International Scientific Collaboration Is Needed to Bridge Science to Society: USERN2020 Consensus Statement

Abstract

Scientific collaboration has been a critical aspect of the development of all fields of science, particularly clinical medicine. It is well understood that myriads of benefits can be yielded by interdisciplinary and international collaboration. For instance, our rapidly growing knowledge on COVID-19 and vaccine development could not be attained without expanded collaborative activities. However, achieving fruitful results requires mastering specific tactics in collaborative efforts. These activities can enhance our knowledge, which ultimately benefits society. In addition to tackling the issue of the invisible border between different countries, institutes, and disciplines, the border between the scientific community and society needs to be addressed as well. International and transdisciplinary approaches can potentially be the best solution for bridging science and society. The Universal Scientific Education and Research Network (USERN) is a non-governmental, non-profit organization and network to promote professional, scientific research and education worldwide. The fifth annual congress of USERN was held in Tehran, Iran, in a hybrid manner on November 7–10, 2020, with key aims of bridging science to society and facilitating borderless science. Among speakers of the congress, a group of top scientists unanimously agreed on The USERN 2020 consensus, which is drafted with the goal of connecting society with scientific scholars and facilitating international and interdisciplinary scientific activities in all fields, including clinical medicine.

Post-Traumatic Growth in Professionals Caring for People with Intellectual Disabilities during COVID-19: A Psychological Intervention

“…The results of our research have important clinical and practical implications, since again it was observed that vulnerable populations, such as people with ID, suffer many consequences from critical situations such as the COVID-19 pandemic [ 12 , 57 , 58 , 59 ]. In fact, the study by Cuschieri and Grech [ 57 ] observed that those with non-communicable diseases had a 6.55% higher risk of COVID-19 infection and often required hospital admission, mainly because of their vulnerability.…”

“…Therefore, the COVID-19 pandemic offers us the opportunity to promote health and social policies in vulnerable groups through interdisciplinary and biopsychosocial approaches, and indeed international collaboration, and the opportunity to understand where to act and what to modify. As a result, these vulnerable people will not be more affected in future critical situations because of their challenging conditions, diagnoses, or chronic diseases [ 57 , 58 , 59 ].…”

International Collaboration: Benefits and Challenges

“…development [5]. The academic community has recently emphasized the importance of working together in research and development [6,7].…”

“…Collaborating with international researchers provides access to experts, resources, and funding and enhances productivity and visibility. Borderless scientific mentorship supports young students [5].…”

Michael Servetus, Doctor of Medicine—Reply

“…But another thinking is going to be formed that this specializing is not completely ideal, and the holistic view could be beneficial to better understanding the world and science. Some international scientific collaborations and networks of scientists, like Universal Scientific Education and Research Network (USERN), follow this idea dealing with facilitating borderless science . Therefore, it seems that integration of the atomistic and holistic views would create the future of science.…”