Stepping Out: Accelerating deep transdisciplinary and interprofessional learning for innovative actions, interventions and strategies of deep sustainable transitions in port area development

The transformation of cities faces a 'deep sustainable transition' where multiple sociotechnical systems from transport, water, energy and housing are simultaneously changing. To address deep sustainable transitions transdisciplinary and interprofessional approaches need to transcend current knowledge domains to develop new actions, interventions and strategies. Yet, evidence shows that transforming disciplinary and professional knowledge domains remains weak as domains still operate within established language, interpretive and pragmatic boundaries. Disciplines and professions must change behaviour to challenge these boundaries to achieve 'deep transdisciplinary and interprofessional learning'. This proposal responds to this challenge by asking two questions on deep learning for deep sustainable transitions: how can professional actors (micro), sector-based organisational actors (meso), and place-based actor networks (macro) drive deep transdisciplinary and interprofessional learning to co-create solutions for deep sustainable transitions, and; how do these actors overcome emergent paradoxes in deep transdisciplinary and interprofessional learning? To answer these, action research will take place in two urban living laboratories Havenstad Amsterdam and Rotterdam Makers District to co-produce knowledge on triggers and barriers to deep transdisciplinary and interprofessional learning, and identify promising practices for overcoming emergent paradoxes to break down language, interpretive and pragmatic boundaries. The consortium will also evaluate how deep transdisciplinary and interprofessional learning can produce innovative solutions for deep sustainable transitions. The consortium will create a legacy archive of documentary evidence from systematic review, observational fieldnotes, archival analysis, interviews and reflective practitioner accounts to drive curriculum development for educating future professionals working in sustainable transitions.