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Interdisciplinary learning and research

Find out how to work across multiple academic disciplines in higher education, in order to pool expertise and develop novel skillsets and solutions to complex problems. These guides offer insight on how to break down disciplinary boundaries in university teaching and research to seek greater understanding.

From salary to strategy: why universities must teach financial literacy

Universities teach communication, critical reasoning and research methods, so why not also provide basic financial skills to all students, regardless of discipline?

Manjari Sharma

Christ (Deemed to be University)

Close up on young woman looking at computer screen

The case for human-centred skills in higher education

For tomorrow’s challenges – and not just today’s jobs – students will need communication, critical thinking and interpersonal skills. So, faculty should look to embed these transferable skills across disciplines. Lauren Thomas explains

Lauren Thomas

Virginia Tech

An illustration of a team held aloft by a robot hand

Three reasons to harness AI for interdisciplinary collaboration

New advances in artificial intelligence could be used to communicate across disciplines and share knowledge more seamlessly. Here’s how

Raymond Chan

Hong Kong Baptist University

Students raise their hands in a lecture hall

Make interdisciplinary research accessible to everyone

Short courses can give members of the public insight into cutting-edge interdisciplinary research, focusing on issues related to their daily lives. Here’s how to put them into place

Qingyan Chen

The Hong Kong Polytechnic University

Why academics should adopt a podcaster’s mindset

Launching a podcast helped Mark Carroll gain new perspective on communicating research to the public. Here are four lessons he learned

Mark Carroll

University of the West of Scotland

Every student can benefit from an entrepreneurial mindset

To develop the next generation of entrepreneurs, universities need to nurture the right mindset in students of all disciplines. Follow these tips to embed entrepreneurial education

Nicolas Klotz

Al Akhawayn University

Eight ways to embrace AI’s flexibility to bring different teams together

AI has rapidly moved from the domain of computer science into the daily lives of university staff and academics, but are we joining up the changes happening across higher education? Find out how to use it to break down boundaries between teams

Lakshmi Goel, Yassine Benrqya

Al Akhawayn University

Three young multiracial female scholars in library

Why university libraries should not overlook research staff

Research assistants and postdocs offer specialised skills and an agile approach to new methodologies, so libraries have much to gain from recognising them as strategic partners

Bella Ratmelia

Singapore Management University

Two people gently hold a tiny sprouting plant

How to collaborate on eco education – and how not to

When embedding sustainability education into the curriculum, barriers to interdisciplinary collaboration can limit progress. So, what needs to change?

Aideen Foley, Dale Mineshima-Lowe

Birkbeck, University of London, Parami University

Top down view of people working on a table around an image of the globe

How can we decarbonise knowledge production?

An interdisciplinary approach that includes the institutions most affected by climate change is essential if higher education is to achieve net zero, argues Priya Vijaykumar Poojary

Priya Vijaykumar Poojary

Manipal Academy of Higher Education

For an agile future workforce, embed a liberal arts education system

A liberal arts education can help foster the adaptability and critical thinking skills today’s employers are looking for. Here’s how to adapt the model to your region

Abderrahim Agnaou

Al Akhawayn University

Young male university student in library

‘Many academic librarians are now effectively digital curators’

Through the advent of the internet, digitisation and artificial intelligence, libraries’ purpose in supporting their users’ success remains unchanged. So, how can academic libraries transform their services to meet evolving needs?

Tyler Walters

Virginia Tech

How combining VR with cultural identity can make interdisciplinary learning more impactful

A project that involved students designing human settlements on the Moon shows how combining cultural identity with VR technology can unite learners across disciplines and campuses to imagine and shape the future

Rubén Vázquez, Antonio Juárez

Monterrey Institute of Technology

From ‘filler’ to ‘fulfilling’: how to change students’ perceptions of a course

Ways to employ tools such as ChatGPT, Gemini or Copilot to show students the real-world relevance of so-called filler courses

Elizabeth Marcial Morales

Monterrey Institute of Technology

Traditional ecological knowledge can inspire students to take climate action

Combining ancient wisdom with modern knowledge does not just broaden perspectives, it can also prompt climate action. Discover more benefits, and read advice on how to integrate traditional ecological knowledge into curricula

