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Learning Objective #1: describe the pros and cons to managing international research projects via the internet.

Learning Objective #2: identify the key circumstances that make the conduct of international research projects possible.

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Nursing research partnerships between the developing and developed world possess great potential for addressing the health care needs of vulnerable populations and strengthening health care systems. Yet in many places around the world, conducting research is not feasible due to lack of resources, knowledge, and skills to design, conduct, and manage research projects. The internet offers the potential to eliminate these barriers in a cost effective way. The authors sought to test the if it was possible to conduct and manage a research project involving a survey of nurses and physicians in Iraq via the internet. The authors designed a survey for Iraqi nurses and physicians and recruited a statistician to assist with data analysis. The research project was designed in the United States, approved by local authorities in Iraqi Kurdistan, and then data collected at the site.  The researchers collected a total of 1,745 surveys about reconstructing the health system from physicians (n=1,001) and nurses (n=744). Data was then sent via e-mail for analysis in the US. This presentation describes the challenges faced by the researchers in implementing the research project, data analysis, and makes recommendations for the conduct of similar research collaborations in the future.