Fostering interdisciplinarity to co-construct solutions with other sectors

Objectives

Fostering inter- and transdisciplinarity in research and innovation activities. As comprehensive and research-intensive universities, we are uniquely equipped to use inter- and transdisciplinary approaches to address complex and multi-dimensional societal challenges.
Fostering the co-construction of solutions with external stakeholders outside academia. As universities that have been heavily involved in regional development, we are well-equipped to deepen our collaborations and connect our R&I ecosystems at an international level through Circle U.

Activities of the Work Package

The aim of the prize is to showcase existing success stories and express the institutional support for inter- and trans-disciplinary research. In practice, there will be one prize awarded per year. The nominees will have to record a short video "My/our interdisciplinary project in 180 sec."

Two series of "sandboxes" will be organised in the course of the project to gather researchers from the Circle U. partners and external stakeholders in a remote location in order to encourage the emergence of interdisciplinary projects.

We will set up a dedicated funding scheme to support networking activities related to the Knowledge Hubs that involve researchers from at least three Circle U. universities as well as stakeholders outside academia, Calls will be organised and support will be provided for the running costs of the networking activities amounting to €5,500 per Interdisciplinary Thematic Network.

The effectiveness and impact of the Inter Circle U. Prize, the Circle U. sandboxes for fostering inter-/ transdisciplinary research and innovation activities in the Knowledge Hubs will be examined, so as to determine whether they should be reiterated in the future and become recurrent enabling tools.

As King's College is in charge of the Quality Assessment actions in Circle U. and hosts the Measuring, Evaluating and Learning (MEL) Officer, it will also host the post-doc responsible for leading the evaluation in the Activity 4.

UCLouvain coordinates this work package

UCLouvain will coordinate the whole work package on fostering inter- and transdisciplinarity to co-construct solutions with other sectors, building on the expertise it has developed within the interdisciplinary research platforms "Louvain4" and on the internationalisation efforts of the Louvain Innovation Network. They will lead Activities 1, 2 and 3.