SHAPE-ID at RoRI UNDISCIPLINED Workshop

Last December in snowy Hannover, two SHAPE-ID partners, Dr Isabel Fletcher and PD (dozent) Dr Bianca Vienni-Baptista, took part in a workshop organised by the UNDISCIPLINED project, an initiative of the Research on Research Institute (RoRI). RoRI is a collaboration between researchers, funders and data providers, that aims to use research evidence to improve research systems, cultures and decision-making. There is a clear overlap between these aims and SHAPE-ID’s role in advising the EU about best practice in the funding, conducting, and evaluating inter- and transdisciplinary research.  

The UNDISCIPLINED project focuses directly on the funding, evaluation, measurement and impacts of transdisciplinary research. Their workshop was hosted by the Volkswagen Foundation in their lovely Herrenhausen building, and attended by researchers and representatives of national funding organisations and private foundations.  

During the event, researcher and research funders shared evidence and insights into new methods of funding and evaluating transdisciplinary research. Presentations described new initiatives from South Africa, the United States and across Europe. As part of these sessions, Dr Fletcher spoke about the development of the SHAPE-ID toolkit and the resources it contains for funding and evaluating inter- and transdisciplinary research. Later on, Dr Vienni-Baptista described the use of toolkits (‘toolkitting’) as unrecognised form of transdisciplinary expertise, and showed how they can be used to make knowledge more accessible outside particular communities, encourage broader collective action, raise the quality of research and create standards for good practice.  

Subsequent discussions focused on building capacity for transdisciplinary research. Participants raised key issues such as the need to recognise the intellectual as well as practical contributions made by transdisciplinary researchers, and ways of enabling external organisations and publics to engage and feel more comfortable with the academic system.  

A full report of the workshop is available on the RoRI website.

Report by SHAPE-ID team.