Interdisciplinary understanding in higher education
Many of today’s societal challenges, such as climate change, healthcare, and new technologies, are too complex to be addressed by a single field of study. Universities are therefore increasingly focusing on interdisciplinary education, which helps students learn to think across subject boundaries. This PhD research examined whether participating in interdisciplinary education helps students develop interdisciplinary understanding: the ability to combine knowledge and skills from different academic fields.
Survey research explored whether Bachelor’s students achieved this learning goal through an extracurricular interdisciplinary programme and whether traits such as personality, curiosity, or self-efficacy influenced outcomes. The results showed that all students, whether they participated or not, improved their interdisciplinary understanding during their studies. Participation in the programme made no measurable difference, and personal traits had no clear effect.
Interviews provided additional insight into the experiences of lecturers and students. Lecturers held different views on what interdisciplinarity means and found it challenging to engage students from varied backgrounds. Students reported that the programme helped them gain new knowledge and skills, particularly in areas previously unfamiliar to them.
To further enhance interdisciplinary education, lecturers need a shared understanding of its purpose and support in developing new teaching approaches. Guiding students step by step - first exploring similarities and differences between subjects, then learning to integrate knowledge and skills - can help both students and lecturers learn to think beyond the limits of their own disciplines.