Interdisciplinarity in fact and fiction

Authors

  • Fernando Dias de Ávila-Pires

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.21713/2358-2332.2007.v4.130

Keywords:

Interdisciplinarity. Human ecology. International post-graduate teaching, Multiprofessional classes.

Abstract

An interminable dispute over the need to distinguish between interdisciplinarity, multidisciplinarity, and transdisciplinarity has already filled thousands of printed pages, without an agreement being apparently reached. There is no dispute however over the fact that we need decision-makers and advisors with the ability to tackle complex problems and to face situations where specialized knowledge is not the only requisite but the capacity for holistic thinking is paramount. This article describes a method that has been tested for ten years at the Free University of Brussel’s Master Programme on Human Ecology to prepare students to perform beyond the limits of their own professional domain. The students enrolled in this program come from several countries in different continents, and from a variety of professional backgrounds.

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How to Cite

ÁVILA-PIRES, F. D. de. Interdisciplinarity in fact and fiction. Brazilian Journal of Graduate Studies, Brasília, DF, v. 4, n. 8, 2011. DOI: 10.21713/2358-2332.2007.v4.130. Disponível em: https://rbpg.capes.gov.br/rbpg/article/view/130. Acesso em: 28 oct. 2026.

Issue

Vol. 4 No. 8 (2007)

Section

Studies

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Received 2011-04-04
Accepted 2011-04-04