Faculty for Interdisciplinary Research and Continuing Education

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Faculty for Interdisciplinary Research and Continuing Education
Fakultät für Interdisziplinäre Forschung und Fortbildung (IFF)
Type Public
Established 1979
Dean Verena Winiwarter (since 1.1.2010)
Location
Klagenfurt, Graz and Vienna
,
Austria
Website www.aau.at/iff

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The Faculty for Interdisciplinary Research and Continuing Education (IFF) is one of four Faculties at the Alpen-Adria-Universität Klagenfurt. It has locations in Klagenfurt, Graz and Vienna.

The founding principle of the IFF is to link scholarship to contemporary social issues and problems. Reflecting this, the Faculty’s structure is built around the social field of the research rather than in line with individual scientific disciplines.[1] Research work is focussed on questions concerning societies’ relationship with public goods such as health, environment, spatial resources, technology, education, science, politics and culture at large.

Research, teaching and continuing education at the IFF pursue dual aims – one of which is social and the other scholarly.[2] Interdisciplinarity and transdisciplinarity form the basis of both the theory and practice of the IFF’s research concept. This means that researchers from various disciplines, experts and actors from various professional fields work together in interdisciplinary and transdisciplinary projects and research areas focussing, among others, upon social, historical and systems science contexts. The projects are intervention-oriented. To intervene successfully, an understanding of the system- and organisational aspects of the problem is of central importance. Work undertaken by the Faculty therefore focuses upon encouraging well-reflected decision-making both in an individual and collective context. Concrete social problems and issues are addressed.

The IFF contributes to the solution of problems facing societies on one hand through research and teaching and on the other through consulting, intervention and extramural continuing education activities.[3]

History

IFF was founded in 1979 as the ‘Interuniversity Research Institute for Distance Education’ (in German: ‘Interuniversitäres Forschungsinstitut für Fernstudien’ or ‘IFF’). Since that time, the IFF has undergone several transformations. On one hand, the institute’s character has been altered by its growth during that period, and on the other hand, changes have taken account of evolving developments in higher education policy and the need for the Faculty to adapt to these.

IFF was founded as an inter-university institute with the aim of creating connections both between and across disciplines. During the founding years, the guiding vision involved “allowing research and education to have an impact ‘beyond’ the traditional universities”.[4] The ‘Interuniversity Research Institute for Distance Education (IFF)’ was founded jointly by eight universities. In 1988, the IFF had premises in Klagenfurt, Bregenz, Graz, St.Pölten, Stadtschlaining and Vienna. Ten years later, the IFF was serving more than 1,000 distance learning students via study centres in Klagenfurt, Bregenz and Vienna. In addition, the IFF developed new courses for Austria-wide teacher training programmes and began to establish its own research foci, centred on themes such as the environment, peace studies, social learning, regional development or technology and scientific research.[5]

In 1989 a conflict arose between the institute and the Austrian Federal Ministry of Science, concerning the direction taken by the IFF and its future development. The crisis was brought to an end with the re-establishment of the IFF in 1992 as the "Interuniversity Institute for Interdisciplinary Research and Continuing Education".[6]

In the context of Austria’s university reform programme in 2002, the closure of all existing inter-university institutes in Austria was planned. This confronted the IFF with a choice between dissolution, with its existing regional facilities and their departments joining the nearest of the founding universities, or to remain a unitary institution and attach itself as a whole – with all regional centres – to one university. After internal discussions and negotiations with the rectors of the universities concerned, it was decided that the institute should remain intact. In 2004, the IFF was incorporated within the Alpen-Adria-Universität Klagenfurt as the ‘Faculty for Interdisciplinary Research and Continuing Education (Klagenfurt-Graz-Vienna)’ - in German the ‘Fakultät für Interdisziplinäre Forschung und Fortbildung’ and therefore the ‘IFF’.[7] Interuniversity cooperation continues via contracts undertaken between the Alpen-Adria-Universität Klagenfurt and other universities.[8]

IFF portrait and mission statement

The IFF aims through its research activities to develop, investigate and evaluate innovative approaches in research, teaching and organisation, and to address selected contemporary social issues through the design of appropriate research and learning processes.[9]

