Transdisciplinarity: Synthesis towards a modular approach

The need to cope with future challenges posed by major transformations such as digitalization and sustainable development has led to several approaches to establish new concepts and methods of science and research. Scientific studies are supposed to provide background knowledge, to facilitate the desired transformations towards a sustainable future and to help resolving complex problems that accompany societies in transition. Concepts such as transformative, transdisciplinary or co-creative approaches elucidate the direction in which scientific research strives for its new role(s). Based on the discussion of these concepts and their different roots, the article proposes a modular concept for a transdisciplinary scientific approach combining and integrating curiosity driven research with goal oriented (advocacy) knowledge generation and catalytic, process-oriented expertise. This integration promises to address some of the deficits of the existing concepts and is particularly suitable for future studies comprising orientation, strategies and reflection for designing policies for transformations.