Global Alliance for
Inter- and Transdisciplinarity
The purpose of the Global Alliance for Inter- and Transdisciplinarity (ITD Alliance) is to strengthen and to promote the global capacity and the calibre of collaborative modes of boundary-crossing research and practice.
Our Mission
Established in 2021, the ITD Alliance exists to serve a diverse, distributed network of institutions and individuals cutting across disciplinary, institutional, cultural, sectorial, and geographical boundaries. The shared goal of Alliance members is to address complex problems and societal needs common to inter- and transdisciplinary communities around the world. We contribute to theory and practice by providing specialized knowledge, tools, and techniques that support, guide, and drive global cross-disciplinary and cross-sector collaborations. We adopt a context-driven approach, while acknowledging a plurality of paradigms, experiences, ways of knowing, acting and being, values and methods. By focusing on boundary-crossing and boundary-spanning research, the ITD Alliance aims to advance capacity for collaborative research, interrelate or integrate diverse perspectives, and foster innovation, while building an international community to address significant societal needs. The members of the ITD Alliance value the principles of academic freedom, scientific integrity and open science when carrying out activities under the ITD Alliance.
Governance
The ITD-Alliance is organised as an association (Verein), according to Swiss law. Its main governance entities are:
Members (composed of institutions and individuals)
General Assembly (composed of all members)
Leadership Board (decision-making body, elected by the General Assembly)
President (decision-making body, elected by the General Assembly)
Executive Committee (an Executive Secretary, a Treasurer, and 1-2 additional members of the Leadership Board)
Secretariat
Leadership Board
In alphabetical order as of November 2025
Board members representing an institutional member:
Alexandra Lux – ISOE – Institute for Social-Ecological Research, Germany, Profile – Languages spoken: German, English
Jason Prior – Institute for Sustainable Futures, University of Technology Sydney, Australia, Profile – Languages spoken: English, French
Lakshmi Charli-Joseph – National Autonomous University of Mexico, National Laboratory for Sustainability Sciences, Institute of Ecology and Responsive Research Collective, Mexico, Profile – Languages spoken: Spanish, English, French
Mª Helena Guimarães – Mediterranean Institute for Agriculture, University of Evora, Portugal, Profile – Languages spoken: Portuguese, English, French, Spanish
Ria Lambino – Research Institute for Humanity and Nature, Kyoto, Japan, Profile – Languages spoken: English, Filipino, Japanese
Theres Paulsen – Network for Transdisciplinary Research (td-net), Switzerland, Profile – Languages spoken: German, French, English [Ex-Officio member]
Board members who are individual members:
Ana Gretel Echazú Böschemeier – Fundação Oswaldo Cruz (Fiocruz), Brazil, Profile – Languages spoken: Spanish, Portuguese, English
Basirat Oyalowo – Oxford Brookes University, UK and affiliated to Centre for Housing and Sustainable Development, University of Lagos, Nigeria, Profile – Languages spoken: English
Diaa Ahmedien – Helwan University, Egypt, Profile – Languages spoken: Arabic, English
Kareem Buyana – Makerere University, Uganda, Profile – Languages spoken: English, French, Arabic
Rashad Hegazy – Kafr El Sheikh University, Egypt; Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) GmbH GIZ-Egypt, Profile – Languages spoken: Arabic, English
Seongsook Choi – University of Edinburgh, UK, Profile – Languages spoken: English, Korean
Seema Purushothaman – Azim Premji University, India, Profile – Languages spoken: English, Hindi, Malayalam, Kannada
Umar Ibrahim – Federal University Dutse, Nigeria, Profile – Languages spoken: English, Hausa
President
Gabriele Bammer, Integration and Implementation Sciences (i2S), The Australian National University, Profile – Languages spoken: English, German
Executive Committee
President: Gabriele Bammer
Executive Secretary: Caryn Anderson, contact
Treasurer: Theres Paulsen
Leadership Board representative: Umar Ibrahim
Former Leadership Board representative: Mª Helena Guimarães
Secretariat
Executive Secretary: Caryn Anderson, contact – Languages spoken: English
Former Leadership Board Members
Ana M. Corbacho – Espacio Interdisciplinario – Universidad de la República (UDELAR) Uruguay
Christian Pohl – TdLab, ETH Zürich
Dena Fam – Greater Cities Commission, Australia
Hein Mallee – Kyoto Prefectural University
Jan Freihardt – Wissenschaf(f)t Zukünfte e. V. Germany
Juliana Merçon – Universidad Veracruzana and Grupo de Investigación Socio-Ecológica
Julie Thompson Klein – Wayne State University
Kara Hall – International Network for the Science of Team Science
Machiel Keestra – Association for Interdisciplinary Studies (AIS), International/Netherlands
María Perevochtchikova – El Colegio de México A.C. (COLMEX), México, Profile
Mariana Pereyra – Interdisciplinary Space, University of the Republic, Uruguay, Profile
Michael O’Rourke – Michigan State University, Center for Interdisciplinarity (C4I)
Stephen Fiore – International Network for the Science of Team Science (INSciTS), International/USA, Profile
Ulli Vilsmaier – Responsive Research Collective, Switzerland, Profile
Former Secretariat Members
Former Executive Secretary: Tobias Buser – koforges
Former Student Assistant: Catarina Isidoro (sponsored by MED – Mediterranean Institute for Agriculture, Environment and Development)
Former Student Assistant: Hanna Hilbert (sponsored by Institute for Social-Ecological Research ISOE)