Complex problems don't arise along disciplinary boundaries, and neither do their solutions. That's why we're embedding inter- and transdisciplinary, project-based learning as an integral part of bachelor's studies at the University of Stuttgart. This way, students engage with real, society-wide challenges from early on.
The module: Finding solutions together
In the 5th or 6th bachelor's semester, we bring together students from different faculties in a shared project module.
- Real questions from practice: The projects come directly from partners in business, public administration, civil society, and research.
- Professional guidance: Teaching staff translate these real-world challenges into structured projects and support the teams closely throughout the semester.
- Interdisciplinarity in action: Teams actively combine the knowledge, methods, and perspectives of their disciplines, creating innovative solutions that no single discipline could reach on its own.
Why project-based learning?
Because real-world challenges aren't sorted by subject. Educational research shows that interdisciplinary projects foster critical thinking and teamwork more effectively than subject-based teaching alone. By bringing together different perspectives, students build exactly the future-ready skills that academia and industry are looking for.
- Skills students gain
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- Interdisciplinary synthesis
Understanding, comparing, and purposefully combining knowledge and methods from different disciplines. - Transdisciplinary transfer
Linking scientific findings with practice and making them accessible to society. - Systemic problem-solving
Thinking analytically, systemically, and creatively. Making confident decisions even when the data is incomplete. - Collaborative teamwork
Working successfully in diverse teams, using conflict constructively, and achieving shared goals. - Cross-disciplinary communication
Breaking down language barriers across disciplines, backing up your own positions, and presenting results convincingly. - Agile project management
Managing complex, open-ended projects in an agile, structured, and resource-efficient way.
- Interdisciplinary synthesis
Your contacts
Katharina Hölzle, Univ.-Prof. Dr. rer. oec. habil., MBA
Nobelstr. 12, 70569 Stuttgart
- Write e-mail
- Director of the IAT, University of Stuttgart, and Fraunhofer IAO
Monia Hammami, M.Sc.
Nobelstr. 12, 70569 Stuttgart
- +49 711 970 2058
- Write e-mail
- Coordinator of Work Package 01 "Project-based learning in interdisciplinary teams"