Interdisciplinary and transdisciplinary research and practice: Balancing expectations of the 'old' academy with the future model of universities as 'problem solvers'
Publikation: Beiträge in Zeitschriften › Zeitschriftenaufsätze › Forschung › begutachtet
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in: Higher Education Quaterly, Jahrgang 74, Nr. 1, 01.01.2020, S. 19-34.
Publikation: Beiträge in Zeitschriften › Zeitschriftenaufsätze › Forschung › begutachtet
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TY - JOUR
T1 - Interdisciplinary and transdisciplinary research and practice
T2 - Balancing expectations of the 'old' academy with the future model of universities as 'problem solvers'
AU - Fam, Dena
AU - Clarke, Elizabeth
AU - Freeth, Rebecca
AU - Derwort, Pim
AU - Klaniecki, Kathleen Theresa
AU - Kater-Wettstädt, Lydia
AU - Juarez Bourke, Sadhbh
AU - Hilser, Stefan
AU - Peukert, Daniela
AU - Meyer, Esther Maria
AU - Horcea-Milcu, Andra Ioana
PY - 2020/1/1
Y1 - 2020/1/1
N2 - Academics are increasingly required to balance the expectations of the ‘old’ academy with a future model of universities as interdisciplinary and transdisciplinary ‘problem solvers’. This paper highlights changing expectations of academics in producing alternative research outcomes in collaborative, practice-based research. Through a series of workshops with 20 researchers, preferred research outcomes and tensions in achieving these outcomes were identified. The tensions identified are presented as three dichotomies comprising the tension between: (a) ‘I versus We’ - individual versus team expectations & outcomes. (b) Disciplinary outcomes versus inter-/transdisciplinary outcomes. (c) Learning versus research objectives for the students and academics involved. These tensions reflect the authors' experiences of working in three international sustainability projects, drawing on lessons learned from these projects, with recommendations for universities seeking to implement interdisciplinary and transdisciplinary doctoral and postdoctoral programmes. Recommendations include the need for formal and informal leadership models, strong communication skills, empathy and willingness to learn from each other. A need for more systemic changes within university administration to better reward and value the breadth and depth of collaborative work, while facilitating open learning cultures and practice-oriented learning opportunities and curricula across faculties was also identified.
AB - Academics are increasingly required to balance the expectations of the ‘old’ academy with a future model of universities as interdisciplinary and transdisciplinary ‘problem solvers’. This paper highlights changing expectations of academics in producing alternative research outcomes in collaborative, practice-based research. Through a series of workshops with 20 researchers, preferred research outcomes and tensions in achieving these outcomes were identified. The tensions identified are presented as three dichotomies comprising the tension between: (a) ‘I versus We’ - individual versus team expectations & outcomes. (b) Disciplinary outcomes versus inter-/transdisciplinary outcomes. (c) Learning versus research objectives for the students and academics involved. These tensions reflect the authors' experiences of working in three international sustainability projects, drawing on lessons learned from these projects, with recommendations for universities seeking to implement interdisciplinary and transdisciplinary doctoral and postdoctoral programmes. Recommendations include the need for formal and informal leadership models, strong communication skills, empathy and willingness to learn from each other. A need for more systemic changes within university administration to better reward and value the breadth and depth of collaborative work, while facilitating open learning cultures and practice-oriented learning opportunities and curricula across faculties was also identified.
KW - Transdisciplinary studies
KW - Sustainability Science
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85069689012&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1111/hequ.12225
DO - 10.1111/hequ.12225
M3 - Journal articles
VL - 74
SP - 19
EP - 34
JO - Higher Education Quaterly
JF - Higher Education Quaterly
SN - 1468-2273
IS - 1
ER -