Model to demonstrate interdisciplinarity.

1. A PROPOSED MODEL FOR
TRACKING UNIVERSITY
INTERDISCIPLINARY PROJECTS
MELGAREJO, Rafael
CADENA, Paulina
PONTIFICIA UNIVERSIDAD CATÓLICA DEL ECUADOR

2. Abstract
LATAM university
model
• Until now, the Latin-American university model is not the
most ideal environment for scientific innovation.
interdisciplinary
projects
• Could university research contribute to the development
of the country? Interdisciplinary projects are a possible
answer.
transformation of
the key concept
• The way to measure if an interdisciplinary project is
successful is to demonstrate that the key concepts are
transformed.

3. Abstract
Crossing matrix
• Our model proposes to establish an initial conceptual
basis for each discipline and a crossing matrix by
which the same or similar concepts from all disciplines
are used in a research project.
Reformulating concepts
• The project ends by reformulating the initial concepts
and verifying them in the matrix.

4. RESEARCH IN THE UNIVERSITY
 BACKGROUND
 Three main university models
University for research training (Humboldt)
University for training professionals (Napoleon)
University to train citizens (Newman)
 What is interdisciplinary research?

5. BACKGROUND, Humboldtian university model - Germany
Immanuel Kant (1724-
1804) { Categorical
imperative,
Transcendental idealism,
Synthetic a priori,
Noumenon, Sapere
aude, Nebular
hypothesis}
Johann Fichte (1762-
1814) {self-
consciousness or self-
awareness, the not-I,
striving, mutual
recognition}
Friedrich
Schleiermacher
(1768-1834)
{dialectics,
hermeneutics}
Wilhem von
Humboldt
(1767-1835)
{education
system}

6. BACKGROUND, Napoleonic university model - France
Enlightment
Declaration of
the Rights of Man
and of the Citizen
Napoleon Bonaparte (1769-
1821) {university for training
public officials (servants) in
liberal arts and sciences}

7. BACKGROUND, Newman’s university model - England
Catholic
Church
Indutrial
Revolution
Cardinal John Henry
Newman (1801-1890)
{University for citizens’
ethics training in liberal
arts and sciences

8. BACKGROUND, Latino-American Universities
Catholic
Church
Spanish /
Portuguese
colony
Latino-American
universities

9. BACKGROUND: Three main concepts
 Multidisciplinarity: the collaboration between disciplines involved in
the efforts to resolve a specific problem.
 Interdisciplinarity: the collaboration between various disciplines
embodied in interactions that allow the development of each
discipline, leading to reciprocal transformation of the disciplines
involved, in order to solve complex problems (Morin, 1996) or to
create revolutionary science (Kuhn, 1962) beyond the Scientific
Method (Asimov, 2007)
 Transdisciplinarity: removes Schools as promoters of investigation
(Martí Marco, 2012) and creates dynamic research units ad-hoc for
explorative projects.

10. The Challenge
 How can Latin American universities innovate and develop
science?
 We believe that Latin American universities can develop science
through the promotion and implementation of successful
interdisciplinary research projects.

11. The Problem
 How can we ensure that an interdisciplinary research project has
been successful?
 If at the end of a successful research project (and assuming all the
objectives have been achieved) in which many disciplines were
involved and still no transformation has been made, then it was
merely a multidisciplinary project, not an interdisciplinary one.

12. Theoretical proposal
 Every scientific discipline is based on a specific body of concepts.
 These concepts are used by each discipline as a starting point in
order to try to understand reality and design situations as such.
 Therefore, we believe, if an interdisciplinary research project is to be
successful, there must be a change or an evolution in the concepts
of a discipline.

13. Proposal: Model for tracking interdisciplinary projects
1. At the beginning of the project, we must establish a conceptual
basis of the ideas related to the research of every discipline
involved. These are called: “key concepts”.
2. Solidify the scope of the definition for each key concept
Steps for building a model:

14. A proposed model for tracking university
interdisciplinary projects
3. Consolidate the key concepts from all disciplines into one
Conceptual Basis of the Project.
INTERDISCIPLINARY CONCEPTUAL BASIS
CONCEPT DISCIPLINE KNOWLEDGE
AREA
DEFINITION

15. A proposed model for tracking university
interdisciplinary projects
4. Diagram a matrix or matrices crossing research lines within different
disciplines. To do this, the following should be taken into account:
a. There may be several types of crossings among research lines of the same
subject or among different disciplines.
b. Organize level interaction of disciplines in binary form (D: Discipline; RL:
Research Line):

16. A proposed model for tracking university
interdisciplinary projects
SCIENCE FIELD 1
D. 1.1 D. 1.2
R.L. 1.1.1. R.L. 1.1.2 R.L. 1.1.3 R.L. 1.2.1 R.L. 1.2.2. R.L. 1.2.3.
SCIENCEFIELD2
D.2.1.
R.L.
2.1.1.
R.L.
2.1.2.
R.L. 2.1.3
D.2.2
R.L. 2.2.1
R.L.
2.2.2.
R.L.
2.2.3.
Crossing Matrix between Research Lines

17. A proposed model for tracking university
interdisciplinary projects
4. Diagram a matrix or matrices crossing research lines within different
disciplines. To do this, the following should be taken into account:
a. …
b. …
c. To create as many matrices as combinations of interacting science fields
there should be: one matrix for 2 science fields, three matrices for 3 science
fields, and six matrices for 4 science fields. The number of matrices is a
combination of disciplines appropriated with a 2 by 2 scheme, regardless of
the order. The formula to calculate the number of tables / matrices is:

18. A proposed model for tracking university
interdisciplinary projects
4. Diagram a matrix or matrices crossing research lines within different
disciplines. To do this, the following should be taken into account:
a. …
b. …
c. …
d. In the crossing points, write down the concepts that may have changed during the
development of a research project. Consider all the concepts from the Conceptual
Basis.
5. During the progress of the project in each milestone, review possible
concept changes using the Conceptual Basis and the Crossing Matrices
Chart.

19. Conclusions
1. Interdisciplinarity is achieved if:
a. One or more of the concepts are transformed, because they were
conceived differently in each discipline at the beginning of the
research.
b. A new shared concept from several disciplines emerge.
2. Successful implementation of interdisciplinary research
projects reduces scientific / technological gaps between
developed and developing countries.