Significance of research networking for enhancing collaboration and research productivity

International collaboration is growing exponentially (1) and researchers from different institutions and countries increasingly work together as consortia focused around specific research questions. Such consortia are especially valuable for international health research because they offer interdisciplinary expertise and allow recruitment of patients in different settings (2). Establishing research networks and collaborations in the form of non-governmental organizations (NGO) and non-profit, voluntary participants’ groups provides the necessary flexibility to adapt to a wide spectrum of arising challenges. It enables shared learning, new research opportunities, establishing new research projects, joint applications for funds, and technology transfer (3). The collaborations increase citations of research manuscripts, especially if there is an international team of authors involved (4). Building research networks is particularly important for Central and Eastern Europe (CEE) countries, which have fragmented scientific community, small research groups, and scarce financing.