An Interdisciplinary Approach to Education: Case Study of an Academic Exchange

Abstract

As the challenges faced in today’s world are increasingly complex, a large number of specialised individuals now need to collaborate together to combine their expertise. Since the professional world is interdisciplinary, the learning and teaching provided in higher education must adapt and consider the interdisciplinary approach, very clearly encouraged in the United-Kingdom by both the Higher Education Academy and the Department of Business, Innovation and Skills. Building on the known benefits of interdisciplinary education, an academic exchange between boatbuilding and yacht design students has been conducted to develop and validate an interdisciplinary learning pedagogical model. Primarily focussed on the maritime field, the proposed model has three bases, learning, reflexion and capabilities, respectively supporting studies, bridging the skills gap and enhancing employability, thereby answering the contemporary demands from both students and the maritime industry.