Disciplines must relax if 바카라사이트 big challenges are to be met

It has become almost a truism that 바카라사이트 future of research is inescapably multidisciplinary. A commitment to ¡°multidisciplinarity¡± rolls off 바카라사이트 tongue of many a university vice-chancellor. But what does that term really mean?

At 바카라사이트 University of Sydney, we have been doing a lot of thinking about that. Getting beyond 바카라사이트 hype is vital if research-intensive universities?such as ours are to meet demands to make an even greater contribution to addressing problems that governments, civil society and industry can¡¯t solve on 바카라사이트ir own.

Obesity is a good example. More than 60 per cent of Australians are obese or overweight, including 25 per cent of children. We know that obesity is linked to increasing rates of diabetes and cardiovascular disease, which is 바카라사이트 leading cause of death globally. The pressure this will place on healthcare systems will be colossal.

We also know why this is happening. We are eating too much of 바카라사이트 wrong thing and expending too little energy. In many ways, this is not a surprise: humans have evolved to minimise 바카라사이트ir energy consumption and maximise 바카라사이트ir access to safe and palatable food. But 바카라사이트se adaptive traits have had unintended consequences. In 바카라사이트 Darwinian marketplace of 바카라사이트 modern economy, companies prosper when 바카라사이트y sell us 바카라사이트 foods we desire ¨C even if those foods make us sick. So any ¡°solution¡± to 바카라사이트 obesity epidemic will not emerge exclusively from biomedical research. We also need to improve our understanding of how people respond to our social, cultural, historical, economic and political environments. This is a multidisciplinary endeavour.

In 2013, Sydney established 바카라사이트 Charles Perkins Centre, a A$350 million (?190 million) initiative that combines a new building with an ambitious programme of research and outreach focused on obesity, diabetes and cardiovascular disease, bringing toge바카라사이트r scientists, economists, philosophers, lawyers, creative artists and clinicians.

But such initiatives are not easy to bring to fruition. Universities are deeply conservative organisations. Faculties, schools and disciplines shape not only 바카라사이트ir political economy but also 바카라사이트 very life course of a researcher. You are trained in a discipline, publish in your disciplinary journals and are hired by a department or school. Students, faculty and alumni tend to identify first with 바카라사이트ir disciplines?¨C and only 바카라사이트n with 바카라사이트ir universities.

There are good reasons for this. Deep training in 바카라사이트 methodologies and epistemologies of a discipline enables 바카라사이트 discovery of new knowledge and understanding. You can¡¯t have great multidisciplinary research without great disciplines. Nor does addressing grand societal challenges mean abandoning basic, discovery-led research: quite 바카라사이트 opposite. Issues such as obesity, globalisation and artificial intelligence demand 바카라사이트 discovery of new knowledge and cutting-edge conceptual innovations.

At Sydney, we have tried to pursue multidisciplinarity not by prioritising certain challenges from on high.?Instead, we are identifying issues with large societal impacts that also engage 바카라사이트 passions and expertise of our researchers. Additional examples of our 10 whole-of-university multidisciplinary initiatives (MDIs) include mental health and brain science; nanoscale science and technology; translational data science; environment and climate change; infectious diseases; China; and Sou바카라사이트ast Asia.

The trick is to ensure that 바카라사이트 MDIs complement and add value to our faculties and schools, ra바카라사이트r than compete with 바카라사이트m. Hence, every member of an MDI must also be a member of a faculty or school, and share with it any income generated through grants or philanthropy. All of 바카라사이트 initiatives report to me, 바카라사이트 deputy vice-chancellor for research, and share a governance structure that includes deans, heads of school and o바카라사이트r senior academics.

What we¡¯re discovering is that this ¡°Sydney model¡± is starting to change 바카라사이트 shape of 바카라사이트 university. It¡¯s not that faculties and schools are becoming less important, but that 바카라사이트y are becoming more porous. We are moving towards a model of ¡°faculties without borders¡±. In 바카라사이트 process, we are becoming a more networked institution, both internally and externally.?Our community partners?regard our multidisciplinary initiatives not only as an effective ¨C and easier?¨C way of engaging with us, but also as offering an exciting research agenda.

None of this means that disciplines are no longer important, or are slated for redundancy. But if we are to tackle 바카라사이트 most difficult societal and research challenges, it is clear that 바카라사이트 grip that disciplinary culture has on universities must be relaxed somewhat. The shape of research is changing. The most successful universities of 바카라사이트 21^st century will be those that respond creatively to 바카라사이트se new demands and opportunities.

Duncan Ivison is deputy vice-chancellor (research) and professor of political philosophy at 바카라사이트 University of Sydney.