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Advances in Interdisciplinary Research and the Path to Open Science

Experts agree that the integration of diverse disciplines can drive innovation, improve teaching, and address modern educational challenges.
interdisciplinarity illustration
The elements for interdisciplinarity to be successful are contextualization, followed by equality among academic peers and also the sense of belonging. (Illustration: Shutterstock)

In the future, research cannot be conducted without an interdisciplinary approach, as this quality gives a unique and differential value to the generation of knowledge. For this reason, it is essential to learn to combine different areas of expertise.

This reasoning was the consensus reached by the four participants of the panel Advances in Interdisciplinary Research”, moderated by Inés Álvarez Icaza, professor and researcher at the Institute for the Future of Education, as part of the IFE Conference 2025, held at the Tec de Monterrey.

The book Advances in Interdisciplinary Research: Pioneering Innovations and Sustainable Practices Towards Open Science (Routledge, 2025), which compiles 120 pages of 8 articles written by 20 professors and researchers from various institutions, was also presented at the event.

For Jairo Lugo Ocando, Dean of the College of Communication at the University of Sharjah, interdisciplinarity should not be understood only as “bringing people from different disciplines together”. That is not enough. The elements for interdisciplinarity to bear fruit are several, he added. The first is contextualization, followed by equality among academic peers and also a sense of belonging.

Contextualization is fundamental. How can you, for example, bring a physical education professor to a project on geometry? You can only achieve this if you provide the context,” said Lugo Ocando.

Secondly, there is the question of power, a topic that should be discussed more in education. “It’s not just about the power of the teacher over the students, but about the democratic politics among peers. Unfortunately, in some universities, researchers in the humanities are looked down upon because they think that what is done there is less important. There can be no interdisciplinarity if there is no parity,” he said.

For Paola Corti, project manager of the Politecnico Di Milano, the world of science requires new voices and to broaden the margins.

“This does not mean moving the focus of our research to another side, but rather broadening the margins of the approach to welcome people from different contexts, from whom we can learn from each other effectively,” she said.

The book Advances in Interdisciplinary Research: Pioneering Innovations and Sustainable Practices Towards Open Science, available starting in April, consists of 8 chapters on educational innovation and addressing diversity and inclusion. (Image: Courtesy).

Open Science and the Democratization of Knowledge

Open science is a global movement that promotes open access to scientific research (publications, methodologies, data, educational resources, etc.). In 2021, UNESCO made a Recommendation on Open Science to promote its benefits and create an ideal regulatory environment.

Antonio Martínez Arboleda, leader of open educational practices at the University of Leeds, and one of the four editors of the book, mentioned that open science, education and open research are becoming a necessity due to the demands and aspirations of democratization of knowledge.

“When we talk about open science, we must think that it is not just about openly publishing the results we produce. It is also about new social relationships, engaging all research participants in an equitable way (…). How do we articulate these new relationships? What is our role as leaders, academic experts within that set of new social relationships?” he questioned.

To conclude, Lugo Ocando applauded the fact that open science and communication “empower” people by making knowledge accessible.

A Book for Students, Teachers and Researchers

The book explores some methodologies that allow improving educational practices through interdisciplinary research and open science.

It also shows how the integration of diverse disciplines can drive innovation, improve teaching and address modern educational challenges.

Among its eight chapters, it describes the value of interdisciplinary research and explains how technological advances and innovative processes can enrich education. It also presents theoretical frameworks to develop cutting-edge research and practical strategies for data visualization.

It also addresses topics such as equity, diversity and inclusion in open education, offers ideas to foster collaboration, and highlights the theoretical and practical benefits that come with developing interdisciplinary research.

The book, which will be available from April, is made up of 8 chapters:

  1. Focusing on the differential value of interdisciplinary research from educational innovation.
  2. Beyond the frontier: theoretical foundations for interdisciplinary educational research at the frontiers of knowledge.
  3. Data visualization framework in Education 4.0: an approach to lifelong learning for researchers.
  4. Addressing diversity and inclusion: effective strategies in higher education.
  5. Transfer of research with discussions and conclusions of value for knowledge with social impact.
  6. Equity, diversity and inclusion in open education: recommendations to support researchers and professionals.
  7. Academic networks for innovation and research: fostering complex thinking through the Orlab educational platform.
  8. Academic networks and personal branding in the open education movement.

Did you find this story interesting? Would you like to publish it? Contact our content editor to learn more at marianaleonm@tec.mx

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