But how can we harness these cross-discipline partnerships to solve the world’s greatest sustainability and technological challenges? In this article, we build upon our reflections from QS India Summit 2024 to explore the importance of interdisciplinary research in supporting advancement in the Middle East.

Defining interdisciplinary research

Whilst multidisciplinary research has been executed across many departments and institutions, interdisciplinary research is a relatively new focus in the Middle East. When we talk about this, we mean the formation of two or more disciplines to create a brand-new idea that otherwise would not have been reached. For example, the LSE Middle East Centre specialises in interdisciplinary research “to enhance understanding and develop rigorous research on the societies, economies, politics and international relations of the [Middle East] region.” Deep and varied knowledge of the Middle East is important so that complex problems can be researched fully.

Interdisciplinarity only succeeds if academics are prepared to look beyond their ‘home’ discipline or merge it with another topic they find interesting. As academics branch out of their comfort zone, interdisciplinary research will start to enhance methodologies and encompass a greater range of thought processes. Working across disciplines will only enhance the possibility of research outcomes and provide solutions that would not be present in economics or anthropology, for example, alone. Furthermore, enhanced collaborative efforts mean that research is more applicable to real life and so can help to solve complex, pressing issues of the region the institution(s) is rooted in.

New collaborative possibilities 

Interdisciplinary research can help to solve social issues when we look to other higher-education institutions who possess the same goals. For example, climate change research is enhanced by bringing other experts in the region onto projects.

Recently, Suzanne Condle Lambert from Khalifa University drew her audience’s attention to the atmospheric rivers that were devastating parts of the US, but stated that research had also uncovered the same “rivers in the sky” in the Middle East. The latter location is often not covered in the vast quantity of US research papers but imagine if it was. Institutions across the US and UAE could have pooled resources to aid awareness of catastrophic rivers in both locations. The impact of such collaborations would then have spanned across more than just one department, transforming the original research conclusion into potentially multiple interdisciplinary solutions.

Such heightened collaborative opportunities and an increased exploration into unlikely disciplines will only reach new audiences. More authors mean increased citations. More stakeholders who are excited and invested in a project only results in increased interactions and awareness of the research on social media. Digital platforms can be utilised to engage with other academics or institutions that are researching the same topic area or who are also harnessing interdisciplinary research methods.

For Middle Eastern institutions, it is important to include English captions when posting about research on digital platforms. This will enhance global reach of research and open more opportunities for cross-institution collaborations. Research will also become more tangible to a global audience, as well as giving the work the innovative reputation it deserves.

Aiding social and economic development

However, interdisciplinarity can move beyond just a research environment and has the potential to aid real-world problems. King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST) reinforces this by stating that “curiosity-driven and goal-oriented research is conducted by students, faculty, scientists and engineers to address the world’s pressing scientific and technological challenges related to food, water, energy and the environment.” These four themes are inherently interdisciplinary and key research interests of many Middle Eastern universities. Such issues are not just confined to one discipline or research area, so neither should potential outcomes. Academics exploring such worldly challenges must again welcome opinions from different departments, faculties and institutions. Only then will research into food, water, energy and the environment make a real difference to the local economy.

Research has the potential to make a real impact on the world outside of academia, and so it is no surprise that interdisciplinarity can support social and economic development in developing regions. In truth, the positive impact this type of research is already having in the Middle East alone makes further collaborations an urgent priority.

Conclusion

In practice, interdisciplinary research has solved multiple sustainability and technological challenges. For example, cross-discipline partnerships at Imperial College London have uncovered new sustainable materials. According to the university, solar cells and batteries will be created through new raw materials and ethical technologies to avoid the depletion of important finite resources. These interdisciplinary findings will be used to guide academia, government and industry as we move towards a more sustainable future.

For middle Eastern universities, interdisciplinary research has brought different stakeholders together to explore how environmental issues are affecting the critically endangered. Species like the Arabian Leopard face imminent extinction in Saudi Arabia if steps are not taken to protect them. KAUST posts on social media regularly to raise awareness of the issue and to showcase their commitment to protecting our planet. These findings are a priority across departments at the institution, proving that different angles to environmental problems target varying and increased audiences.

In conclusion, if universities in the Middle East are truly committed to solving local problems, then they must create an environment that prioritises research. Although a formal interdisciplinary programme does not need to be implemented, collaborations surrounding papers, digital platforms and beyond just physical university settings should be promoted. Such benefits will lead to new outcomes that can be applied to the real world and ultimately improve social, environmental and economic efforts in the region.