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It is an inherent part of learning that we also learn things for which we do not have any use, not now, not later. Still, we need the things we have no use for; they enrichen our understanding of the world. The Interdisciplinarity Symposium organized by ľ�ϸ���Ӱ�� College Utrecht (UCU) last Tuesday circled around that seemingly paradoxical notion.

In the symposium, a multi-disciplinary panel consisting of Prof. Dr. Rosi Braidotti (Utrecht ľ�ϸ���Ӱ��, Humanities), Alfredo Brillembourg, MSc (Zurich, Architecture), Prof. Wendy Carlin (ľ�ϸ���Ӱ�� College London, Economics), Prof. Dr. Naomi Ellemers (Utrecht ľ�ϸ���Ӱ��, Psychology) and Mr. Martijn Snoep (Chairman of Netherlands Authority of Consumers & Markets; Lawyer) discussed the assets and ambitions of interdisciplinarity – in teaching and research, as well as in thinking and acting in a broader sense.

In his opening speech, Prof. Dr. Henk Kummeling, Rector Magnificus of Utrecht ľ�ϸ���Ӱ��, emphasized the need for citizens who are able to take new paths in their search for solutions to global challenges such as climate change.

It was the wish to find ways to innovate and integrate disciplines, and knowledge, that stood out as the common denominator of the panel discussion. While Rosi Braidotti suggested that we perhaps should move towards “post-disciplinarity”, others searched the merits of an interdisciplinatory approach in that it “instills in students a certain set of moral values” (Alfredo Brillembourg), or “You need to speak the language of the other professions” (Martijn Snoep).

Again other panel members emphasized the indispensable value of learning even seemingly useless content for acquiring new skills. “The skillset that you acquire will outlast the specific choice of topics,” stated Naomi Ellemers. In the same vein, Wendy Carlin noted that education should enable us to “connect narrative to specialized language”.

“Interdisciplinarity can help us further,” said UCU Dean James Kennedy in his concluding remark. “It helps us think more fully about the choices we – as ľ�ϸ���Ӱ�� College, and as academic community - might make. We need to continue the discussion, it gives us new elan and new viewpoints.”

The video recording of the symposium is available . 

The symposium was part of UCU20 Lustrum, ľ�ϸ���Ӱ�� College Utrecht’s week-long celebration of its 20^th anniversary. On Saturday 15 September, a publicly open festival will close the celebration. Find out more on the UCU website.