Identifying the components of developing scientific collaboration among faculty members in the field of educational sciences

A B S T R A C T

Objective: The main objective of the present study was to identify the components of developing scientific collaboration among faculty members in the field of Educational Sciences. Methodology: This study was fundamentally purposive in aim and employed a qualitative approach. To identify the factors and components of developing scientific collaboration, purposive criterion sampling was used to conduct in-depth interviews with 17 experts, including higher education specialists, educational psychologists, university educational administrators, and faculty members in the Educational Sciences at public universities in Tehran. The interview findings were analyzed using thematic analysis with a themes-network approach. The credibility of the qualitative data was confirmed through peer review. Finding: Results indicated that the overarching theme “development of scientific collaboration” comprised nine organizing themes (reform of formal policies and mechanisms; culture building; collaborative training outside the university system; research management; scientific communication; research environment; research ethics; openness to criticism and scholarly deliberation; and individual attitudes) and 27 basic themes. Conclusion: According to the findings, the development of scientific collaboration in Educational Sciences results from the interaction of policy, institutional, and individual factors and cannot be reduced to a single cause. In this regard, aligning macro level policies with research management mechanisms and improving the research environment, together with institutionalizing a culture of collaboration and research ethics, serve as prerequisites for strengthening scientific interactions; moreover, enhancing collaboration competencies and orienting individual attitudes play a decisive role in the sustainability and effectiveness of collaborative research networks.

. In this regard, aligning macro level policies with research management mechanisms and improving the research environment, together with institutionalizing a culture of collaboration and research ethics, serve as prerequisites for strengthening scientific interactions; moreover, enhancing collaboration competencies and orienting individual attitudes play a decisive role in the sustainability and effectiveness of collaborative research networks.