Vice President for Education, Teacher Training, and Continuing Education(VP SL)
View of TU Berlins main building across Straße des 17. Juni in sunshine, students are standing in groups © Oana Popa-Costea
Interloc Transdisciplinary Learning | 8 september 2023

 

Alongside the rising status of interdisciplinarity as a learning experience across disciplines, transdisciplinary research alliances at the cross­roads between science and society have rapidly grown in importance. Increasingly, knowledge resources which are cultivated beyond universities, such as practical knowledge, vocational knowledge, indigenous etc. are being incorporated into uni­versity research practices.

What does this transition imply for academic teaching and learning? Which educational perspectives emerge from it? How do we overcome existing barriers? On the occasion of the publication of Handbook Transdisciplinary Learning, TU Berlin invited international experts, students, and teachers to exchange their experiences. The conference focused on a critical appraisal of transdisciplinary education methods and evaluated their potential for future forms of cooperation between science and society.

Handbook Transdisciplinary Learning

What is transdisciplinarity – and what are its methods? How does a living lab work? What is the purpose of citizen science, student-organized teaching and cooperative education?

Our new handbook unpacks key terms and concepts to describe the range of transdisciplinary learning in the context of academic education. Transdisciplinary learning turns out to be a comprehensive innovation process in response to the major global challenges such as climate change, urbanization or migration.

A reference work for students, lecturers, scientists, and anyone wanting to understand the profound changes in higher education. Open Access!

Speakers

María Inés Plaza Lazo

Co-founder and co-editor of "Arts of the Working Class", the street journal on poverty and wealth, art and society, María develops curatorial and communication strategies for both individuals and institutions.

Alhassan Yakubu Alhassan

Research fellow at the University of Agder Kristiansand, Alhassan explores the complexities of knowledge transfer and its legacy in post-colonial contexts.

Jimlea Mendoza

A fisherman daughter from the Philippines, Jimlea conducts ethnobotanical research with fishers. She is member of the Biocultural Diversity Lab at Cà Foscari University of Venice.

Manon Mostert-van der Sar

Director of Stadslab Rotterdam, the fab lab of Hogeschool Rotterdam, Manon is a maker and designer of education. She trains teachers, coaches instructors, and designs cross-institute modules.

Gesine Schwan

Formerly President of the European University Viadrina, co-founder of the Humboldt-Viadrina School of Governance - and today President of the Berlin Governance Platform: In research, politics, culture and civil society, Gesine has always been committed to the dialogue between science and society.

Sonia Massari

Believing in design as a superpower, Sonia's mission is to build a diverse, transdisciplinary and inclusive design environment. Not just a matter of team work, but a cognitive and cultural journey.

Luïza Luz

Transdisciplinary artist engaging with intersectional environmentalism, language, and postnatural narratives, Luïza teaches "Planetary Embodiment" at the Berlin University of the Arts.

Johannes Vollbehr

An experienced carpenter and purpose entrepreneur: Johannes has initiated a student-organized learning project at TU Berlin and is a scholar in the professional talents program of the German Federal Ministry of Education and Research.

Ulli Vilsmaier

Focussing inter- and transdisciplinary research and higher education, Ulli's work emphasizes complementarities between different ways of knowing, acting, and being.

Juliette Cortes Arevalo

Lecturer on collaborative and integrated management, Juliette explores storytelling to counteract environmental problems and envision a better future.

Lukas Feireiss

Visiting professor, curator and editor, Lukas pilots new forms of thinking and learning together in arts science and humanities at Berlin University of the Arts and beyond.

Susanna Sancassani

As Managing Director of METID, the competence unit of Politecnico di Milano University, Susanna is an expert of creative design of innovative learning methodologies.

Emanuele Fantini

As a senior lecturer and researcher in Water Politics and Communication at TU Delft, Emanuele is committed to crossover projects outside academia, cooperating with journalists, photographers, and science communicators.

Christian Schröder

TU Berlin's vice president for education, teacher training, and continuing education: Christian's responsibilities include educational outreach, quality management in academics, and teacher training.

Ines Langemeyer

Conducting research in the fields of science education, the philosophy of education, educational psychology, and vocational education, Ines explores the many roles digital and other modern technologies play in mediating developing knowledge.

Martin A. Ciesielski

Coming from improvisational theater, Martin developed his very specific forms of solo and duo performances. Born in Berlin, growing up during the fall of the wall, he experienced firsthand what it means to improvise whole societies into new forms of separateness and togetherness.

Louis Durra

As a musician, YouTube artist, and performer in-between-and-beyond-all-these-worlds, Louis remixes his music with videos from other artists.

Contributions

Welcome 
Christian Schröder (TU Berlin)

Introduction
Thorsten Philipp (TU Berlin)

Bridges and Walls
Ines Langemeyer (Karlsruhe Institute of Technology) and Susanna Sancassani (Politecnico di Milano). Moderator: Baiba Prūse

Undisciplined. Intervention
Lukas Freireiss (Berlin University of the Arts)

Engagement and Co-Creation
Sonia Massari (University of Pisa) and Jimlea Nadezhda Mendoza (Cà Foscari University of Venice). Moderator: Jonas Kellermeyer

Thoughts In Memory of Julie Thompson Klein
Ulli Vilsmaier (Responsive Research Collective)

Transdisciplinarity and Colonialisms 
Ulli Vilsmaier (Responsive Research Collective) and Alhassan Yakubu Alhassan (Agder University of Kristiansand). Moderator: Sophie von Waitz

Postnatural Narratives. Intervention
Luïza Luz (Berlin University of the Arts)

Experience and Imagination 
Juliette Cortes Arevalo (TU Delft) and Emanuele Fantini (IHE Delft). Moderator: Ingmar Mundt

Enablement and Spaces 
Manon Mostert-van der Sar (Hogeschool Rotterdam) and Johannes Vollbehr (PROSUMIO Berlin). Moderator: Stefan Raich

Spoken Rhizome. Theatrical Conclusion
Martin A. Ciesielski (actcelerate)

Transdisciplinarity and Power
Gesine Schwan (Berlin Governance Platform)

Flipping the Coined: Turning the value of the privileged into the service of the damned.
The common mission of a handbook and a street newspaper

María Inés Plaza Lazo (Arts of the Working Class)

Handbook Transdisciplinary Learning: Premises and Perspectives
Rebecca Hohnhaus (transcript Publisher)

Trnsdscplnry. Quite often the real magic happens when differences come together
Martin A. Ciesielski and Louis Durra (artcelerate)

Model Project Haus der Statistik. Guided Tour
Dariya Kryshen (ZUsammenKUNFT Berlin eG)

Contact

Building E (Elektrotechnische Institute)
Room E 115