Scientific expertise is now regarded as an important resource in order to develop solutions to societal problems. They should inform political actors and the public about associated problems, develop solutions and highlight areas of action to be taken. A science which aims to be relevant in society, therefore must make these social problems their starting point.
Whereas traditional research disciplines concentrated on the (intra-disciplinary) specialization of knowledge, transdisciplinary research exceeded limits. These are not only disciplinary boundarieswithin science, but also the boundaries between science and society.The interplay of socio-political and scientific analytical decision-making and the problem solving processes is an essential characteristic of transdisciplinary research.
The issues which are being discussed here are directed to a sustainable society. Firstly, they apply to the processes, institutions and structures which determine the current situation of problems and the further development of influence (‘system knowledge’), secondly, the knowledge about options for a sustainable society (‘target knowledge’), and as well the know-how on how these goals can be achieved (‘transformation knowledge’).
Research which has environmental and social dimensions as the starting point, and its changes as an aim, can thus make a direct contribution towards a sustainable society. This environmental policy analysis is however not only transdisciplinary oriented, but is also the purpose of fundamental research. The FFU has on the one hand the requirement for the implementation of principles for transdisciplinary research in research projects, and on the other hand participates also in the development of these principles and approaches.