Transdisciplinarity: An inclusive discourse
ENHANCERIA teams up with te.ma to launch interactive platform on transdisciplinarity
Will We All Soon Be Researchers?
In almost all social debates in recent years – whether it’s about fake news, the corona pandemic, or climate change – there is a common demand: science must provide answers and climb down from its ivory tower! Universities are taking up this demand and developing strategies for transdisciplinary science. Transdisciplinary means an integrative approach that examines everyday problems beyond the boundaries of classic disciplines and with the involvement of social, non-university stakeholders.
Research on current debates and with academic laypeople? Does this mean that everyone becomes researchers? Does the academic world risk letting populism dictate its topics and throwing established methods overboard? At the same time, it seems clear that scientific knowledge needs to be communicated better and that science cannot ignore the needs, concerns, and questions of society.
For the mutual benefit of science and society, fundamental debates about transdisciplinary practices and methods are needed. The academic community must open spaces in which these debates take place and advance the institutionalization of transdisciplinarity. These discussions must not only be conducted across disciplinary boundaries but also internationally, because “society” can no longer be defined along national borders. This is the only way transdisciplinarity can contribute to finding global solutions for more sustainable development.
The European University Alliance ENHANCE is one such space. Ten research-strong technical universities have decided, among other things, to discuss the topic of transdisciplinarity in Europe and to exchange knowledge and methods on this subject. In the new collaborative channel from te.ma and ENHANCE, we invite you to take part in this exciting discussion!
New Collaborative Platform Launch
We are thrilled to announce our collaboration with te.ma on a new channel dedicated to the cause of transdisciplinarity: bridging the gap between science and society!
🤝🔬 Together with te.ma, the ENHANCE Alliance is proud to present our research and strategic work on the institutionalization of transdisciplinarity. This cooperative English-language channel will explore the concept’s meaning, value, and necessity, as well as the challenges of promoting transdisciplinarity in technical universities. We’ll also discuss its implementation through a mutual learning environment and criteria for successful knowledge transfer.
We are excited to work closely with our team members, Kathrin Wieck and Katarzyna Rostek, and have Julian A. Rott as our editor for this channel. A big thank you to Paul Forberger for helping to make this collaborative project happen.
Together, we will showcase how an exchange of knowledge between science and society can look and how it can help foster sustainable development in the face of transformation challenges.
🔗 Learn more about our collaboration and join the conversation over on te.ma!
About ENHANCERIA
ENHANCERIA is funded as part of the Science with and for Society (SwafS) programme of Horizon 2020. Its mission is to build effective cooperations between science and society, enhancing capacities and developing innovative ways to connect science to the broader community. The main objective of ENHANCERIA is to support and strengthen the research and innovation dimensions of ENHANCE, the European Universities of Technology Alliance. This involves developing a transformation agenda that emphasizes the role of universities as drivers and enablers of sustainable development.
This project explores practices, structures, and different ways of working across the Alliance. Its aim is to establish and widen international networks of employees within research and innovation by developing models for collaboration, making recommendations for implementation, and disseminating and exchanging models and practices. Through ENHANCERIA, the Alliance aims to identify challenges and barriers at both institutional and European levels, and to develop new initiatives to be funded through internal, national, and international sources, thereby increasing the internationalisation of research and innovation activities.
