Course content

To address complex societal challenges, there is an increasing need for collaboration across sectors and disciplines. This course provides participants with knowledge and skills to facilitate the integration of expertise from different disciplinary fields within research processes. It places particular emphasis on three competencies for sustainability: interdisciplinary collaboration competence, normative competence, and critical thinking.

Through lectures, practical exercises, and reflection, participants gain insight into methodological and epistemological perspectives that are central to interdisciplinary research. The course also addresses group processes and mechanisms that contribute to effective collaboration.

The course is aimed at Ph.D. candidates and researchers working in interdisciplinary or transdisciplinary groups, the latter understood as collaboration with partners outside academia. The course addresses structural barriers between disciplines and institutions, and explores how interdisciplinary research involves navigating these barriers while simultaneously further developing one’s own disciplinary expertise.

Teaching combines theory and practice: participants are introduced to interdisciplinary methodology grounded in philosophy of science, as well as theory and methods on group processes. Students will explore and apply this in their own research groups.

This course aims to strengthen interdisciplinary collaboration in line with the mandate of NTNU’s strategic priority areas and NTNU’s overall strategy, including:

• Promoting interdisciplinary collaboration at NTNU
• Developing interdisciplinary networks and arenas for interaction both within NTNU and with external partners

Learning outcome

Knowledge

Upon completion of the course, the student has:

• Knowledge of different knowledge paradigms and how these can influence interdisciplinary research collaboration.
• Knowledge of how interdisciplinary and transdisciplinary composition and collaboration are integrated into and influence research.

Skills

Upon completion of the course, the student can:

• Apply their disciplinary expertise in collaboration with individuals from other fields/disciplines.
• Work on defining common research questions within their research groups and develop solutions to them.

General competence

Upon completion of the course, the student can:

• Identify and address internal and external factors that influence interdisciplinary research.
• Reflect on their own and others’ disciplinary knowledge and how this interplay can strengthen research.

Learning methods and activities

Lectures, exercises, individual and group reflections, as well as plenary discussions. Attendance is mandatory, and active participation is expected. Discussions within the participants’ own research groups between the two sessions are encouraged. It is recommended that all Ph.D. candidates who will conduct research in the same interdisciplinary group take the course simultaneously.

Compulsory assignments

• Mandatory assignments between the sessions

Recommended previous knowledge

The candidate should be part of an interdisciplinary research group, but this is not a requirement.

Course materials

Will be made available no later than the start of the course.