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)
President’s Committee on the Global Advancement of Inter- and Transdisciplinarity
View the bylaws of the ITD Alliance (revised, July 2025)
View the procedures associated with the bylaws (revised, August 2026)
Leadership Board
In alphabetical order as of October 2026
Board members representing an institutional member:
Alexandra Lux (October 2021-present) – ISOE – Institute for Social-Ecological Research, Germany, Profile – Languages spoken: German, English
Boshra Salem (October 2026-present) – ENIN (Egyptian National Interdisciplinary Network) Technical Committee, Egypt, Profile – Languages spoken: Arabic, English, French
Glos Ho (October 2026-present)
Hong Kong Baptist University (HKBU), China, Profile – Languages spoken: English, Cantonese
Lakshmi Charli-Joseph (October 2025-present) – National Autonomous University of Mexico, National Laboratory for Sustainability Sciences, Institute of Ecology and Responsive Research Collective, Mexico, Profile – Languages spoken: Spanish, English, French
Theres Paulsen (October 2019-present) – Network for Transdisciplinary Research (td-net), Switzerland, Profile – Languages spoken: German, French, English [Ex-Officio member]
Yasuhisa Kondo (October 2026-present) – Research Institute for Humanity and Nature (RIHN), Japan Profile – Languages spoken: Japanese, English
Board members who are individual members:
Ana Gretel Echazú Böschemeier (October 2025-present) – Fundação Oswaldo Cruz (Fiocruz), Brazil, Profile – Languages spoken: Spanish, Portuguese, English
Basirat Oyalowo (October 2021-present) – Oxford Brookes University, UK and affiliated to Centre for Housing and Sustainable Development, University of Lagos, Nigeria, Profile – Languages spoken: English, Yoruba
Hussein Zeidan (October 2026-present)
Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, Netherlands/Lebanon, Profile – Languages spoken: Arabic, French, English
Kareem Buyana (October 2025-present) – Makerere University, Uganda, Profile – Languages spoken: English, French, Arabic
Keith Lévesque (October 2026-present)
Université Laval, Canada, Profile – Languages spoken: French, English
Krystle Ontong (October 2026-present) – Stellenbosch University, South Africa, Profile – Languages spoken: English, Afrikaans
Pfungwa Nyamukachi (October 2026-present) – University of Pretoria, South Africa, Profile – Languages spoken: English, Shona
Seongsook Choi (October 2025-present) – University of Edinburgh, UK, Profile – Languages spoken: English, Korean
President
Gabriele Bammer, (October 2023-present) – 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
Oceania Regional Network Secretariat: NITRO-Oceania (Network of Leaders of Interdisciplinary and Transdisciplinary Research Organisations in the Oceania region)
Asia Regional Network Secretariat: Hong Kong Baptist University
President’s Committee on the Global Advancement of Inter- and Transdisciplinarity
This committee was established in 2025 as a way of recognising those who are active in key ITD Alliance activities and who are not members of the Leadership Board, Working Groups or Regional Networks.
In the 2025-6 fiscal year the following people were recognised in this way:
- Steve Fiore for organising a joint webinar between the ITD Alliance and the International Network for the Science of Team Science
- Tally Palmer for playing a key role in discussions to establish an Africa Regional Network
- Jane Tanner for playing a key role in discussions to establish an Africa Regional Network.
Former Leadership Board Members
Ana M. Corbacho (October 2021-October 2023) – Espacio Interdisciplinario – Universidad de la República (UDELAR) Uruguay
Christian Pohl (October 2019-October 2023) – TdLab, ETH Zürich
Dena Fam (October 2021-October 2023) – Greater Cities Commission, Australia
Diaa Ahmedien (October 2024-October 2026) – Helwan University, Egypt, Profile – Languages spoken: Arabic, English
Hein Mallee (October 2021-October 2023) – Kyoto Prefectural University
Mª Helena Guimarães (November 2023-June 2025) – Mediterranean Institute for Agriculture, University of Evora, Portugal, Profile – Languages spoken: Portuguese, English, French, Spanish
Jan Freihardt (October 2021-October 2023) – Wissenschaf(f)t Zukünfte e. V. Germany
Jason Prior (November 2022-May 2026) – Institute for Sustainable Futures, University of Technology Sydney, Australia, Profile – Languages spoken: English, French
Julie Thompson Klein (October 2019-January 2023) – Wayne State University
Kara Hall (October 2019-October 2021) – International Network for the Science of Team Science
Machiel Keestra (October 2019-October 2023) – Association for Interdisciplinary Studies (AIS), International/Netherlands
María Perevochtchikova (November 2023-October 2025) – El Colegio de México A.C. (COLMEX), México, Profile
Mariana Pereyra (November 2023-October 2025) – Interdisciplinary Space, University of the Republic, Uruguay, Profile
Michael O’Rourke (October 2019-October 2021) – Michigan State University, Center for Interdisciplinarity (C4I)
Rashad Hegazy (October 2024-February 2026) – Kafr El Sheikh University, Egypt; Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) GmbH GIZ-Egypt, Profile – Languages spoken: Arabic, English (Resigned February 2026)
Ria Lambino (November 2022-October 2026) – Research Institute for Humanity and Nature, Kyoto, Japan,Profile – Languages spoken: English,Filipino, Japanese
Seema Purushothaman (October 2024-October 2026) – Azim Premji University, India, Profile – Languages spoken: English, Hindi, Malayalam, Kannada
Stephen Fiore (October 2019-October 2025) – International Network for the Science of Team Science (INSciTS), International/USA,Profile
Ulli Vilsmaier (October 2019-October 2025) – Responsive Research Collective, Switzerland, Profile
Umar Ibrahim (October 2024-October 2026) – Federal University Dutse, Nigeria, Profile – Languages spoken: English, Hausa
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)