This year's conference will focus on examining the methods that engage and inspire students to think across disciplinary boundaries and challenge traditional subject-focused thinking and practice.
Many educational institutions trumpet their interdisciplinary approaches and opportunities, but there is still a disconnect between what is offered and how students perceive and understand what it means to think in an interdisciplinary way. Experience suggests that engagement is the most powerful tool for deeper cognitive understanding, but how is this achieved for students who may not be ready to travel the interdisciplinary road? How do universities find ways to make interdisciplinary thinking relevant, important and worthwhile in an increasingly marketised educational context?
If interdisciplinary opportunities are to retain their importance, they need to meet - and exceed - student expectations. Interdisciplinary experiences need to be meaningful to students and offer value, even if this is not recognised immediately – the lasting impacts of these experiences are often the most powerful for students’ future study and career pathways.
This conference will welcome practical ways which bring interdisciplinary activities alive to students, ways for foregrounding the relevance of such opportunities, and experiences of how to engage students in interdisciplinary activities - whether they be optional or compulsory.
This year’s conference foregrounds three overarching themes:
What needs to be in place to make interdisciplinary activities successful? What has worked – or not worked - in engaging and leading students on the interdisciplinary journey? Do these need to be compulsory or optional? How do you attract students to ‘interdisciplinary’ thinking? What educational literature or teaching theory helps to support and develop interdisciplinary thinking and action?
Is there an ideal ‘place’ for interdisciplinary experiences? What environmental or structural elements need to be arranged to support interdisciplinary opportunities? Does interdisciplinarity happen when you arrange for interdisciplinary groups – or do you need more? Where do ‘co-curricular’ or ‘extra-curricular’ activities fit? How do we best avail of ‘one-off’ opportunities versus more embedded programmes or curricula?
What do students ‘get’ from interdisciplinary study? Do they understand the impact of their experiences? What value – if any – do they attach to the experiences? Are students telling us things in their actions or feedback that can help to ensure future cohorts are better able to take on the challenges of interdisciplinary thinking? What ways can we capture this and share it? What kinds of assessments are most valuable and appropriate in identifying and articulating the value of interdisciplinary experiences?
Registration
The conference will take place from 09:00 to 18:30 on Thursday 10 April 2025 in-person on the LSE campus. More details will be shared with registered conference participants closer to the time.
The conference registration fee is £80, which includes a light breakfast, lunch, refreshments, and a post-conference drinks reception.
There are a limited number of free places available for students (LSE and non-LSE) and LSE staff to attend the conference - please note that these are first-come, first-served and you must provide your institutional email address when registering
Registration for the conference is now closed.
Cancellations and refunds: Please note that unfortunately it is not possible to receive a refund of your registration fee if you cannot attend the conference. All sales are final.
Conference programme
The draft conference programme is available to view here. Please note that this is subject to change.
Travel and accommodation
The conference will take place in LSE’s Centre Building (listed as CBG on the campus map) which is centrally located in the heart of London. The closest Tube/Underground stations are Holborn (Central and Piccadilly Lines) and Temple (Circle and District Lines). We encourage the use of public transport as parking near campus is extremely limited. More information about travelling to LSE is available here.
Accommodation options
There are a wealth of accommodation options available near LSE at a wide range of price points. Two recommended options are listed below.