Barnard, HelenaCowan, R.Muller, M.2012-06-062012-06-062012-05H. Barnard, R. Cowan & M. Muller, Global excellence at the expense of local diffusion, or a bridge between two worlds? Research in science and technology in the developing world, Research Policy, vol. 41, no. 4, pp. 756-769, (2012), doi:1 0.1016/j.respol.2011.12.0020048-7333 (print)1873-7625 (online)10.1016/j.respol.2011.12.002http://hdl.handle.net/2263/19124Do world-leading researchers from developing countries contribute to upgrading locally, or do they disengage from the local context? The paper investigates the scientific collaborations of university-based science and technology researchers in the database of the South African National Research Foundation (NRF), and analyses the co-authorships of researchers who were ranked by the NRF during the 2001–2007 period. To establish the extent to which a researcher can access knowledge outside the South African academic science and technology research community, and share it inside that community, we develop a measure of ‘gatekeeping’. The evidence suggests that there is not a local/global trade-off in knowledge creation in academia in the developing world, and that the world-leading researchers in developing countries may play an especially important role as conduits of new knowledge in their countryen© 2012 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.Science and technologyScientific collaborationsScientists -- Developing countriesEducation, Higher -- Research -- Developing countriesNational Research Foundation (South Africa) -- DatabasesCopyright (Joint tenancy) -- Developing countriesPostprint Article