 215–239.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Freeman, L. C. (1980). The gatekeeper, pair-dependency, and structural centrality. Quality & Quantity, 14, 585–592.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Fruchtermann, T. M. J., & Reingold, E. M. (1991). Graph drawing by force-directed placement. Software Practice and Experience, 21(11), 1129–1164.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Gusmao, R. (2000). Developing and using indicators of multilateral S&T cooperation for policy making: The experience from European research programmes. Scientometrics, 47(3), 493–514.

    Article  MathSciNet  Google Scholar 

  • Gusmao, R. (2001). Research networks as a means of European integration. Technology in Society, 23, 383–393.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Kuitunen, S., Haila, K., Kauppinen, I., Syrjanen, M., Vanhanen, J., Ahonen, P. P., et al. (2008). Finns in the EU 6th framework programme: Evaluation of participations and networks, evaluation report. Helsinki: Tekes.

    Google Scholar 

  • Larrue, Ph., Cadiou, Y., Laurens, P., & Arnold, E. (2009). Bibliometrics profiling of framework programme participants, final report and executive summary. Brussels: European Policy Evaluation Consortium.

    Google Scholar 

  • Lepori, B., van der Besselaar, P., Dinges, M., van der Meulen, B., Poti, B., Reale, E., et al. (2007). Indicators for comparative analysis of public project funding: Concepts, implementation and evaluation. Research Evaluation, 16(4), 243–255.

    Google Scholar 

  • Leydesdorff, L. (2004). Clusters and maps of science journals based on bi-connected graphs in journal citation reports. Journal of Documentation, 60(4), 371–427.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Newman, M. E. J. (2001). Scientific collaboration networks. I. Network construction and fundamental results. Physical Review E, 64(1), 016131.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Nooy, W. D. E., Mrevar, A., & Batagelj, V. (2005). Exploratory social network analysis with Pajek. Cambridge, UK: Cambridge University Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Ortega, J. L., & Aguillo, I. F. (2008). Network collaboration in life sciences 6th framework programme. 10th international conference on science and technology indicators, Vienna, Austria.

  • Pastor-Satorras, R., & Vespignani, A. (2001). Epidemic spreading in scale-free networks. Physical Review Letters, 86(14), 3200–3203.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Polis, G. A., & Strong, D. R. (1996). Food web complexity and community dynamics. The American Naturalist, 147(5), 813–846.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Roediger-Schulga, T., & Barber, M. J. (2007). R&D collaboration networks in the European Framework Programmes: Data processing, network construction and selected results (pp. 1–39). Maastricht: United Nation University.

    Google Scholar 

  • Roediger-Schulga, T., & Dachs, B. (2006). Does technology affect network structure? A quantitative analysis of collaborative research projects in two specific EU programmes (pp. 1–29). Maastricht: United Nation University.

    Google Scholar 

  • Small, H. (1999). Visualizing science by citation mapping. Journal of the American Society for Information Science, 50(9), 799–813.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Swiss State Secretariat for Education and Research. (2007). European union research Framework Programmes. Bern: SER. http://www.sbf.admin.ch/htm/themen/international/eu-frp_en.html.

  • Valverde, S., Sole, R. V., Bedau, M. A., & Packard, N. (2007). Topology and evolution of technology innovation networks. Physical Review E, 76(5), 056118.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Wagner, C. S., & Leydesdorff, L. (2005). Network structure, self-organization, and the growth of international collaboration in science. Research Policy, 34(10), 1608–1618.

    Article  Google Scholar 

Download references

Acknowledgements

We wish to thank the R&D Framework Programmes Department of the Centre for the Development of Industrial Technology (CDTI) of Spain for their support and the supply of 6th EU Framework Programme data. We also wish to thank to the anonymous referee for the valuable suggestions and recommendations.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Corresponding author

Correspondence to José Luis Ortega.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Ortega, J.L., Aguillo, I.F. Network collaboration in the 6th Framework Programmes: country participation in the health thematic area. Scientometrics 84, 835–844 (2010). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11192-010-0212-x

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11192-010-0212-x

Keywords

Navigation