Transdisciplinarity (TD) is a research approach that brings together academic researchers, community members, practitioners, and other stakeholders to work collaboratively on complex real-world problems — particularly in sustainability, health, and social change.
Unlike multidisciplinary research (where disciplines work in parallel) or interdisciplinary research (where disciplines integrate), transdisciplinary research actively involves non-academic partners as equal contributors throughout the entire research process — from defining the problem to applying the findings.
Why does it matter? Many of today’s most pressing challenges — climate change, food security, urban inequality — cannot be solved by any single discipline alone. TD research creates solutions that are both scientifically rigorous and practically relevant because they are shaped by the people who live and work within the problem.
What you will learn in this tutorial: In this 12-minute tutorial you will explore the core principles of transdisciplinarity, understand how TD differs from multi and interdisciplinary approaches, see a real example of TD research in action, and identify where TD might apply in your own work or studies.
Ready to go deeper? After completing this tutorial, explore the Learning Series on Building and Nurturing Partnerships for your next step.
