On 24 and 25 November 2022, the second edition of the “Conference on Interdisciplinary and Transdisciplinary Research for Sustainable Development" took place in Louvain-la-Neuve, Belgium.
More than 150 researchers participated in this second edition and nearly 50 contributions were accepted and presented in 11 parallel sessions. All accepted abstracts can be found in the Conference’s Abstract Book.
The keynote address was given by Dr. Alexandra Lux (Head of Research Unit on Transdisciplinary Methods and Concepts, Institute for Social-Ecological Research, Germany) and Prof. Dr. Flurina Schneider (Scientific director of Institute for Social-Ecological Research and professor of social ecology and transdisciplinarity at Goethe University Frankfurt, Germany). Their presentation addressed questions related to “Strengthening societal effects of transdisciplinary sustainability research” and “Transdisciplinary knowledge co-production on sustainability transformations”
This conference was organised in collaboration with the partners from the European University Alliance Circle U. and was the opportunity to highlight three remarkable projects carried out in Circle U. universities that were awarded the "Inter Circle U. Prize for inter- and transdisciplinary research". The three laureates shared with the audience insights on how their work environment has been conducive to inter- and trans-disciplinary research. Additionally, a panel discussion with experts from within and outside the Circle U. alliance was also organised on “How can universities foster interdisciplinary research?”. This is the question we put to our panel that included:
- Mette Halskov Hansen, Vice-rector for Climate & the Environment and Cross-disciplinarity at the University of Oslo,
- Jean-Christophe Renauld Pro-Rector for Research at the University of Louvain,
- Samantha Aspinall Head of Interdisciplinary Resarch at the University of Leeds.
The laureates that were awared the Inter Circle U. Prize are:
- Robert Arlinghaus (Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin), presented the project “Towards Sustainable Fisheries”. Find out more about the project (youtube.com).
- Dr. Manon Bajard and Ingar M. Gundersen (University of Oslo) presented the project “VIKINGS: Volcanic Eruptions and Their Impacts on Climate, Environment, and Viking Society”. Find out more about the project (youtube.com).
- Nilo Pedrazzini and Dr. Barbara McGillivray (Kings College London) were awarded the ICUP for their project “The Language of mechanisation”. Find out more about the project (youtube.com).
This project has received funding from the European Union’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme under grant agreement No 101035814