Interdisciplinarity in higher education: the challenges of adaptability

In an increasingly competitive higher education sector, the role of interdisciplinarity is a complex one. Researchers are called upon to adopt interdisciplinary practices as the only way to tackle global social challenges. Teaching at universities often draws upon interdisciplinary strategies as a way of embedding holistic learning and producing more adaptable graduates. At the same time, disciplinary boundaries remain in place and may be even more important to universities called upon to market their subjects in a very competitive higher education environment. The authors of this chapter critically explore the debates around interdisciplinarity in a higher education sector that is forcing institutions to become increasingly adaptable. The chapter firstly debates the place of interdisciplinary studies in research and teaching in higher education from a social policy perspective. Secondly, the chapter examines the theoretical perspectives on interdisciplinarity and provides a model framework. Finally, the authors of this chapter consider their own research and teaching experiences in the context of debates about interdisciplinarity.