2024 Action Guide: Strategies to strengthen inter- and transdisciplinarity in your research organization

Inter- and transdisciplinarity (ITD) are key research approaches pursued in academia to contribute to socially relevant solutions, by crossing not only disciplinary boundaries (interdisciplinarity), but also boundaries between science, policy and practice (transdisciplinarity). Integration across such boundaries is critical to the success of ITD approaches, a concept here encompassing both the process of combining diverse perspectives as well as the output that emerges from such a process. Although the importance of integration has increasingly been acknowledged and more and more ITD projects are funded, it remains a challenge to effectively put it into research practice. This is due, among other factors, to the discrepancy between such intent and the actual incentive structures within research organizations today, which tend to favor disciplinary approaches. As a result, academia not only runs the risk of (a) failing to deliver on its promise to contribute to socially relevant solutions, but also (b) forcing researchers with a strong ITD profile out of academia who encounter few to no career opportunities within the current structures over the long-term.

In order to strengthen ITD in research organizations, this action guide synthesizes insights from the literature, reflection workshops and interviews. It lays out a portfolio of actions in four key areas that reach their full potential when adopted in concert. They include:

1) providing organizational structures

2) diversifying hiring and promotion criteria
3) ensuring funding
4) arranging learning and mentoring.

This action guide aims to stimulate discussions and provide orientation for initiating change to create a culture for ITD research in your research organization. It will further help ITD researchers to optimally contribute to your organization’s ambitions to achieve impact in science, policy and practice.