W10: Transdisciplinary Approach for Sustainable Development

Assalamualaikum W.B.T., 

For this post, I am going to share some information and reflection about Multidisciplinary, Interdisciplinary, and Transdisciplinary. These terms are familiar terms that related to the topic "Transdisciplinary Approach for Sustainable Development", which means more than one branch of knowledge used to provide the solution for a problem. As we know, in order to solve a problem, we cannot view it from one perspective only, instead, we must see from multiple perspectives for a good and balanced solution, especially in sustainability. Thus, I will explain each term and provide an example from my point of view to make it clearer. 

1) Multidisciplinary

Multidisciplinary is multiple disciplines of knowledge that come together and provide the solution from their own perspectives, meaning that they are working at the same time but with their own ways and views. For example, in order to reduce the spread of the covid-19 virus, each field of knowledge and discipline in Malaysia works together to play their respective roles in contributing their respective ideas, perspectives, and arguments at the same time. For instance, the fields of religion, health, politics, education, and so on contribute and provide their respective perspectives to produce solutions to this problem.

2) Interdisciplinary

Interdisciplinary means a combination of two disciplines of knowledge, working together and produce a new discipline that consists of perspectives from both disciplines. For example at IIUM Gombak, in order to solve the problem of the dirty river for sustainability, the Department of Engineering (KOE) and Islamic Revealed Knowledge and Human Science (IRKHS) need to work together to combine their perspectives of the respective field, to create a new discipline and field of practice. Thus, the new discipline will have the Islamic perspective from IRKHS and the engineering perspective from KOE, which can provide a balanced and ideal solution for the dirty river. 

3) Transdisciplinary

Transdisciplinary is the main term used in this topic, where all of the issues, knowledge, perspectives, and branches of knowledge working together as a group into a new field of practice, and contribute to providing the solution for a problem. For example at my home, my family members each take up different fields of knowledge, namely architecture, education, business, horticultural science, and many more. So, if a problem arises around us, each of us will work together in a group by providing our opinions and views from the field we have studied to produce a new ideology that is balanced with all those perspectives that can contribute to the solution of the problem.

To conclude, in order to maintain sustainability, we need to apply this transdisciplinary approach to gain a broader and comprehensive perspective in providing solutions. That is all from me, feel free to tell and advise me if my explanation is wrong. Thank you <3