The Transdisciplinary Futures Project: Preparing Learners to Contribute to a Complex World

Transdisciplinary learning does not fit neatly into typical university structures of disciplinary faculties, schools, and departments, yet graduates require transdisciplinary mindsets to be able to address the complex societal issues they now face. This presentation outlines a transformational flagship offering starting in 2026 at the University of Auckland | Waipapa Taumata Rau that will require all undergraduate learners to take one of 12 Transdisciplinary Futures courses as part of their undergraduate degree. The presenters draw from their experience of co-leading this transdisciplinary initiative and outline how to build momentum and implement impactful change that seeks to transform traditional ways of teaching and learning. By presenting key learnings from the pilots being launched in semester 2 2024, the presenters discuss how these courses are enabling learners to engage with complex societal issues from diverse and novel perspectives, including indigenous knowledge systems, values, and perspectives. They outline the key pedagogical approaches, tools and practices that are being implemented to transform the student experience and to create in learners a sense of engagement, purpose, and capacity to contribute to creating a sustainable and hopeful world for themselves and others.

Presenters/Facilitators

Jaime King, Marie McEntee, The University of Auckland

Audience interest

Education Innovation

• Transdisciplinary education
• Student experiences of interdisciplinary education

Health Humanities Global Classroom using digital museum collections – an approach to develop students' intercultural capabilities

This workshop shares interim findings from a new Global Classroom initiative, emerging from the U21 Educational Innovation subgroup “Learning Across the Curriculum Through Campus Museums and Galleries”. The Global Classroom, themed on the broad topic global health and collaboration in healthcare, uses COIL pedagogy and digitised U21 campus art and museum collections, for students studying across multiple U21 universities in areas of health. The team, working together across the University of Melbourne, University of Hong Kong, and Singapore National University, are motivated by a shared history of successful collaborative teaching practice in the field of interdisciplinary object-mediated learning in campus museums and galleries; emerging opportunities in online Teaching & Learning with digitized museum objects and environments; as well as the growing need for internationalising the curriculum and providing opportunities for students to increase their intercultural capabilities. We are a highly interdisciplinary team, including medicine, optometry, pharmacy, anthropology, museum studies, cultural history, art history, and technologies of Teaching & Learning. We will share current project activity and research outcomes including student participants’ perceptions of a pilot seminar delivered in 2024; provide a workshop experience of the Global Classroom for conference attendees; and lead a whole group discussion on future aspirations and collaboration opportunities.   

Presenters/Facilitators

Dr Heather Gaunt, University of Melbourne
A/Prof Kwang Cham, University of Melbourne
Dr Rosie Shea, University of Melbourne
A/Prof Florian Knothe, The University of Hong Kong
Ms Yueh-Siang Chang, National University of Singapore
Dr Hui Ting Chng, National University of Singapore

Audience interest

Student Experience

• Collaborative Online International Learning programmes
• Object Based Learning
• Using cultural artefacts to inform STEM teaching.

Partnering with Industry and Community to cultivate talents for the future

This session offers an exploration of industry and community collaboration in higher education, drawing from the experiences of the University of Sydney’s Industry and Community Project Units (ICPUs) and Shanghai Jiao Tong University’s (SJTU) Global Institute of Future Technology.

These models for interdisciplinary learning and engagement highlight practical examples of the establishment of new opportunities through curriculum and co-curriculum development that explore engaged and work integrated learning experiences for students through a variety of delivery models.

The session will encourage participants to discuss the following questions:

- Community and industry engagement are multifaceted and complex – where are the similarities and differences in the ways we work with varied external partners?
- How can we sustainability partner with industry and community to ensure all students have equal opportunities to experience this in their studies?
- What needs to change in our mindset around skill development and assessment to support greater partnership with community and industry?
- How can we prepare diverse students for these experiences and support them to understand the learning outcomes and impact for them?
- Can we develop frameworks for the above that work internationally, and leverage our network?

Presenters/Facilitators

Prof Richard Miles, The University of Sydney
Prof Jun Ni, Shanghai Jiao Tong University
Dr. Danang Sri Hadmoko, Universitas Gadjah Mada
Prof. Gandes, Universitas Gadjah Mada

Audience interest

Student Experience

SL Working Groups: Progress Updates and Future Directions

This session will review and progress the latest initiatives from our Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion (EDI) and Sustainability working groups. It will also include planning for the upcoming AGM 2025 at UC Davis and reporting on the implementation of the Sustainability Commitment. There will also be an opportunity for a short business update.

Presenters/Facilitators

TBC

Audience interest

Senior Leaders

Closing Plenary

This closing session will provide the opportunity for all delegates to connect and reflect upon the event.

Presenters/Facilitators

TBC

Audience interest

All delegates