Knowledge integration: A key challenge for transdisciplinary cooperation

In both transdisciplinary education and transdisciplinary research projects, bodies of knowledge must be brought together which are structured in fundamentally different ways. Besides the clear divide between practical, everyday knowledge and academic knowledge, there is also a range of distinct discipline-based outlooks; all of these are to be integrated in order to reach solutions to practical problems, and to create new knowledge that transcends disciplinary boundaries. The different forms of knowledge present within a transdisciplinary team represent an important resource for problem-solving. However, this raises the question of how–in spite of or because of these differences–knowledge can be exchanged and ultimately integrated in such a manner as to achieve common goals. The process of knowledge integration is key to the added value of transdisciplinary research; it is therefore well worth examining the process in a more differentiated manner. The paper draws upon findings from social psychology on information and knowledge transfer and group dynamics to illuminate the process of generating transdisciplinary knowledge. It intends to contribute to the further development of transdisciplinary collaboration practice. The paper also provides specific recommendations which are useful in research and education processes. © 2008, Taylor & Francis Group, LLC.