Science policy for a highly collaborative science system

The UK science system consists of institutions that produce scientific and technical knowledge and the collaborations between them. Collaboration between institutions, as measured using co-authored scientific papers, is increasing steadily. Collaboration between individuals, indicated by papers with more than one author, has been increasing for a long time. Collaboration between institutions in different countries has increased at a constant rate for over 20 years. By the turn of the century institutional collaboration will probably account for more than 50% of UK scientific output: it will become the rule not the exception, and science policy will need to accommodate this pervasive cooperation. We discuss how policy for science might have to adapt to a highly connected research system. Copyright , Beech Tree Publishing.