The research ecosystem is changing rapidly and profoundly, Elsevier/Ipsos MORI study shows | EurekAlert! Science News

"In 10 years' time, the academic world will see new funding models, methods of collaboration, and ways of conceptualizing research and measuring its impact - all driven by advances in technology, an empirical study, conducted by information analytics business Elsevier and market research organization Ipsos MORI, showed.

Tech advances are also likely to make research practice and publication faster, and more open. Researchers can expect to benefit from greater career flexibility, better feedback on their work and improved reproducibility.

These are some of the findings presented in the new report, "Research Futures - drivers and scenarios for the next decade". The report is the result of a year-long, scenario-planning study, drawing on the opinions of more than 2,000 researchers globally, interviews with more than 50 expert stakeholders around the world (including futurists, publishers, funders and technology experts), and a comprehensive review of published literature.

The report lays out three plausible future scenarios showing how the world of research could transform over the next decade. These are [full summaries of each scenario are at the end]:

• "Brave open world" - considers the rise of open science;
• "Tech titans" - examines the growing influence and dominance of technology and technology companies; and
• "Eastern ascendance" - considers a fragmented world in which China plays a key role...."