Contemporary global research cultures: results from a global survey about research conditions

Background The global research and higher education landscape has expanded enormously within the last 30 years. Bibliometric data reveal the increase in knowledge production, co-authorship patterns and collaborations. There are, however, only limited data that allow for comparing the research conditions among the different regions in the world that cover different disciplines and status groups. Existing surveys on research conditions are restricted to specific groups of countries, mainly in the global north. Method Against this background, we present the results of a global survey on research conditions, conducted in partnership with the platform ResearchGate. The study draws data from more than 5,000 researchers from around the world. The study addressed key dimensions of professional environment: individual resources, perceived research conditions, work satisfaction. and network embeddedness. The survey data were enriched with other secondary data on the country level, namely, V-Dem data base as well as data on economic performance (GNI per capita). Results The results reveal significant regional disparities in funding, infrastructure, and time for research and teaching, with academics in the Global North reporting greater satisfaction and more time for research compared to their counterparts in the Global South. Academics in autocratic regimes report satisfaction with their infrastructure, although external funding remains limited. The findings demonstrate the diversity of research conditions in the organizational settings, career incentives, and institutional conditions. These findings complement bibliometric data showing rapid publication growth in autocratic countries and a tendency towards international collaboration and highlight the diversity and complexity of global research cultures, contributing to a richer understanding of epistemic diversity.