The opening plenary session was then follow ed by contrasting presentations from Professor Ian Diamond, Chief Executive of the UKE conomic and Social Research Council and Chair of Research Councils UK, Professor Adelani Ogunrinade, Vice-Chancellor of the National University of Lesotho, and Dr Christ ine Boesz, Inspector General of the US Nat ional Science Foundation. Professor Diamond illustrated the approaches to internation alis ation being taken by the UK Research Councils, whilst Professor Ogunrinade dem on strated that both developing and developed nations face the same people-related chall enges in achieving research excellence, though some have the additional challenges of less robust infra structure. Dr Boesz, meanwhile, discussed some of the ethical and governance issues that can arise, and how an international context for research adds to both the complexity and the need for the development of inter-organ isational relations.