Network analysis to evaluate cross-disciplinary research collaborations: The Human Sensing Research Center, Korea

Government-funded research collaborations have received increased attention in science and engineering policies. Public support programs designed to encourage group research efforts by university research centers may have direct/indirect effects on the way they build cross-disciplinary linkages and research collaboration networks. We present empirical evidence on how the group research support program affects the formation of research collaboration networks. This study utilized a method of network analysis as an evaluation tool to address whether the Science/Engineering Research Center program, the first government-sponsored university research center program in Korea, has been successful in forming research collaboration networks that promote cross-disciplinary group research activities. The results shows that the research collaboration networks are implemented by the group research support program as intended. They lead to relational dynamics which promote dissemination of knowledge across a broad range of research fields and combine research activities related to the different science and engineering capabilities and expertise.