Abstract:
The world needs a systemic transformation from a social, economic and environmental
point of view in order to deal with present and future challenges, which are crosscutting
in nature. Education and research can become powerful drivers for this radical change,
provided they can break free from narrow disciplinary approaches and cultivate the
interconnectedness of knowledge. With a view to repurposing teaching and research
toward an integrated approach, Italy has introduced a number of reforms, including a
mandatory module for all schools and an interdisciplinary course for universities, largely
modeled on the interdisciplinary concept of sustainability. Italy was the first country in the
world to do so and the news had resonance throughout the globe, indicating a thirst for
innovative methods in education and research. This article discusses the approach and
the obstacles faced, with the aim of encouraging debate over its structure and contents
and potentially replicating its implementation in other parts of the world.
