Abstract
PurposeDespite the potential for research institutes to advance interdisciplinary research on university campuses, There have been few studies on how interdisciplinary research centres integrate multiple disciplines in practice, how they influence the collaborative behaviours of scientists and how they establish collaborative communities. This study aims to provide a deeper understanding of how interdisciplinary research is being enabled at research institutes and offers signposts for how research institutes can further embed interdisciplinarity within their units.Design/methodology/approachWithin this study, 30 interviews were conducted with leadership and faculty within 4 sustainability research institutes in the USA exploring how research institutes support interdisciplinary research within their units. A thematic analysis on the interview data revealed themes on how research institutes are enabling interdisciplinary research within their organisations and universities.FindingsThe study highlights eight themes on how research institutes are, and can further, enable interdisciplinary research within their organisations and universities. Some of the themes are fully implemented within the research institutes, whilst others are more aspirational and highlight where institutes can create additional capability and capacity for interdisciplinary research within their units and universities.Research limitations/implicationsWhilst the study is limited to four major sustainability research institutes the findings will be applicable to all research centres and institutes attempting to create interdisciplinary research environments.Practical implicationsThe study will be of particular interest to research institutes and university leadership who wish to cultivate a deeper culture of interdisciplinary research within their organisations.Social implicationsThe advancement of inter- and transdisciplinary research within universities are seen by many academic institutions, expert groups and funding bodies as essential for solving wicked problems and grand challenges facing society. The findings of this paper will help universities increase their capacity for interdisciplinary research.Originality/valueThere are few comparable publications in terms of methodology, approach and focus on research institutes.
Highlights
The advancement of inter- and transdisciplinary research within universities are seen by many academic institutions, expert groups and funding bodies as essential for solving wicked problems and grand challenges facing society (Horlick-Jones and Sim, 2004; Wickson et al, 2006; Lawrence, 2010; Bammer et al, 2020; Lang et al, 2012)
If the trend is towards large-scale interdisciplinary research cooperation, research centres will continue to be at the core of this and it is imperative that we develop a deeper and more nuanced understanding of how research centres are and can do enable interdisciplinary research
Membership of an interdisciplinary research centre can be seen as another social network for faculty within the university (Aboelela, 2007; Mallon, 2006), but one that is built deliberately rather than informally and accidentally
Summary
The advancement of inter- and transdisciplinary research within universities are seen by many academic institutions, expert groups and funding bodies as essential for solving wicked problems and grand challenges facing society (Horlick-Jones and Sim, 2004; Wickson et al, 2006; Lawrence, 2010; Bammer et al, 2020; Lang et al, 2012). One of the most distinctive features of university research institutes is the intention to span disciplines and boundaries and foster collaboration amongst researchers to overcome the compartmentalisation of scientific knowledge (Bozeman and Boardman, 2003; Su, 2014; Boardman and Corley, 2008) This department-centre matrix structure (where within the matrix the disciplines/schools might be represented by vertical lines and centres by cross-cutting horizontal lines) enables connections to be made across disciplines allowing universities to retain traditional departments that facilitate disciplinary depth whilst bringing academics together to work on problems of common interest (Biancani et al, 2014). This matrix structure enables institutes and centres to be a beneficial addition to schools and departments adding and furthering activity without competing for departmental resources
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