The rapidly changing world brings forth a myriad of challenges in society and nature, demanding diverse and effective solutions. In response to these complex issues, interdisciplinary and transdisciplinary approaches have been increasingly emphasised in both the EU and national levels, including in Finland and Taiwan.
The presentation shares experiences from several transdisciplinary research projects in which we are involved. With backgrounds in social science, biology, and environmental economics, we present a range of projects of various levels, from Finnish programs like PoDoCo* that emphasize cross-sector innovation, to large EU-funded projects such as BLUE4ALL**, BIRGEJUMPI***.
The aim of this exchange is to start the conversation on transdisciplinarity and collaboration, particularly on how to engage meaningfully with non-governmental partners and local communities. Ultimately, we hope this sharing will lead to future collaborations that explore how mutual understanding across natural and social science can be bridged in a good way.
*PoDoCo: A national program in Finland that promotes collaboration between postdoctoral researchers and companies. It aims to bridge academia and industry, fostering cross-sector knowledge transfer and innovative applications.
**BLUE4ALL is an EU Horizon project that consists of natural scientists, social scientists, economists, NGOs, and a communication partner with close collaboration with managers of marine protection areas (MPAs). The project aims to develop a toolbox that can help MPA managers to improve the effectiveness of managing MPA.
***BIRGEJUMPI: bridging knowledge systems for inclusive resilient, and prosperous Arctic costal futures (DOI: 10.3030/101182041) aims to strengthen community engagement and relational environmental decision-making in Arctic costal regions by bringing together diverse knowledge systems, grounded in a holistic, ethical, and equitable community-based approach to research with strong Indigenous leadership.
