Matthew
Narratives
Grail
Funder Data Platform
AGORRA
Undisciplined
Peer Review
Portfolios
MetaROR
Future models of funding and evaluating transdisciplinary research
Collaboration between researchers and users in producing and combining different types of knowledge is nothing new. But in research environments and cultures that remain largely geared towards mono-disciplinary approaches, it is increasingly recognised that these are ill equipped to address complex, interconnected challenges. Different responses to this include:
All these approaches are important – as is maintaining the health and strength of underpinning disciplines. Following scoping work with RoRI partners, our UNDISCIPLINED project will focus on the funding, evaluation, measurement and impacts of transdisciplinary research.
Transdisciplinary research (TDR) is increasing in part due to growing government demand and public funding being directed towards multifaceted problems. For example, the EU under Horizon Europe has placed more emphasis on mission-driven agendas in public health, education and climate change. At a global level, the UN Sustainable Development Goals have also become a significant factor in the definition and delivery of R&D priorities.
Alongside this growth in TDR, we see new methods to commission, conduct, disseminate and evaluate these forms of knowledge production. Within RoRI, we are well placed to investigate and compare support for, practice, measurement and evaluation of TDR from a funder’s perspective, across different research systems. We will bring together perspectives from our partners and the communities they fund to understand more about the benefits of TDR and how best to support those who produce it.
This work will involve two modules of work over a 15-month period:
Helen Buckley Woods, Research Fellow, RoRI
James Wilsdon, Director of RoRI and UCL-STEaPP
Ismael Rafols, Senior Research Fellow, RoRI and CWTS-Leiden
The UNDISCIPLINED project working group is co-chaired by Adelheid Wessler (Volkswagen Foundation).
Project partners include:
Research Team
Ismael Rafols
Helen Buckley Woods
James Wilsdon
UNDISCIPLINED will run for 15 months to September 2024. Its outputs will include: