The unprecedented COVID-19 outbreak at the end of 2019 has produced a worldwide health crisis. Scientific research, especially international research collaboration, is crucial to deal successfully with the epidemic. This article aims to review the response modes, and especially the international collaboration characteristic, of the academic community to similar public health events in the past. Based on relevant studies of four major public health emergencies in the past, the major public health emergencies were regarded as ‘new knowledge’ in the academic field. By using knowledge diffusion indicators, such as the breadth and speed of diffusion, and combined with the development characteristics of the event, this article explores the diffusion characteristics of the four major public health emergencies in the academic exchange system and then identifies the academic community’s response mode to the outbreaks. In addition, the characteristics of international collaboration in response to the public health events and the impact of international collaboration on the academic community’s response are analysed. Through the analysis of the international collaboration network, the cooperative groups and core countries in the research collaboration network related to the major public health emergencies are obtained. In terms of COVID-19, it is found that the response speed and intensity of scientists have been significantly improved, but more focus should be given to international collaboration. Our findings could be beneficial to both decision-makers and researchers in policy formulation and conducting research, respectively, to optimally deal with COVID-19 and possible outbreaks in the future.

2019 年底前所未有的 COVID-19 爆发引发了全球健康危机。科学研究，特别是国际研究合作，对于成功应对这一流行病至关重要。本文旨在回顾学术界对过去类似公共卫生事件的反应模式，特别是国际合作的特点。基于以往对四大突发公共卫生事件的相关研究，重大突发公共卫生事件被视为学术界的“新知识”。通过运用知识传播的广度、传播速度等指标，并结合事件的发展特点，本文探讨了学术交流系统中四大突发公共卫生事件的扩散特征，进而确定了学术界对疫情的应对模式。此外，还分析了国际合作应对公共卫生事件的特点以及国际合作对学术界应对的影响。通过对国际合作网络的分析，得到与重大突发公共卫生事件相关的研究合作网络中的合作群体和核心国家。就COVID-19而言，发现科学家的反应速度和强度都有显着提高，但应更加重视国际合作。