FWF Coaching Workshop: Transdisciplinary Research – Success Factors and Methods for Social and Scientific Effectiveness

Transdisciplinary research aims to link joint learning processes between science and society and the search for solutions to societal problems with advances in scientific knowledge. The FWF’s funding program #ConnectingMinds encourages researchers to involve stakeholders from a variety of different sectors in the research process. Funding is available to teams that combine both academic and social knowledge and are applying them to help tackle social, technological, ecological, and economic challenges. The focus is on transdisciplinarity, innovative research approaches, and support for community engagement and collective learning spaces.

On December 2, 2026, the FWF is offering a coaching workshop for researchers interested in and/or with experience in transdisciplinary research, especially researchers who would like to submit a #ConnectingMinds workshop funding application in the fourth call for proposals (planned from November 2026 until March 2027). The workshop will be held by two experts on transdisciplinarity, Alexandra Lux and Stefanie Burkhart (ISOE - Institute for Social-Ecological Research). ISOE, based in Frankfurt am Main, is one of the leading non-university institutes for transdisciplinary sustainability research. The workshop will offer not only practice-oriented insights into the conceptual foundations of the transdisciplinary research approach, but also the opportunity to work on concrete tasks and processes to strengthen the transformation potential of transdisciplinary projects.

The aims of the one-day training course are: 

• Participants will learn about the key principles and processes of transdisciplinary research and receive tips for the conceptual and methodological design of transdisciplinary projects, in particular for problem framing and for collaboration with practitioners.
• Participants will be made aware of the diversity in forms and degrees of social impact and possible transformation paths as well as the added value of transdisciplinary research for science.
• Through practical exercises, participants will be encouraged to creatively apply the concepts and principles they have learned.
• The workshop is intended to improve the quality of the transdisciplinary conceptual and methodological approaches of #ConnectingMinds applications.

Location and registration

This FWF Coaching Workshop will be held directly on location at the Austrian Science Fund (FWF), Georg-Coch-Platz 2 (Entrance Wiesingerstraße 4), 1010 Vienna. Registration is required to attend this event. Once you have signed up to attend, you will receive a confirmation email from Eveeno.

Please note that your registration is binding. Participation can be canceled up to 14 days before the event. In the event of a no-show, the entire fee will be charged. Alternatively, you can send an email with the name of a substitute participant up to two days before the date of the workshop.

The number of participants is limited. If there are too few registrations, the FWF reserves the right to cancel the event. If an event is fully booked, registration may close early.

Further details on FWF events can be found online under FWF Informational Events. A virtual FWF Coaching Workshop: Transdisciplinary Research is scheduled for December 10, 2026.