if any, will your Super visor play in the collaboration? Is your Super visor and organisation happy for you to provide poten- tially ver y academically or financially valuable information to people outside your organisation? What sor t of official paper- work, such as a Materials Transfer Agreement or Confidential- ity Agreement, does your organisation require before you can pursue a research collaboration?
In addition, if you are approached to par ticipate in a re- search collaboration then you should cer tainly apply the is- sues raised earlier regarding seeking a research Super visor with respect to potential research collaborators. What is their background? How do they carr y out their research processes, and will it be beneficial or even possible for you to work col- laboratively with them?
Many research collaborations are extremely productive for all involved, and last for extended periods. Other collaborations may be of a more defined nature with shor ter time frames and may involve the donation of laborator y reagents or translation of social texts. Healthy productive research collaborations may wax and wane so whatever collaboration you enter into during your research career, it is essential that you have strategically thought through the overall benefits to your career.
Networking on the other hand, is something that usually lasts much longer and is much less tangible, but is also es- sential for your career.