Organizational Change for Inter- and Transdisciplinarity

The Organizational Change for Inter- and Transdisciplinarity Working Group (WG) was initiated at the ITD24 conference in Utrecht in November 2024. The purpose of the Working Group is to be practice-oriented, helping institutions to promote the value of ITD as well as helping institutions prepare for scientific and societal changes that will require inter- and transdisciplinary research. An overarching aim is to promote inter- and transdisciplinarity work in organizations. 

Goals

The working group has the ambition to work across diverse universities, research programmes and research institutions globally and to represent a wide range of specialists, including administrative professionals, management specialists, scientists, leaders and directors, and we represent organizations interested in pursuing inter- and transdisciplinary cooperation. Important topics to cover in the Working Group include structure and agency, benchmarking, organizational change making, funder practices including review panels, organizational strategy work processes, and large-scale university/research institution assessments. The Working Group embraces a pluralistic view on ITD where the motivations and shape are different in different settings. 

Activities

In the short term (2025-26), the working group will allow for exchanging experiences of inter- and transdisciplinarity work within the WG community. We also aim to particularly reach out to ITD Alliance’s institutional members. These activities should result in creating a shared broad inventory of topical current organizational challenges related to the promotion of organisational change for inter- and transdisciplinarity. 

Two inaugural digital workshops are scheduled for:

  • 10 Sep 2025, 16:00-18:00 CET (7:00-9:00 Pacific Time) 
  • 18 Sep 2025, 8:00-10:00 CET (16:00-18:00 Eastern Australia Time)

Sign-up (before 4 Sep): https://doit.medfarm.uu.se/bin/kurt3/kurt/8888195

NB: Do also use the form if you want to connect with the working group, but are unable to attend either of the two inaugural workshops!  

Co-conveners

For more information, please contact the co-conveners of the working group:

Claes-Fredrik Helgesson, Professor, Research Director, Centre for Integrated Research on Culture and Society (CIRCUS), Uppsala University.

Anne Salmi, Development Manager, Team Leader, Policies and Practices Team, Unit for Strategy and Science Policy, University of Oulu.