The Network of EU-Funded Collaborative R&D Projects

Abstract

We describe collaboration networks consisting of research projects funded by the European Union and the organizations involved in those projects. The networks are of substantial size and complexity, but are important to understand due to the significant impact they could have on research policies and national economies in the EU. In empirical determinations of the network properties, we observe characteristics similar to other collaboration networks, including scale-free degree distributions, small diameter, and high clustering. We present some plausible models for the formation and structure of networks with the observed properties.

18 pages, 12 figures, 3 tables. Moderate extensions. Added description of some simulation results, and improved theoretical models. Included new figures to illustrate additions

References in corpus (4)

• Statistical mechanics of complex networks
• The "Cameo Principle" and the Origin of Scale-Free Graphs in Social Networks
• Small World Graphs by the iterated "My Friends are Your Friends'' Principle
• Do extremists impose the structure of social networks?

Cited by in corpus (7)

• Analyzing and Modeling Real-World Phenomena with Complex Networks: A Survey of Applications
• Modularity and community detection in bipartite networks
• Weighted Network of Chinese Nature Science Basic Research
• Phase transitions in social networks
• Collaborate, compete and share
• Mapping leadership and communities in EU-funded research through network analysis
• Community Structure and Topical Differentiation in European RTD Collaborations