ABSTRACT Transnational collaboration is critical for water‐security innovation, yet actor configurations and thematic priorities remain poorly characterized. We surveyed 92 Australian and Brazilian researchers from the Tropical Water Research Alliance (TWRA), analyzing 11 sets of binary variables on collaboration modes, stakeholders, implementation, and dissemination. Using principal component analysis (PCA) and PERMANOVA, we identified convergence around ecosystem integrity and water governance as central themes. Civil‐society and productive‐sector engagement remain limited. Australian researchers emphasized monitoring and formal ties; Brazilian researchers focused on land‐use and social SDGs. Most projects stall before deployment. Framed by the quintuple helix model, we propose strategies to enhance scale and impact.
Matei et al. (2026) studied this question.