Over a third of all articles published in international journals are internationally collaborative, up from a quarter 15 years ago, according to Knowledge, Networks and Nations, a Royal Society project.

The report "surveys the global scientific landscape in 2011, noting the shift to an increasingly multipolar world underpinned by the rise of new scientific powers such as China, India and Brazil; as well as the emergence of scientific nations in the Middle East, South-East Asia and North Africa. The scientific world is becoming much more interconnected."

The research was conducted in partnership with Elsevier, and made five key recommendations:

• Support for international science should be maintained and strengthened
• Internationally collaborative science should be encouraged, supported and facilitated
• National and international strategies for science are required to address global challenges
• International capacity building is crucial to ensure that the impacts of scientific research are shared globally
• Better indicators are required in order to properly evaluate global science