This book explores themes of managing the challenges in research collaboration due to a shared crisis; cultural, discipline, and race differences; social change and isolation; and cross-national issues. It concerns how a fruitful research collaboration is possible over several years despite these challenges, and the willingness to meet and contribute despite huge time and geographic differences. The book draws together the experience of a very fruitful research collaboration that led to significant scientific and academic outcomes during the COVID-19 pandemic. 

The chapters of the book are organized in three parts:

• Collaborative Research as a Concept: Foundations, Frameworks, Process, and Principles
• Fruits of Collaborative Research: Practices
• Fruitful Collaborative Research: Pragmatics

The authors examine diverse themes including cross-cultural issues; cultural understanding; collaboration across professional training, disciplines, and positions; uniqueness of collaborative research between races; the mutual focus and bindings of participation; distribution of tasks and first authorship; no free riders; prerequisites and satisfaction of good collaboration; fruits of hard work; pitfalls; and knowledge and understanding of diversity.

Despite the conditions being challenging, such as the non-optimal conditions the authors worked in, the collaboration was still fruitful. The authors built their relationships openly and grew their collaboration. They also shared reflections and lessons learnt including what got them going and kept them going, and what can be learnt from their experiences, not just in times of challenge but also in the calm of the storm. As a team, they broke down international barriers, proving technology can support collaboration, and they showed how a valued team can perform to its optimum.

Fruitful Research Collaboration: Experiences from a Multinational Interdisciplinary Research Collaboration serves as a guide for cross-national/international and other diverse research groups. The book is primarily intended for researchers in a broad range of areas, educators and academic staff, graduate and upper-level undergraduate students, clinicians in health and social care, leaders, cross-international collaborators from a broad area of expertise, and early career and mid-career researchers.

Amy Østerun Geirdal, BSW, MSc, PhD, is a professor in health-related social work at the Institute of Social Work, OsloMet, Oslo, Norway. She has experience as a health-related social worker, and in teaching and supervision at all educational levels at diverse Universities (Bachelor, Master, PhD). She has been head of a PhD program in social work and social policy, head of several research groups, and has research interests in health-related social work, mental health, coping, and well-being. She has an extensive publication record and is also an editor of books. 

Gary Lamph, BSW, PhD, is a Reader in Mental Health Nursing in a joint clinical academic position between Keele University and Midlands Partnership University Foundation Trust (MPFT) in England. He is a Registered Mental Health Nurse and BABCP-accredited Cognitive Behavioural Psychotherapist with 30 years’ mental health clinical experience and has worked across a wide range of mental health services, uniquely following new service developments in line with UK policy-led modernisations of mental health services and utilising evidence-based psychological interventions. He is a winner of several and prestigious awards and has worked at a number of higher education institutions including the University of Salford and University of Central Lancashire (UCLan). He holds a PhD from the University of Manchester, and his research focuses on mental health using a variety of analytic methods.

Daicia Price, BSW, PhD, LMSW, QMHP, CMHP, is a clinical associate professor of social work at the School of Social Work, University of Michigan, USA, where she teaches in various pathways and leads training programs. She has extensive experiences in juvenile justice, community mental health and housing. She completed her formal education from Eastern Michigan University, and her work focuses on social justice, well-being, and community organization.