What collaboration? Perceptions and experiences of interdisciplinary and transdisciplinary research amongst early career researchers in Italy

In the context of increasing awareness of the need to prepare young researchers to address complex problems under post-normal conditions (L’Astorina et al., 2018), this study surveyed 2118 young researchers across Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) and Social Sciences and Humanities (SSH) fields to investigate interdisciplinary practices and collaboration with non-academic actors. Situated within the BRIDGES project, the study probes the nature and strength of collaborations between STEM and SSH, which appear less common than collaborations within the same fields. Yet respondents report substantial personal and research benefits from such cross-disciplinary engagements. Findings suggest a general openness among respondents toward collaborative practices involving a broader range of actors beyond academia. Exchanges with artists, local knowledge holders, and civil society actors, such as environmental movements, are valued for fostering personal growth and innovation, though they are impeded by language barriers, differing mindsets, and limited institutional support. We conclude that enhancing interdisciplinary and transdisciplinary collaboration will require broadening traditional conceptions of research and providing structural support for integrating scientific, artistic, and civic ways of knowing.