Which of the following is a key reason why international collaborations can be challenging?

• A. Different countries have different traditions and customs which can make conducting a project difficult.
• B. Language barriers can lead to poor communication between collaborators from other countries.
• C. International collaborations are more expensive than projects done exclusively in-house because of the additional expenses associated with them such as travel, lodging, and amenities for attendees from outside the organization.
• D. In international collaborations the level of expertise is often varied across partners and this variable expertise, when added together, may not provide an adequate level of understanding required to complete a project successfully.
• E. All answers given are correct and the key reason why international collaborations can be challenging is that all answers given are correct.

Answer: The key reason why international collaborations can be challenging is that the language barrier can lead to poor communication between collaborators from other countries, which in turn can result in problems that affect the outcome of the project.

For example, a man who had been collaborating with Canadian researchers on a project could not attend an event where their final results were to be presented because his passport could not be renewed quickly enough due to work issues. Unfortunately, he also was unable to attend a meeting about plans for future research as well as any meetings discussing potential publication opportunities or proposals for future funding from outside sources. This individual’s absence from these key meetings resulted in a delay in the project’s finalization.

Additionally, international collaborations are more expensive than projects done exclusively in-house because of the additional expenses associated with them such as travel, lodging, and amenities for attendees from outside the organization.

For example, in one study it was estimated that an additional $1400-$2200 were spent per collaborator in comparison to a project sourced internally. This is due to the requirement of having separate rooms for visitors as well as the requirement of paying for their meals, snacks, transportation, and gifts.