Towards an understanding of interdisciplinarity: The case of a British university

Abstract

This study explores what academics in one major university in Great Britain (TheGreat Western University') perceive interdisciplinary research (!DR) to be, and in doing so, differentiatesit from associated concepts, such as multidisciplinary research and transdisciplinaryresearch, found in the research literature. This study is important because the university inwhich the study is set has nndertaken a complete restmcturing of colleges and departments tosupport interdisciplinary research. The inquiry utilized a two-phased, mixed methods, descriptivecase study to examine perceptions of the nature, significance, and benefits of multidisciplinaryand interdisciplinary research. The methods of the data collection were semi-stuctured interview (25 participants), survey (127 participants), and analysis of archival documents. Thefindings indicate that the restructuring of The Great Western University to support interdisciplinaryresearch began on less than firm footing. While scholars seem to have clarified thedefinitions of interdisciplinary approaches, in practice there still is a lack of clarity in sectorswhich are less familiar with interdisciplinary approaches to solving major problems facing society.We identified issues of clarity of terminology and mission, flexibility of implementation,and alignment of faculty incentives as involving necessary but unmet conditions for fosteringand promoting interdisciplinarity throughout the university.