Daniel Yonto, Bin Feng

Xi’an Jiaotong-Liverpool University

Campus webinar: Prepare students with workplace skills of the future

Find out how to prepare students for jobs that don’t exist yet, with insight from experts at Campus+ institutions across the Middle East, Africa and Europe

Deborah Bartlett, Julio Gimenez, Rushana Khusainova, Abdelmoniem Sahal Elmardi

Al Akhawayn University, University of Westminster, The University of Bristol, Dubai Medical University

A team works on a project using a whiteboard

Shape the next generation of project managers with co-creation

A cross-disciplinary, student-led project to design a simulation tool helped students find a safe environment in which to practise their workplace skills. Here’s how it worked

Ralitsa Arnaudova , Pablo Salva

University of the West of Scotland

A group of people listen to a lanyard-wearing speaker

A comprehensive model for interdisciplinary teaching

Interdisciplinarity is crucial for preparing students for a complicated world. Adopting a dual focus on both faculty development and student engagement could be the way forward

Ana Corbacho

Universidad de la República

Equip students with interdisciplinary skills for the future with the Inner Development Goals

To navigate today’s complex challenges, students need more than just knowledge – they need transformative skills. Here’s how to embed the Inner Development Goals into your teaching

Debby Gerritsen, Rosanne van Wieringen , Belle Jansen, Jasper ter Schegget, Linda de Greef, Katusha Sol

University of Amsterdam

Campus talks: why we need interdisciplinarity in teaching and research

Interdisciplinary thinking is crucial to addressing complex questions but how should it work in practice? Two leading academic proponents of cross-disciplinary working draw on their own groundbreaking scholarship to explain

Gabriele Bammer, Kate Crawford

Australian National University, USC Annenberg, Microsoft Research Lab (MSR) New York

A young student laughs and writes on a whiteboard

How a mathematics competition can develop future university students

A national initiative to find the best young mathematicians demonstrated how the subject can bridge the gap between school and university. Find out how to use it to develop students’ soft skills

Rabie Zine

Al Akhawayn University

Two pieces of a puxxle being pushed together

Each discipline has a part to play

A guide to conducting preliminary research, setting goals and defining each member’s level of input to an interdisciplinary research project

Estu Putri Wilujeng

The University of Indonesia

Multiracial group sitting around housing plans

Navigating uncertainty with interdisciplinary teaching

The siloed approach to education – where students in technical, business, humanities and arts disciplines learn separately – is no longer adequate, writes Lisa McNair

Lisa McNair

Virginia Tech

How to balance tension in interdisciplinary teaching and learning

An interdisciplinary approach to programme development comes with inherent tensions, which need to be balanced and worked through. Here are our tips

Adam Matthews

University of Birmingham

Students work together in an outdoor setting

Give students the skills to communicate across disciplines

In sustainability education, inter- and transdisciplinary teaching alone is not enough – students need to develop the skills to learn in a cross-disciplinary way. Co-creation could be the answer.

Julia Myatt

University of Birmingham

A cheerful student waves hello on a Zoom call

What’s the crucial element for interdisciplinary teamwork? Psychological safety

Foster a sense of radical openness in your interdisciplinary online learning environment by establishing psychological safety – here’s how

Helena Robinson, Fabian Held

University of Technology Sydney, University of Sydney

Lessons from an interdisciplinary community engagement course for engineers

STEM curricula in the US don’t often expose students to perspectives on culture, history and power nor equip them with effective community engagement skills. Here, an instructor and students share lessons from designing and teaching an interdisciplinary course that sought to address that gap

Ruthie Yow

Georgia Tech’s Center for 21st Century Universities

Students sitting around a table with a teacher at the front

How to get students interested in interdisciplinary work

Providing real-world opportunities, incentives and spaces for interdisciplinary work enables undergraduate students to explore important solutions to complex issues

Sambit Dash

Manipal Academy of Higher Education

An illustration of tiny figures putting together a giant jigsaw puzzle

Universities need to move interdisciplinary professional associations to the next step

Inter- and transdisciplinary teaching is going beyond communities of practice – but it’s still too small to compete with discipline-based professional associations. Here are the questions we should be asking to move forward

Gabriele Bammer

Australian National University

Four things to consider to create a safe and inspiring interdisciplinary learning environment

With interdisciplinary teaching, we need to look at ‘how’ as well as ‘what’. Focus on these four elements of course design to create a space where integration and interdisciplinarity can flourish

Jessica Oudenampsen

Utrecht University

Students working on an interdisciplinary project

Can you teach interdisciplinarity in 10 weeks?

