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Pressing global challenges spark the need for multidisciplinary, interdisciplinary and convergence research. These terms are often used interchangeably, but there are subtle differences between them.

Multidisciplinary research involves faculty from different disciplines working independently on a common research problem or a thematic area to supplement each other’s data. Interdisciplinary research involves working collaboratively across disciplinary boundaries to develop integrated knowledge that meets a specific challenge. Such collaboration has led to the emergence of novel areas such as photonics, nanoscience and technology, material sciences and neurosciences.  

The emerging convergence research area facilitates the transdisciplinary merging of life sciences, physical sciences, engineering and beyond to stimulate innovation from basic science discovery to translational research. Such merging requires a deep integration of collaborating disciplines and its results should have a positive societal impact. This resource outlines the advantages and challenges of working beyond the comfort zones of discipline-specific research.

Advantages

Active knowledge exchange (creation): this kind of collaboration facilitates active collaboration and concept sharing between parties across different disciplines. Such interactions lead to specific knowledge exchange, skills development, fresh insight and solution-driven pathways that are only achievable when working across disciplines. For example, many of the healthcare devices that we routinely employ are the outcome of efficient collaboration and knowledge exchange between clinicians, engineers and scientists.  

Well-rounded solutions to complex global challenges: addressing real-world global challenges such as climate change, energy crises, agriculture demand and water scarcity requires expertise across different domains including physics, chemistry, economics, politics and others. Therefore, breaking the silos of disciplines via interdisciplinary and convergence research is vital if we want to facilitate innovative and well-rounded solutions.  

The creation of new scientific fields: interdisciplinary or convergence research can result in in-depth interaction between scholars across disciplines. This can lead to the development of completely new fields of enquiry that explore uncharted territory.

Creativity and skills development: the blending of varied expertise through such research projects often leads to productive and high-impact experimentation, analysis and out-of-the-box thinking, as we saw with the production of Covid vaccines. In addition, cross-disciplinary research subjects such as photonics, nanoscience and technology and structural biology provide researchers with opportunities to work on research ventures beyond their existing skill sets and knowledge. This opens the mind and enhances communication skills. Arguably the most exciting outcomes of such collaboration, however, include improved problem-solving skills, research outcomes, understanding of complex phenomena and high-calibre innovations.

• Resources for higher education professionals on interdisciplinarity
• Breaking down disciplinary silos in pursuit of innovation
• Practical strategies for overcoming challenges in interdisciplinary project-based learning

Challenges

Disciplinary boundaries and jargon: researchers from different disciplines use their specialised language and theories which can create obstacles to communication. The key to overcoming such boundaries is to be inclusive with language by using simple, everyday terminology that collaborators from different fields can understand.

Communication issues: finding common ground among people with different ways of thinking and approaches to problem-solving is often challenging. This kind of collaboration can lead to communication difficulties and disagreement that can hinder research progress. Knowing your audience, organising the information effectively and focusing on the output can facilitate seamless communication. Be culturally sensitive and use open channels of communication with efficient feedback loops.

Knowledge imbalance: team members must have a general understanding of each other’s disciplines to collaborate effectively. To conduct rigorous research, a balance of general knowledge and disciplinary expertise is important, but finding team members with this can be a formidable task.

Resource management: interdisciplinary and convergence research projects often require infrastructure and resources from various institutions and funding agencies which is often difficult to obtain and manage. Although the emergence of interdisciplinary research centres and departments in universities and institutes promises a positive change, people and resource management pose challenges. The time researchers have to invest in familiarising themselves with new peers from diverse backgrounds can delay research progress.

It is heartening to see that the governments of many countries putting efforts into skills development for multi-, interdisciplinary and convergence research in higher education. Despite their challenges, the perks that they offer far outweigh them.

Sajan Daniel George is a professor and the head of the department for atomic and molecular physics at Manipal Academy of Higher Education, India.

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