Regional Intergovernmental Transdisciplinary Research Centres
The OSC will establish two regional Intergovernmental Transdisciplinary Research Centres (OSC-ITRC) during the current 2023-2024 biennium, to be followed by additional Centres in following biennium.
They will serve as centres of excellence, conducting and supporting transdisciplinary research in alignment with the national priorities of OSC Member States. By focusing on the specific priorities of Member States, these centres will serve as catalysts for endogenous national development and regional prosperity.
Key objectives
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To support Member States and regions to undertake transdisciplinary research that focuses on their common interests and provides solutions to common development challenges;
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To establish networks of specialised researchers for developing transdisciplinary research programmes, capacities and initiatives;
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To facilitate academic and non-academic transdisciplinary research collaborations and initiatives.
Member states’ participation
Governance
Member States are part of the governance structure of the Centres in their regions to guide research priorities and decision-making;
Research collaboration
Member States will actively engage in collaborative research projects and contribute to the research agenda of the Centres, sharing their expertise and knowledge;
Knowledge exchange
The Centres will facilitate knowledge exchange and collaboration among member states, promoting a regional culture of shared learning and innovation.
Transdisciplinary Research
The OSC’s pursuit of transdisciplinary research stems from the need to engage the diverse academic and non-academic knowledge domains and systems in the Global South to address some of the most complex challenges of our time. Our transdisciplinary research programmes focus on producing high quality data, insights and knowledge products including epistemological frameworks, system diagnostic, monitoring and evaluation tools, as well as evidence-led recommendations to support Member States in defining, revitalising, diagnosing, monitoring and evaluating their knowledge and education systems in accordance with the Universal Declaration of Balanced and Inclusive Education (UDBIE). Transdisciplinary research at the OSC covers various domains including endogenous knowledge development, education research and policy, integrated health and life sciences, and the physical and environmental sciences.
