Going transdisciplinary. How to implement impactful transdisciplinary research and education programs in plant sciences
Open access
Date
2021Type
- Report
ETH Bibliography
yes
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Abstract
The Zurich-Basel Plant Science Center (PSC) has implemented various research programs that provide new dimensions of curriculum development and stakeholder engagement. PSC graduate education programs aim at building a dialogue between science and policy, and co-production of knowledge through competence-oriented transdisciplinary teaching (Paschke & Zurgilgen, 2019). Thus, the programs increase students’ capacity to act as socially engaged scientists. Transdisciplinarity, in this context, is defined as a mean to cross both disciplinary and institutional boundaries, involving research partners beyond the academy in the active co-production of research; and thus, facilitating a systemic approach to research and problem-solving. More than 100 PhD students have been enrolled in the PhD Program Science and Policy since its launch in 2010. Ten of these PhD students have received a fellowship from the Mercator Foundation Switzerland. On conclusion of the PSC-Mercator Fellowship Program in spring 2021, the PSC set out to evaluate its long-term efforts.
This best-practice report addresses two main questions: (i) How effective has the competence-oriented transdisciplinary teaching been? (ii) What worked well and what can be improved? The aim was to identify: (i) the impact of the PSC graduate fellowship programs, and (ii) implementation measures that may improve future programs. The report aims to stimulate thinking and action on such questions. It also serves as a “touchstone” to which curricular planning efforts, grant proposals, and articles can be connected. Show more
Permanent link
https://doi.org/10.3929/ethz-b-000526113Publication status
publishedPublisher
Zurich-Basel Plant Science CenterSubject
Transdisciplinary research; graduate education; Co-Production of Knowledge; Evidence-based policy-making; plant and environmental sciencesOrganisational unit
02222 - Zurich-Basel Plant Science Center / Zurich-Basel Plant Science Center
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ETH Bibliography
yes
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