In an era defined by interconnectedness and the pursuit of solutions to complex global challenges, research collaboration has emerged as a cornerstone of innovation and progress. Understanding the dynamics of co-publications can provide valuable evidence for demonstrating the societal relevance and impact of interdisciplinary research, thereby enhancing the competitiveness of grant proposals and research initiatives. This study examines the extent of connections in co-publications under the IMPACT initiative at “Lorraine Université d’Excellence”, France, over the period 2016-2024. The aim of the IMPACT framework was to fund projects with a high scientific added-value. Many of the research topics addressed within the IMPACT Initiative, such as environmental sustainability, public health, and social inequalities, were indeed of global significance. Utilizing bibliometric data from HAL and OpenAlex databases, we provide insights into the collaborative networks and disciplinary integration within these projects, taking a particular interest in co-publications as a means to study: (i) co-authorship of papers (individual level), (ii) multi-laboratory collaborations (institutional level), (iii) interdisciplinarity in research teams. Our study underscores the increasing number of multi-laboratory and multi-author publications as well as the diversity of disciplines involved. However, it also points to the limitations and challenges of this interdisciplinarity. The role of humanities and social sciences (HSS) in collaborative research endeavors is also discussed.