The world has problems, universities have faculties: How to promote interdisciplinarity in academic institutions

Another aim was to propose innovative structures to serve as bridges between disciplines and to remember the importance of inter-, multi- and trans- disciplinary continuity from primary education onwards. He hoped that the workshop could move towards strategies that will enable faculties to encourage and facilitate transdisciplinary training and research whilst still maintaining specialisation.

Discussion on one of the three round tables ranged from the difficulties of 'case studies' to some success stories for encouraging interdisciplinary studies. Michel Francard, from the Université Catholique de Louvain in Belgium cited his university's success in enforcing a system of major and minor subjects for students. It was noted, however, that in some Swiss institutions, a survey showed an equal and polarised split in the student body when it came to judging worth of interdisciplinary study. Other barriers cited were a lack of motivation from the students if interdisciplinary study is forced upon them, and the question whether students have the maturity to make these decisions. The group was in agreement that the value of interdisciplinary study was not incorporated into the university or funding structure, making it difficult for researchers to force these changes. A knock-on effect from this is that people in the position of mentors at the university do not appreciate the importance of interdisciplinary study- and therefore do not advise or encourage students on this path. The value of teaching is an important basis to these issues, one that could be solved at a university level by rewarding excellent teachers.
As one participant provocatively said, "The world has problems, universities have faculties".

Beth Krasna, Consultant, chairing another of the tables, started out by asking how interdisciplinarity could be promoted at universities. The group agreed that at present, researchers who take the time to engage in interdisciplinary projects or in dialogue with the public were penalised by the current system. Recognition is awarded to scientists on the basis of their publications and less for their teaching or interdisciplinary efforts. At the same time, in the interests of efficiency, students are encouraged to specialise early. To enable students to engage in interdisciplinary projects, a basis of knowledge would already have to be built during primary and secondary school. During these years, learning should be broad and introduce interdisciplinary approaches, through practical projects for example. At the same time specialisation in tertiary education should not be neglected. Universities should foster a culture of interdisciplinarity, by encouraging informal meetings through architectural measures or extracurricular activities in sports and fine arts; by including presentations of interdisciplinary projects at scientific conferences and by identifying key interdisciplinary areas. The participants expressed concern and disagreement on a number of points; the call for a stronger focus on economics, the question of whether interdisciplinary courses should be compulsory, and who should make the decision on funding for interdisciplinary projects - universities alone or with the input or control by outside specialists or politicians.

Zalina Ismail, School of Health Sciences, Universiti Sains Malaysia, reported on the conclusions of the third round table. After defining transdisciplinarity as "a collaboration across several groups, comprising both social and natural sciences", the participants felt that the current governance was based on monodisciplinarity and that structures would have to be adapted to empower universities to promote transdisciplinarity. While these delegates also agreed that specialisation was essential, they stressed that the academic approach and curriculum will have to be changed to enable more cooperation, in conjunction with better funding for transdisciplinary projects. They concluded that it isn't necessary to change the subject matter of teaching, so much as the mindset of how we think about and approach research problems. The problem with implementing inter- or transdisciplinarity within academic institutions is therefore a psychological one.

Georges Haddad used his workshop summary presentation to all the delegates of the meeting to state his own convictions on the matter. He stressed the importance of early education, calling for new approaches in "teaching the teachers" to promote the capacity for interdisciplinarity. Today's students would have to be able to choose the subjects and courses they wish study, while being encouraged to specialise in a domain and also retain a wide interest in the humanities. Interdisciplinarity could also be developed after a period of specialisation, especially in the life-long learning scheme. Pointing to the much-promoted international mobility of students he also called for intra-university mobility. G. Haddad stated that the private sector priority was not to have ready-made professionals, but rather graduates with curiosity, adaptability and critical capacity. Universities and scientists should be encouraged to take an entrepreneurial approach and should not be ashamed to assign a value to the research they perform. He concluded that transdisciplinarity ought to be an intangible spirit of universities, transcending the disciplines and serving the soul of the human spirit.