Research Capacity Building and Overcoming Communication Challenges: Insights from a Multi-Country Erasmus+ CBHE Project

Abstract

This study examines how the Building Social Research Capacity in Higher Education Institutions in Lao PDR and Malaysia (BRECIL) Erasmus+ CBHE Project strengthened research capacity while navigating multilingual communication challenges. The consortium comprised seven partners: two from Malaysia, two from Laos, and three from Europe (the Netherlands, Germany, and Sweden). Within this multilingual context, the study addressed three questions: (i) How did the project build institutional and individual research capacity? (ii) What language and communication barriers constrained collaboration? (iii) Which strategies supported effective knowledge exchange? Using a qualitative approach, data were drawn from project reports, interviews with academic staff, and participant reflections. Thematic analysis highlighted processes of capacity building, academic communication, and cross-cultural collaboration. Findings indicate that the project enhanced institutional structures, improved staff skills in academic writing and digital methods, and created opportunities for international collaboration. Challenges included limited English proficiency, low confidence in publishing, and intercultural communication gaps. Yet the consortium’s linguistic diversity enriched discussions and promoted intercultural learning. Writing workshops, mentoring in publication, and structured language support were particularly effective in reducing barriers to academic writing, publishing, and cross-cultural communication. The study concludes that research capacity building in multilingual partnerships should integrate linguistic and intercultural support. It demonstrates how Erasmus+ collaborations can strengthen research culture while transforming linguistic diversity into a resource for innovation and sustainable academic development.