Research infrastructures as catalysts for international collaboration and skill development

Global environmental challenges do not abide geopolitical borders but require international cooperation to address. The Global Ecosystem Research Infrastructure (GERI) was founded to address this need, building relationships and establishing data sharing practices among six of the largest environmental research infrastructures (ERIs) in the world, located on five continents. Early career researchers (ECRs) are essential to these global efforts, yet often face barriers to participation, including gaps in training and support. To understand how these ECRs could be better prepared and supported in this work, GERI distributed a survey to assess training needs, skills, and obstacles to international collaboration. The survey received responses from 577 researchers across 61 countries. Our findings reveal key differences between the Global North and Global South, as well as notable mismatches between the training ECRs receive and the skills they deem critical for research success, particularly when it comes to team science skills. ERIs serve a pivotal role in bridging these gaps. ERIs provide ECRs with unique opportunities for networking, skills development, and career advancement that are otherwise difficult to access. Participation in ERIs fosters transferable skills—such as data management, project management, and interdisciplinary collaboration—crucial for international projects and long-term career retention and advancement. By developing partnerships with ERIs and supporting targeted training programs, higher education institutions could better prepare ECRs for leadership in international science collaborations. Strengthening ECR engagement with ERIs is vital for building a resilient, globally connected scientific workforce capable of addressing the grand challenges of the future.