The tdAcademy initially focuses its research on four topic lines that examine core issues of transdisciplinary research.

Topic Line 1: Societal Effects

The aim of transdisciplinary research is to contribute to societal change, whether this means new infrastructures and products, adapted legal framework conditions or altered patterns of behaviour. Under this topic line, we explore how research projects can be supported in terms of systematically reflecting on their societal effects and thereby increasing their potential effectiveness.

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Topic Line 2: Scientific Effects

The aim of transdisciplinary research is to achieve societal change. But what effect does this kind of research actually have on academia? The spectrum of possible effects that transdisciplinary research may generate within academia goes far beyond publications and citations. We will explore this spectrum under topic line 2.

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Topic Line 3: Contextual Dependencies

In transdisciplinary research, a double contextual dependency emerges: on the one hand transdisciplinary research is carried out in specific contexts, but on the other it aims to provide systematisable, operationisable and transferable methods and results. Under topic line 3 we therefore ask how methodological processes can be adapted in order to be able to transfer specific findings and facilitate multifaceted learning processes between cases.

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Topic Line 4: New Formats

If academics and practitioners wish to deal with socially relevant and complex problems and progress transformation in terms of sustainable development, they must work together. We need suitable formats and methods for this transdisciplinary approach. Under this topic line we explore new formats, the contexts in which they are used, and how they can each be adapted. One of our aims is to introduce a system that will make it easier to select suitable formats and newly tailored methods.

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