Building upon this conceptual approach, guiding concepts, core competencies and specifically relevant forms of organisation have developed over the course of the IFF’s history. A summary of these can be found in the Mission Statement of the IFF:[10]

Public Goods: Through its research, development, consultancy work, teaching and continuing education activities, the IFF makes a contribution to addressing challenges facing human society. The issues relating to this are understood as questions concerning the relationship with ‘public goods’, such as health, the environment, spatial resources, technology, education or science.
Research orientation: The themes addressed by the IFF cover a wide range. In principle, the Faculty will consider any areas of scientific investigation in which inter- and transdisiplinary approaches would appear to yield significant benefits. The Faculty is organised around selected areas of social concern and is dedicated to seeking a balance between established and new research themes. The tension between theory development and application is productively utilized.
Reflexivity: The research undertaken by the IFF focuses both upon the concrete, often immediately pressing aspects of a problem and upon the consideration of social, historical, anthropological, cultural, organisational or spatial contexts. The IFF’s approach to problems requires continual reflection and ongoing development of the ways in which the Faculty structures its own research organisation.
Interdisciplinarity: A primary working principle of the IFF is methodological and disciplinary diversity. This is facilitated by an interdisciplinary team structure and maintained through mutual challenge and cooperation between different research fields within the overall Faculty framework. For the IFF, therefore, an intensive and reflective culture of communication is of particular importance.
Transdisciplinarity: In accordance with the IFF’s mandate ("public goods"), IFF projects are very often undertaken in cooperation with individuals and organisations working in the problem areas at issue. These non-academic partners bring competencies that are crucial to such processes.
Intervention relating to organisations: Making science relevant for society is of key importance to the IFF. Research is therefore often linked to intervention. In collaboration with the actors in a particular problem area, multiple perspectives are sought to produce diagnoses, consider options and draft strategies, which are often implemented as pilot projects managed and evaluated by research staff. In most cases, interventions require a process of both personal and organisational learning. For this reason, complex educational processes, organisational research and organisational development are regarded as highly important by the IFF.
Social education: The IFF develops strategies for addressing societal problems, although this approach does not involve the imposition of a ready-made procedure that, once implemented, operates without the involvement of those it concerns. These processes rather require conscious decision-making and the participation of those affected. The educational mission of the IFF is to provide groups and individuals with the tools to take well-informed decisions.
Continuing higher education: A majority of the IFF’s teaching activities relate to continuing education. The Faculty offers a range of university courses to students leading to various degree qualifications. Continuing education activities are generally related to the practical experience of those taking part and are coupled with research and intervention.
Doctoral and Masters studies: IFF study programmes are closely related to current research. The interdisciplinary teaching approach of the Masters degree builds upon the BA studies undertaken at other faculties and universities. The doctoral studies programmes are organised as interdisciplinary doctoral research schools.
Contributions to other study programs: Beyond the Faculty’s own areas of work, the IFF contributes to numerous study programs undertaken by other faculties and universities. Support is given particularly to those undertaking advanced studies and services include the supervision of external diploma theses and dissertations.
Knowledge management: Along with the specialist skills of its staff, the Faculty as a whole possesses competence in linking scientific research to the needs and requirements of those outside the research world and research management reflects this. The Faculty’s administrative staff play a crucial role in this success, performing complex management services and thus acting as partners in the Faculty’s interdisciplinary work.

IFF staff

Faculty staff are not only drawn from different academic disciplines but also work at the IFF in very different contexts such as palliative care, organisational ethics, social ecology and environmental history, organisational development, science and technology studies, group dynamics, school development, higher education research, agricultural and regional development, continuing education, and intervention research.

The Faculty’s inter- and transdisciplinary working approach ensures that academic personnel represent a broad spectrum of specialist expertise in scientific research, from the arts, humanities and cultural studies to natural sciences, engineering, social sciences and economics. Experts from a very wide range of professional fields who undertake research with the Faculty further strengthen the inter- and transdisciplinary profile of the IFF.

