Transdiscplinarity and Transdisciplinary Research
December, 2025
By Stefan Müller (td-net, Swiss Academies of Arts and Sciences)
Global Research Partnerships are often but not necessarily transdisciplinary. In the context of societal challenges, both transdisciplinarity and transdisciplinary research aim to transgress the boundaries between scientific disciplines, as well as between science and practice. The objective is to develop new knowledge that can help solve, mitigate or prevent these challenges. This means that knowledge is co-produced not only to understand the problem, but also to address the problem itself. In other words, transdisciplinary research links societal problem-solving with scientific knowledge acquisition in a process of knowledge co-production.
What Are Transdiscplinarity and Transdisciplinary Research?
As they have been developed in different contexts and for different purposes, there are many different definitions of transdisciplinarity and transdisciplinary research. In US health research, for example, transdisciplinarity involves studying an issue — such as cancer — from the molecular level through to society. This approach enables us to understand how a person’s neighbourhood influences their immune system, which in turn affects the success of cancer therapy (Gerend & Pai, 2008). Others see transdisciplinarity as a means of bridging the gap between Western ways of thinking and more holistic forms of knowledge that do not separate science and spirituality (Nicolescu, 2010, see also Multilingualism in Research Partnerships and Diversit of Knowledge Systems).
With regard to transdisciplinary research, we can refer to an understanding that is widely accepted in the field of sustainable development and sustainability science: “Transdisciplinarity is a reflexive research approach that addresses societal problems by means of interdisciplinary collaboration as well as the collaboration between [scientists] and extra-scientific actors [(practitioners)]; its aim is to enable mutual learning processes between science and society; integration is the main cognitive challenge of the research process” (Jahn et al., 2012, p. 8). Although this definition is adequate, due to its brevity it leaves out further key characteristics. We consider the outcomes and the process designs of transdisciplinary research to be two such characteristics that substantiate our understanding. According to Mitchell et al. (2015), a process should affect three different outcome spaces to be considered as transdisciplinary research:
- The situation of the societal problem should improve.
- Artefacts should be co-produced, disseminated and exploited that contribute to the ‘stocks and flows of knowledge’ surrounding the societal problem.
- Both scientists and practitioners must engage in mutual and transformational learning about the societal problem.
According to Pohl et al. (2017), to be transdisciplinary research, the process of knowledge co-production leading to these outcomes has to be designed in such a way that it can:
- Understand the complexity of the societal problem.
- Consider the diverse perceptions of practitioners and scientists.
- Link abstract knowledge with knowledge specific to the societal context involved.
- Develop descriptive, normative and transformative knowledge to promote sustainable development within the societal context involved and beyond.
We see collaboration, co-production and integration between scientists from different disciplines and practitioners from different sectors and domains as a means to achieve these outcomes and process designs in a clever and meaningful way. However, we refrain from defining the number of scientific disciplines and societal sectors and domains that must be involved in a process for it to be considered transdisciplinary research. The important question is not how many are involved, but whether the relevant stakeholders and fields of expertise are present in the process.
When Is Transdisciplinary Research Promising?
In today’s world, we are confronted with complex societal challenges. Science is increasingly being asked to find ways to help overcome them. But what kind of knowledge and research can address such complex challenges? Transdisciplinary research is increasingly regarded as a promising approach, as it integrates diverse perceptions from various scientific disciplines and societal sectors and domains. It brings together experts, decision-makers, individuals affected by the challenges in question and other stakeholders to frame and analyse problems, develop desirable future scenarios, and devise strategies and actions to support the necessary transformations.
But exactly which objectives and contextual conditions should you engage stakeholders with intensely? This is an especially important question given their limited time and financial resources. Following Schneider and Buser (2018), transdisciplinary research is particularly promising when:
- Normative questions and changes are addressed.
- Knowledge is needed to enable action.
- The problems at stake are contested.
- There is high diversity among both the academic and non-academic actors.
- There are numerous stakeholders, who are interested in, affected by or in a position to influence the process’s problem situation, contextual conditions and objectives.
Although transdisciplinary research is a promising approach for addressing complex societal challenges, it is not suitable for answering all types of questions addressed through Global Research Partnerships. Some research questions are better answered using other participatory approaches, or interdisciplinary, multidisciplinary or disciplinary enquiry (see also Forms and Types of Partnerships).
How Is Transdisciplinary Research Conducted?
It is helpful to think in phases when designing processes of knowledge co-production. Each phase involves specific tasks. In terms of concept, Pohl et al. (2017) divide transdisciplinary research processes into three phases.
These three phases overlap and are usually approached iteratively. For instance, objectives frequently require adjustment or clarification during the process, particularly when contextual conditions change, unexpected outputs are obtained, or new partners and stakeholders join the transdisciplinary research process. Additionally, knowledge, ideas, actions, solutions and other outputs should be co-produced and ways to impact should be explored whenever relevant windows of opportunity emerge.
Methods and Tools for Co-Producing Knowledge, and Other Resources for Transdisciplinary Research
When tackling societal challenges, transdisciplinary research incorporates different perceptions from both society and science within heterogeneous groups of researchers. It is therefore important to identify ways in which the research can be rendered relevant to both realms. Specific methods and tools are thus required to facilitate collaboration, co-production and integration between experts, decision-makers, individuals affected by the challenges in question and other stakeholders in a systematic and comprehensible way. The td-net Toolbox compiles resources of this kind that have been developed and tested by the global transdisciplinary research community. Please see the following list for Toolbox access and other public resources from the Network for Transdisciplinary Research (td-net), and do not hesitate to contact the td-net for support.
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The Network for Transdisciplinary Research (td-net) is a competence centre of the Swiss Academies of Arts and Sciences. For over 20 years, the td-net has been engaged in capacity building for transdisciplinarity and transdisciplinary research, drawing on experience, professionalisation efforts and evaluation results from the community of practice of transdisciplinary researchers – in Switzerland and internationally.
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