DISENTANGLE

• Which research approaches can contribute to the success of sustainable transformation processes?
• How can future sustainability issues be addressed in an interdisciplinary way?
• What conflicts of interest are to be expected?
• What can a scientifically supported transformation design do to reduce these?
• How can such a research process receive institutional support?

We are unraveling these questions in the interdisciplinary DISENTANGLE project team from three subject-specific perspectives: social, material and environmental sciences.

Our goals for the university-wide intensification of interdisciplinary cooperation to enable sustainable transformation processes are

• to specifically identify joint inter- and transdisciplinary research priorities,
• to research these in inter- and transdisciplinary cooperation,
• and to act in a dilemma-sensitive manner in order to meet the complex challenges of sustainable transformation appropriately.

To achieve these goals,

• we continue to develop our scientific expertise in inter- and transdisciplinary cooperation through regular methodological and experimental exchange.
• we carry out targeted literature research on the current state of research and good practice.
• we pursue an actor- and network-centered approach in Lusatia.
• we discuss interrelationships between technical-technological, material-material and actor- and structure-relevant dimensions.
• we identify the relevance and usefulness of multi-paradigmatic perspectives in research processes on sustainability.
• we conduct structured workshops with regional stakeholders from science and practice.
• develop recommendations for interdisciplinary knowledge management between the ZIRKON and TRAWOS research institutes in particular and for the Zittau/Görlitz University of Applied Sciences in general.

Specifically, we proceed as follows in the team:

1. We explore the interdisciplinary and transdisciplinary process in self-experimentation. In doing so, we examine different forms of collaboration and test promising methods. We also identify which knowledge gain is relevant for which discipline. We develop instruments and generate proposals to improve processes and establish support structures.
2. Based on existing research and development projects at the HSZG and along value creation processes in the circular (bio)economy, we discuss the added value of interdisciplinary research work and learn about disciplinary structures. Particular importance is attached to region-wide stakeholder management and regional and sector-specific raw material and cost monitoring of available secondary and biomass raw materials.
3. In the course of the project, we also identify and evaluate transaction flows that have received little attention to date, such as the transfer of knowledge to regional partners.

We will use the resulting findings on interdisciplinary and transdisciplinary cooperation to establish and improve the necessary structures and to make corresponding research projects more efficient and effective.

Our specialist areas of focus include

• sustainability
• Circular economy
• Bioeconomy
• Regenerative economy
• Deficient areas of sustainability research
• Impact assessment of research projects
• Regional structures and structural change in Lusatia

We are convinced that DISENTANGLE will make an important contribution to the promotion of dynamic and sustainable research at the Zittau/Görlitz University of Applied Sciences and to regional cooperation.

• Prof. Maja Dzhemuchadze
• Dr. Julia Gabler
• Bernadette Rohlf
• Anja Mutschler