Interdisciplinarity is an ambitious and rewarding research process, but how realistic can we be in a 10-week module? Here is how to frame the task, structure the process and balance workloads

Simon Scott

University of Birmingham

Pathway from PhD to healthcare leadership

Beyond the classroom: from PhD preparation to leadership

A foundational pathway that nurtures future leaders in healthcare and scientific innovation produces students who are not only ready for their PhD journey but emerge as skilled professionals and researchers, write Zoltán Benyó and Attila Szijártó

Zoltán Benyó, Attila Szijártó

Semmelweis University

People sat around a table slotting cogs together

How can we assess interdisciplinarity?

Effectively assessing interdisciplinarity involves encouraging students to ask the right questions and critically evaluating the quality of the knowledge created, explains Simon Scott

Simon Scott

University of Birmingham

Tips for designing interprofessional education courses in healthcare

Adapting to and collaborating with other professionals is essential in medicine. Here’s how to nurture an interdisciplinary mindset from the very start

Hajer N. Sheikh, Umamah Rehman

Dubai Medical University

Active, flipped, micro, virtual learning: a toolbox for interdisciplinary teaching

Young engineers need interdisciplinary skills more than ever to communicate science clearly, both to inform the public and to protect shared resources such as the environment. Here are lessons from a cross-course project

Martin Morgeneyer, Esteban Zúñiga Domínguez

Université de Technologie de Compiègne

Young woman in front of brain illustration, arts and sciences

What a transdisciplinary lens brings to university teaching

Why is it important to integrate knowledge and methodologies across disciplines? Catherine Amelink has recommendations to encourage the student engagement needed to address complex, weighty problems

Catherine Amelink

Virginia Tech

Campus webinar: How to boost the public perception of higher education

Hear how universities can demonstrate the value of their research, teaching and social impact beyond academia, from senior leaders at Campus+ partner institutions in the US and Canada

Steven W. McLaughlin, Nader Jalili , Rahim Somani

Georgia Tech’s Center for 21st Century Universities, SMU Lyle School of Engineering, University of Northern British Columbia

A presentation takes place on a screen featuring an illustration of the Earth

How strategic sustainability can foster innovation

Sustainability is much more than a set of policies or practices. Here’s how it can be a transformational strategy for achieving a university’s mission

Reynaldo Rivera

Universidad Austral

A four-step process to transform everyone into a fact-checker

The 4-Check strategy can help combat misinformation in the digital age. Here’s how to use it

Stephanie Jean Tsang

Hong Kong Baptist University

Campus talks: social artist Helen Storey on working on the boundary of fashion and science

The UNHCR’s first designer-in-residence Helen Storey talks about why she has donated her creative archive to the University of the Arts London, and how the arts can help people connect with issues such as climate change and the refugee crisis

Helen Storey

University of the Arts London

A car driving on a bridge across the sea

Five actions to drive your career forward in the third space

Third spaces professionals can often find themselves excluded from traditional academic promotion or career development opportunities. Here’s how to carve your own path

Steve Briggs

University of Bedfordshire

Two science students use a microscope together

For truly practical learning, embrace an interdisciplinary approach

Bringing different fields of study together into one practical assignment, focused on a real-world problem, proved to be a game-changer in a sector shifting towards interdisciplinarity. Here's how it worked

Zulkifli Merican Aljunid Merican , Lim Jun Wei

Universiti Teknologi Petronas (UTP)

An explorer observes a flag flying atop a mountain made of books

Lessons from evolutionary biology to prepare students in an uncertain world

Universities are charged with developing the next generation for a future we can’t predict. Here are three lessons from evolutionary biology to make sense of a changing world – and three skills the workforce of tomorrow will need

Lakshmi Goel

Al Akhawayn University

‘If you can empower others to build connections, you can help build a thriving collaborative ecosystem’

For university administrators, part of the job is to help researchers do the cool stuff, without getting bogged down or intimidated by the forms, calendars and other paperwork, writes Marvin Washington. Here, he offers tips on how to foster interdisciplinary collaboration

Marvin Washington

University of Alberta

A group of people sit around in discussion

Supporting education-focused academics on the road less travelled

Education-focused academics must often navigate an unclear career path with limited opportunities. Danijela Serbic offers advice on how to set up an educational group to support their career development

Danijela Serbic

Royal Holloway, University of London

How can we give students the agency to deal with the climate crisis?

