Circle U. Caf¨¦ Oslo: What can we learn from students about interdisciplinary education?

Policy-makers and university leaders claim that interdisciplinary education has the potential to bring about profound changes for higher education as such and for public good. According to this reasoning, interdisciplinary education will prepare students to contribute to finding ways to cope with ¡°wicked problems,¡± from climate change to levelling social inequalities. Such preparation involves academics and students from different disciplines collaborating on teaching and learning, as well as students learning to integrate and use knowledge from different disciplines.

Researchers and students from three Circle U. universities will discuss how they have (or not) taught and learned to collaborate and to draw on knowledge and skills from different disciplines.

• What do students learn about collaboration and integration of knowledge and skills in an interdisciplinary program?
• What do academics teach about collaboration and integration ¨C or think they are teaching ¨C in interdisciplinary programs or courses?
• What are the benefits and challenges we can identify from the experiences of students and academics?

The Caf¨¦ will consist of three parts. First, students will reflect on how and what they are learning in an interdisciplinary program. Then we invite academics to react to the students¡¯ discussion. In the final part, students will have the last word before we open the discussion to the Caf¨¦ audience (live).

Contributors

• Jakob S?nsteb?, UiO student leader, student in the Honours program mathematics
• Line H. Thorstad, UiO student leader, student in the Honours-program philosophy
• Anja R?yne, UiO INTED co-director, Sen. Lecturer, Center of Teaching and Learning in Science
• Sandy Tubeuf, Professor in Health Economics, Universit¨¦ Catholique de Louvain
• Darren Williams, Reader in Developmental Neurobiology, King¡¯s College London