There are currently c. 80 university positions held at the IFF in some cases these posts are shared between two persons. In addition, there are c. 60 independently funded individuals working at the IFF. A large number of external teaching staff are also involved in teaching and continuing education programmes of the Faculty.[11]

Management und Staff Involvement

At the IFF, the Dean or Vice-Dean is responsible for the management of the Faculty sites in Klagenfurt-Graz and in Vienna, respectively. They are supported in their managerial function by conferences involving the heads of the individual organisational units. Faculty and staff are actively involved in developing Institute policies.[12] To that end, twice-yearly Faculty meetings, involving all scientific and administrative staff members are held. These meetings focus on strategic discussion and the evaluation of units or projects as well as on internal networking.[13]

Departments and Institutes

The following institutes and departments are established at the Klagenfurt, Graz and Vienna sites:

  • Department of Research on Science and Technology (Klagenfurt)
  • Institute of Instructional and School Development (Klagenfurt and Vienna)
  • Conjoined Department of Intervention Research and Cultural Sustainability (Klagenfurt) and Department of City, Region, and Spatial Development (Vienna)
  • Institute of Mathematics Education (Klagenfurt)
  • Department of Organizational Development and Group Dynamics (Vienna and Klagenfurt)
  • Institute of Social Ecology (Vienna)
  • Department of Palliative Care und Organisational Ethics (Vienna)
  • Institute of Science Communication and Higher Education Research (Vienna)
  • Working Group of Intercultural Social Competence (Vienna)

Bibliography

  • Jutta Menschik-Bendele (Ed.): Wissen schaffen. Die Forschung an der Alpen-Adria-Universität Klagenfurt., facultas.wuv Universitätsverlag, Vienna, 2010 ISBN 978-3-7089-0550-1
  • Markus Arnold (Ed.): iff. Interdisziplinäre Wissenschaft im Wandel., LIT Verlag, Vienna, 2009 ISBN 9783643501202

References

  1. ↑ Ralph Grossmann(ed.): Wie wird Wissen wirksam? Iff Texte, Vol. 1, Springer Verlag: Vienna, 1997, p. 1f. ISBN 3-211-82981-4
  2. ↑ Verena Winiwarter: The Faculty for Interdisciplinary Research and Continuing Education (IFF), Presentation of the Faculty, Klagenfurt, unpublished lecture from 1 April 2011
  3. ↑ Was leistet die IFF? In: Unisono, special edition „30 Jahre IFF", No. 2, Vol 2009, p.2
  4. ↑ Markus Arnold: Eine wechselhafte Geschichte. In: Unisono, special edition „30 Jahre IFF", No. 2, Vol 2009, p.6
  5. ↑ Markus Arnold, Gert Dressel: iff – Geschichte einer interdisziplinären Institution. In: Markus Arnold (Hsg.): iff. Interdisziplinäre Wissenschaft im Wandel., LIT Verlag, Wien, 2009, 19ff. ISBN 9783643501202
  6. ↑ Markus Arnold, Gert Dressel: iff – Geschichte einer interdisziplinären Institution. In: Markus Arnold (Hsg.): iff. Interdisziplinäre Wissenschaft im Wandel., LIT Verlag, Wien, 2009, 35ff. ISBN 9783643501202
  7. ↑ Markus Arnold, Gert Dressel: iff – Geschichte einer interdisziplinären Institution. In: Markus Arnold (Hsg.): iff. Interdisziplinäre Wissenschaft im Wandel., LIT Verlag, Wien, 2009, 50ff. ISBN 9783643501202
  8. ↑ Verena Winiwarter: The Faculty for Interdisciplinary Research and Continuing Education (IFF), Presentation of the Faculty, Klagenfurt, unpublished lecture from 1 April 2011
  9. ↑ Markus Arnold: Einleitung. In: Markus Arnold (Hsg.): iff. Interdisziplinäre Wissenschaft im Wandel., LIT Verlag, Wien, 2009, p. 9. ISBN 9783643501202
  10. ↑ see [1] 10 September 2012
  11. ↑ see [2] 10th September 2012
  12. ↑ See Statute of the University of Klagenfurt, Part A: Organisational rules [3]
  13. ↑ Silvia Hellmer: Leitbegriffe und ihre Organisation am iff. In: Markus Arnold (Hsg.): iff. Interdisziplinäre Wissenschaft im Wandel., LIT Verlag, Wien, 2009, p. 159f. ISBN 9783643501202

External links

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