The Scholarship of Integration: On the Pivotal Role of Centers of Advanced Study in the New Structure of Research-Intensive Universities in the 21st Century.

Abstract

According to well acknowledged diagnosis of the circumstances surrounding the institution of the university stressing the growing complexity of the academic enterprise in Europe and the dynamics of its inner evolution we develop in the presented article two thesis: first, on the need of transdiscliplinary integrative research in contemporary academia, which will reshape and transcend the traditional boundaries of disciplinary divisions of scientific work, and second, that the best place to develop such ‘transdiscliplinary integrative research’ are the centers for advanced study, separated from traditional faculties and departments and based on a project-participating faculty. We single out, define and describe the external and internal circumstances of integrative research and cooperation, which can be conducive or disturbing for their unrestricted and dynamic development.