A group of researchers from Utrecht University has addressed the question how the CHARM EU partner universities are fostering challenge-driven, co-produced research. The researchers carried out interviews and focus group discussions to gather their insights on good practices in public engagement and transdisciplinary science. “We find that structurally, most of the five universities have to some extent incorporated public engagement and transdisciplinary science as part of their broader Open Science Agenda.” says Annisa Triyanti, a researcher on the project.

The researchers come up with a set of recommendations to accelerate the effort to balance excellence-driven science with public engagement and transdisciplinary science. Triyanti: “Diversity and inclusion should be at the top of the agenda in strengthening public engagement and transdisciplinary science as part of the broader Open Science movement.” Concretely, say the researchers, this could be through exploring mechanisms to increase inclusiveness, engaging the unusual suspects, and diversifying geographical representation and societal stakeholders.

The study was conducted by the TORCH work package on public engagement. Contributions to the study were made by the following partners and members of the work package:

• Marjanneke Vijge, Annisa Triyanti, Dries Hegger, Peter Driessen & Kirsten Hollaender – Utrecht University
• Szilvia Szöllősi – Eötvös Loránd University
• Marta Soler Gallart – University of Barcelona
• Elea Pippo, Frederique Carcaillet & Inese Rozensteine – University of Montpellier
• Sarah Bowman, Joseph Roche & Giovanna De Moura Rocha Lima – Trinity College Dublin

Read the complete news release about the study on the Utrecht University website: https://www.uu.nl/en/news/how-can-utrecht-university-become-a-transdisciplinary-institution-of-the-future

The synthesis document can be downloaded there.