USJ DOCTORAL SYMPOSIUM 2024

Devising Transdisciplinary Research

6 – 8 November 2023
University of Saint Joseph (USJ), Macao, China

Transdisciplinarity complements disciplinary approaches. It occasions the emergence of new data and new interactions from out of the encounter between disciplines. It offers us a new vision of nature and reality. Transdisciplinarity does not strive for mastery of several disciplines but aims to open all disciplines to that which they share and to that which lies beyond them. (Article 3, Charter of Transdisciplinarity)

The transdisciplinary ethic rejects any attitude that refuses dialogue and discussion, regardless of whether the origin of this attitude is ideological, scientistic, religious, economic, political or philosophical. Shared knowledge should lead to a shared understanding based on an absolute respect for the collective and individual Otherness united by our common life on one and the same Earth. (Article 13, Charter of Transdisciplinarity)

Thus, Transdisciplinarity aims at integrating the natural, social and health sciences in humanities context and transcending their traditional boundaries to resolve real-world and complex problems by providing different perspectives on problems to reach holistic descriptive answers to comprehensive research questions. It is a way of seeing the world and questioning, that is, of doing research, which cannot be imposed but is gradually promoted and nurtured.