IDTDS @ SLASS

120/10, Vidya Mawatha,Colombo 00700,Sri Lanka idtds@slaas.lk +94 112 688740

How to Fund, Support & Evaluate

Interdisciplinary & Transdisciplinary Research

A practical and interactive guide to strengthening ID/TD research ecosystems through funding, institutional support, and meaningful evaluation.

1. Funding Interdisciplinary & Transdisciplinary Research

Funding ID/TD research requires flexible mechanisms that recognize integration, collaboration, and long-term societal value.

Key Challenges
  • Discipline-bound funding schemes
  • Rigid proposal templates
  • Limited appreciation of non-academic collaboration
  • Short-term grants for long-term issues
Best Practices
  • Create dedicated funding calls using broad themes such as climate, health, sustainability.
  • Support proposal development via seed grants, matchmaking workshops, or partnership-building grants.
  • Allow flexible budgets for community engagement, field visits, and knowledge translation.
Examples of Supportive Funders

Horizon Europe, Belmont Forum, NSF Convergence, Wellcome Trust, national TD hubs.

2. Institutional & Operational Support

Strong institutional infrastructure is essential to sustain interdisciplinary and transdisciplinary collaboration.

Capacity Building
  • Training in systems thinking and integration methods
  • Workshops on co-production and stakeholder engagement
  • Communication training for cross-sectoral collaboration
Collaborative Infrastructure
  • Interdisciplinary centers, clusters, and living labs
  • Facilitators, research managers & knowledge brokers
  • Collaboration platforms, data sharing systems
Reward Systems
  • Recognize team publications and shared outputs
  • Value community impact, not just academic metrics
  • Incentives for long-term interdisciplinary involvement

3. Evaluating ID/TD Research

Evaluation should measure integration, collaboration quality, societal impact, and learning—not only publications.

Dimension Description Criteria
Integration How well knowledge systems are combined Conceptual & methodological synthesis
Collaboration Quality Strength of partnerships Trust, inclusivity, shared decision-making
Societal Impact Real-world contribution Policy change, community benefits
Learning & Reflexivity Continuous adaptation Reflection, adaptive methods
Scientific Contribution Research originality & rigor Publications, innovations
Evaluation Tools
  • Theory of Change (ToC)
  • Participatory evaluation
  • Mixed-methods approaches
  • TDR-QAF framework
  • Structured rubrics

4. Long-Term Sustainability

  • Provide follow-on funding that allows scaling
  • Build learning communities or networks
  • Encourage open-access tools, datasets, and methods
  • Maintain long-term relationships with stakeholders

Roles in Strengthening ID/TD Research

Funders: Create flexible, inclusive calls • Universities: Support training & incentives • Researchers: Build diverse teams & integrate knowledge • Stakeholders: Provide local insights & validate outcomes

Newsletter

Dolores sed duo clita tempor justo dolor et stet lorem kasd labore lorem ipsum.