What becomes possible when universities move beyond the boundaries of disciplines, institutions, and sectors?
This session delves into transdisciplinarity: one of the core ideas underpinning CHARM-EU’s vision of education. In the face of increasingly complex global challenges, it is no longer enough to simply combine different academic disciplines. Instead, the task is to create forms of collaboration that connect different kinds of expertise, experiences, and perspectives across institutions, sectors, and cultures. Drawing on examples from CHARM-EU’s educational practices, the discussion will consider how students, researchers, professional staff, and external partners can work together to co-create knowledge and address multifaceted challenges. It will reflect on what it takes to move beyond disciplinary silos and build spaces for dialogue, mutual learning, and genuinely collaborative problem-solving.
Date: Monday, 20 April
Time: 13:00–14:00 CET
Format: Online panel discussion with Q&A
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Each CHARM ON features a moderated panel with voices from across our university community (educators, researchers, students, and support staff) sharing concrete experiences that bring CHARM-EU’s approaches to life. Together, they connect principles to practice, point to good examples in our Service Portfolio, and signpost trainings and follow-up opportunities offered by the Alliance.
CHARM ON will take place on the last Monday of each month at 13:00 CET, offering a regular space to share ideas, practices, and impact stories across the CHARM-EU community.
Sandra Crnko is an Assistant Professor at University Medical Center Utrecht within the Department of Pathology. Her research focusses on circadian rhythms and strategies to improve immunotherapy for brain cancers. In addition to her research activities, she is actively engaged in educational innovation, with a particular emphasis on implementing Challenge-Based Learning in laboratory-based settings. She coordinates several Bachelor’s and Master’s courses, including Module 1 in the Life & Health track within the CHARM-EU Master programme, as well as the Tackling Health Challenges in Internationally Linked Research HUBs elective module, initially established through collaboration between Utrecht University and University of Montpellier.
Annet van der Riet is an educational scientist and works within the European alliance CHARM-EU, where she is responsible for the professional development of teachers. She supports the design of new joint Master programmes, with a focus on important themes like challenge-based learning, transdisciplinary education and hybrid education.
Prof. Judit Mádl-Szőnyi is a hydrogeologist at Eötvös Loránd University (ELTE), Budapest, and Vice-Rector for General Affairs, with responsibility for the University’s Sustainability Flagship Programme. Her research focuses on regional groundwater flow systems, managed aquifer recharge, and the role of groundwater in climate adaptation and resilience. She coordinates ClimEx-PE, the first CHARM-EU Research & Innovation project, which exemplifies transdisciplinary collaboration by linking hydrogeology, social sciences, education, and stakeholder engagement. Her work is dedicated to connecting scientific knowledge with practical pathways toward sustainability.
Dr. Jake Rowan Byrne is Co-Director of CHARM-EU and an academic in the School of Education at Trinity College Dublin. His work focuses on transdisciplinary education, challenge-based learning, and the role of technology in fostering agency and transformative skills. He led the design and delivery of the Transdisciplinary Research Module within CHARM-EU’s flagship Master’s programme, supporting students (and staff) to engage collaboratively with complex global challenges. Jake’s work brings together diverse disciplines, institutions, and stakeholders to advance innovative, impact-driven approaches to learning.
