PRIMER Initiative: PRomoting Interdisciplinary Methodologies in Education and Research

Abstract

The paper describes the PRIMER international initiative aimed to develop interdisciplinary research capacities and skills to boost the ability to face global challenges whose complexity is beyond the reach of individual disciplines. To this end, the initiative has carried out education, research and innovation activities based on theoretical and methodological tools for the integration of knowledge. In the first section, the motivation of the initiative is described, which is followed by a section describing the objectives and approach as regards theoretical and methodological underpinnings, as well as its technical and social dimensions. The three pillars of PRIMER approach are constituted by systems science, information studies, and social innovation. A third section shows the results of a testing phase in which the participant institutions where gathered, the approach was initially tested and a more systematic program was devised upon testing results. This design, which is currently a candidate for an international funding program, is briefly described in section forth.