Climate impact needs to be the lens through which students view their studies, if we’re going to equip future generations to deal with the coming emergency. Here are the best teaching strategies to do so

Alex MacLaren

Heriot-Watt University

Campus talks: educating our way out of the climate crisis

Two academics share strategies for advancing climate action and boosting sustainability at an institutional and individual level

Liz Price , Tripp Shealy

Manchester Metropolitan University, Virginia Tech

The art of change: using creative research methods to solve the plastics crisis

Incorporating theatre, music and the visual arts as research tools complements analytical and qualitative approaches to environmental challenges – and goes beyond public engagement into local and global policymaking

Cressida Bowyer

The University of Portsmouth

Embedding the SDGs into curricula via an interdisciplinary approach

Incorporating the SDGs into teaching involves facilitating project collaboration among students from different disciplines. Here are examples of how this can work in practice

Sambit Dash, Guruprasad Rao, Preetham Kumar

Manipal Academy of Higher Education

Hands high-five in front of a leafy tree

Bridging the SDG awareness gap

Universities have a critical role to play in increasing awareness of the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals. Here’s how to do it

James Miller, Andrew Hursthouse

University of the West of Scotland

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Interdisciplinary learning and research

.css-1ndcrd1{overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;max-height:108px;text-indent:0px;}From salary to strategy: why universities must teach financial literacy

The case for human-centred skills in higher education

Three reasons to harness AI for interdisciplinary collaboration

Make interdisciplinary research accessible to everyone

Why academics should adopt a podcaster’s mindset

Every student can benefit from an entrepreneurial mindset

Eight ways to embrace AI’s flexibility to bring different teams together

Why university libraries should not overlook research staff

How to collaborate on eco education – and how not to

How can we decarbonise knowledge production?

For an agile future workforce, embed a liberal arts education system

‘Many academic librarians are now effectively digital curators’

How combining VR with cultural identity can make interdisciplinary learning more impactful

From ‘filler’ to ‘fulfilling’: how to change students’ perceptions of a course

Traditional ecological knowledge can inspire students to take climate action

Campus webinar: Prepare students with workplace skills of the future

Shape the next generation of project managers with co-creation

A comprehensive model for interdisciplinary teaching

Equip students with interdisciplinary skills for the future with the Inner Development Goals

Campus talks: why we need interdisciplinarity in teaching and research

How a mathematics competition can develop future university students

Each discipline has a part to play

Navigating uncertainty with interdisciplinary teaching

How to balance tension in interdisciplinary teaching and learning

Give students the skills to communicate across disciplines

What’s the crucial element for interdisciplinary teamwork? Psychological safety

Lessons from an interdisciplinary community engagement course for engineers

How to get students interested in interdisciplinary work

Universities need to move interdisciplinary professional associations to the next step

Four things to consider to create a safe and inspiring interdisciplinary learning environment

Can you teach interdisciplinarity in 10 weeks?

Beyond the classroom: from PhD preparation to leadership

How can we assess interdisciplinarity?

Tips for designing interprofessional education courses in healthcare

Active, flipped, micro, virtual learning: a toolbox for interdisciplinary teaching

What a transdisciplinary lens brings to university teaching

Campus webinar: How to boost the public perception of higher education

How strategic sustainability can foster innovation

A four-step process to transform everyone into a fact-checker

Campus talks: social artist Helen Storey on working on the boundary of fashion and science

Five actions to drive your career forward in the third space

For truly practical learning, embrace an interdisciplinary approach

Lessons from evolutionary biology to prepare students in an uncertain world

‘If you can empower others to build connections, you can help build a thriving collaborative ecosystem’

Supporting education-focused academics on the road less travelled

How can we give students the agency to deal with the climate crisis?

Campus talks: educating our way out of the climate crisis

The art of change: using creative research methods to solve the plastics crisis

Embedding the SDGs into curricula via an interdisciplinary approach

Bridging the SDG awareness gap

From salary to strategy: why universities must teach financial literacy