Interdisciplinary Kent

The University was founded on strong interdisciplinary principles. It harnessed the mood of the time by questioning the siloed nature of learning, and the college structure was an attempt to encourage both staff and students in diverse disciplines to meet and interact. Whilst the departmentalisation of the early 70s led to the loss of some of this serendipitous freedom, the ethos remained. The size of the University, the range of subjects and the concentrated campus encourages academics to meet others outside of their specialism. This project aimed to build on these interdisciplinary foundations to benefit from the resurgent interest in interdisciplinarity amongst the Research Councils and other external funders.

The challenge – and huge potential benefit – of interdisciplinary working is not diminishing. In fact, in an increasingly connected and globalised society there is a need to move away from the nineteenth century disciplinary definitions, and be brave enough to accept that we are all on a continuum. Breakthroughs often happen in the grey areas between traditional disciplines, and Kent had the opportunity to build on its past to make the most of this through an interdisciplinary approach.

For the culmination of the University’s 50th anniversary year, filmmaker Jasper Bouverie of Funder Films produced three short films to celebrate the University’s heritage, showcase interdisciplinary projects, and consider the future. These films were premiered on Saturday 5 September 2015 in the Gulbenkian Cinema, as part of the University’s 50th Festival.