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Education Research

Adaptive expertise development through transdisciplinary education and lifelong learning

The EWUU Education aims to educate future professionals who can tackle societal challenges through collaboration across disciplines and co-creation. This requires more than knowledge—it demands adaptive expertise: the ability to navigate uncertainty, integrate diverse perspectives, and innovate effectively. The research team of EWUU Education is interested in interdisciplinary, interprofessional and transdisciplinary learning, in higher education and beyond (i.e., lifelong learning) that contributes to achieving this aim.

The focus of EWUU Education research

The main question is: How can we design transdisciplinary education that fosters adaptive expertise in individuals and teams?

Key Topics:

  • Adaptive expertise and performance as learning outcomes of transdisciplinary education.
  • The impact of transdisciplinary learning environments on students and teachers.
  • Assessment practices in an era of AI.
  • Lifelong learning and professional-student collaboration.

Role of EWUU Education research

We conduct practice-oriented and theory-oriented research. In practice-oriented research, we conduct empirical studies that directly inform teaching. In theory-oriented research, we develop evidence-based approaches for innovative education. Further, we support educators with research-based insights and co-create educational innovations, such as the Transdisciplinary Education Experience (TREE) training.

In more detail

  • Strengthening education research: We promote knowledge development on how students and professionals develop adaptive expertise, engage in transdisciplinary learning, and participate in lifelong learning activities. We strengthen the quality of evaluation and education research and facilitate robust research structures across the EWUU alliance.
  • Connecting research and practice: We build a strong community of education researchers, teachers, and educational developers who work together to strengthen education through research across the alliance institutes. By responding proactively to questions from programmes and advisors, we connect educational practice and research. In this way, research supports evidence-informed decision-making in education, and educational practice, in turn, informs research.
  • Well-embedded educational innovation: We stimulate educational innovation and curriculum development based on current evidence. These innovations provide space to test and further develop new ideas, enabling continuous strengthening of both educational renewal and knowledge development within the EWUU context.
  • Support for education research: We support researchers who conduct education research within EWUU on themes related to the Education Research Agenda. We contribute to education development based on your plans and goals and assist in finding relevant information and suitable literature. We offer insight into professional development opportunities and training, and we connect you with other researchers across the alliance.

How we work

We initiate strategic research, foster collaboration from the start of educational innovations, and monitor impact. Funding comes from EWUU Education, partner institutes, and external sources (e.g., NWO, NRO higher education, SURF and EU programmes).

Collaborations

We work closely with EWUU initiatives e.g., on the subject of course packages and student challenges and with EWUU CuCo experts on experts on transdisciplinary collaborations. We also work together with UU’s Centre for Academic Teaching and Learning (CAT) and the Playground, Teaching and Learning Centre (TLC) of WUR, the Utrecht Centre for Research and Development of Health Professions Education (UMC Utrecht), and TU/e’s Academy for Learning and Teaching and TU/e innovation Space and external networks such as 4TU.CEE and NECTR. In this way, we embed EWUU Education Research within EWUU Education, the four Alliance institutes, and the broader ecosystem of the universities.

Meet the team

Learn more