Scientific connectivity of European Regions: towards a typology of cooperative schemes

The production of science (basic research) is often a collaborative activity. We call scientific connectivity the measure of such collaborative behavior, as reflected in the co-publication statistics. The connectivity can be analyzed in its global intensity but also in qualitative terms: with whom does a researcher work and publish. This article focus on the various forms of connectivity characterizing the scientific activities in Europe, viewed from a regional perspective. Are those networks local or global? Are they embedded in national systems? Is there an increasing tendency to collaborate between regions at European level? Such questions (and others) are addressed by constructing a typology of scientific connectivity in European regions (NUTS2) and observing its evolution over time (1999-2012). As a significant component of regional innovation systems (RIS), the types of scientific connectivity must be considered as a key issue for regional policies. Our results challenge political issues like specialization strategies, lock-in phenomenon, national and European policies for territorial development and cohesion, concentration of excellence, etc.