Redefining professional identity requires collaboration across disciplinary and sectoral boundaries (Best & Williams, 2019). A transdisciplinary approach enables bridging gaps, negotiating overlaps, and fostering collaborative spaces in everyday professional practices (Schot et al., 2019). It also improves team effectiveness, professional well-being, and collaboration toward common goals (Cantaert et al., 2022).
In this blog text, we discuss the need to move from interprofessional skills to a transdisciplinary approach as professional work evolves. In Metropolia UAS, one endeavour to implement the transdisciplinary approach is HyMy Village and The NEST project.
Transdisciplinary approach reshapes professional identity
Research suggests that the daily practices of professionals play a key role in driving change through routine work (Schot et al. 2019). This is exemplified by bridging gaps, negotiating overlaps and creating collaborative spaces. In particular, interprofessional skills can enhance team effectiveness, improve professional well-being and contribute to achieving common goals and better collaboration (Cantaert et al. 2022).
The contemporary landscape of professional identity is increasingly in need of redefinition as the nature of work evolves (Best & Williams 2019). This redefinition requires attention to a transdisciplinary approach. A transdisciplinary approach ensures that common goals are collaboratively established and that the knowledge developed is integrated into science and society. This approach allows for collaboration across disciplinary and sectoral boundaries.
The transdisciplinary approach and activities in The NEST project at HyMy Village aim to ensure that students and professionals are skilled and equipped to handle the complexities of modern work environments through collaboration.
Adaptive Expertise in Transdisciplinary Collaboration
Everyone loves an effective team, but what makes a team truly effective? In the context of a transdisciplinary approach within the social and health sectors, it is vital for each team member to understand not only their own competencies and limitations but also those of their colleagues. This mutual understanding enables professionals to leverage diverse skill sets, fostering a more holistic approach to client care. Take, for example, an occupational therapist who demonstrates adaptive expertise. Through years of experience, they can recognize common patterns in client cases. However, what sets an adaptive expert apart is their ability to see beyond these patterns, remaining open to the individual needs and unique circumstances of each client.
An adaptive therapist is equipped to deviate from standard routines, recognising that complex challenges cannot always be resolved with simple, standardised solutions. Rather, they are prepared to engage in a collaborative process to share goals and solutions with others. This dialogue requires a respectful and thoughtful approach toward one’s own work and the suggestions of others. It calls for curiosity about different perspectives, as well as the space and courage to present one’s own ideas (Harra 2014, 133–134, 164).
However, the development of services and the active resolution of challenges sometimes risk becoming mechanical. To avoid this, both pedagogical choices and service development must remain broad, and expertise must be seen as an adaptive sensitive activity. Ethical considerations are particularly crucial in decision-making within the social and health sectors and must include ethical reasoning (Elomaa-Krapu 2022, 8).
Transversal skills such as communication, conflict management and empathy also play a key role in promoting adaptive expertise (Raatikainen & Rantala-Nenonen 2022). HyMy Village provides an emotionally safe environment for students to learn these skills, which are highly valued when working with SIE, the social innovation ecosystem, in the NEST project. Additionally, they provide students with a safe yet complex and ever-changing environment to practise adaptive expertise in collaboration with various actors and experts.
Improving Students’ Understanding of Complexity
Students gain valuable hands-on experience in understanding the development of healthy living within complex learning environments like HyMy Village. It is more than just an educational space; it fosters collaboration and co-creation with various regional stakeholders of the community. Collaborative activities in multiple projects with different stakeholders significantly enhance students’ transdisciplinary skills and competencies. One example of these projects is the NEST project.
Besides projects, educational initiatives and current issues are naturally integrated into the activities of HyMy Village. Moreover, international exchange students, guests and partners contribute fresh ideas and perspectives to developing communicative competencies. A social ecosystem is co-created by working together through a transdisciplinary and interprofessional approach with a wide range of stakeholders.
An Ideal Environment for Learning and Development
By seamlessly integrating projects, educational initiatives, and contemporary societal issues into learning activities, students’ learning experiences become both relevant and applicable. Through its transdisciplinary approach, HyMy Village not only equips future professionals with essential skills but also contributes to the well-being of local communities.
Students engage with professionals and stakeholders from diverse fields, both within the institution and through partnerships with the local community. This interaction is further enriched by the involvement of international exchange students, visitors and project collaborators, who introduce fresh ideas and perspectives that enhance professional development.
Through collaborative framework it is possible to promote SIEs that enable transdisciplinary collaboration and the development of adaptive competencies. Then the environment not only supports the development of students’ skills but also emphasises the importance of collective problem-solving in addressing complex social challenges.
Looking ahead, we are pleased to report that studying at HyMy Village equips students with a rich understanding and the practical knowledge they’ll need to address the challenges of tomorrow, making it a truly transformative experience. This concept is transferable to numerous other fields and we believe it’s the right direction for fostering innovation and collaboration across disciplines. Do you?
Writers
Eija Raatikainen (Phd), Principal Lecturer, An Associate professor (UEF), Project Manager
Toini Harra Dr in Social Sciences, Lic. in Philosophy, Principal lecturer
Anita Ahlstrand (MSc), Doctoral Researcher (UTU), Development Manager
HyMy Village & The NEST project
HyMy Village is a student-run and transformative learning and development environment. It is aimed at improving students’ interprofessional and transdisciplinary skills while also promoting health and well-being within the local community. HyMy Village serves approximately 12,000 clients and involves over 2,000 students annually, creating a rich environment for experiential learning and project work.
The transdisciplinary approach in HyMy Village implements an ecosystem model, where student activities—including client work, individual service design and the conceptualisation of new services—are integral to the development process of learning. The beauty of HyMy Village is that it offers a range of services that are person-centred, personalised and non-urgent, highlighting the client’s role as an expert in their own life.
The NEST project is an international Erasmus+ project, which focuses on co-creating a new form of governance in societal transition for healthy living, highlighting the role of transdisciplinarity in promoting healthy living and knowledge creation. The NEST project acts as a sustainable vehicle for societal transitions and increased capacity in knowledge creation towards healthy living. Ten partners from six countries plus one European network partner from higher education, VET, research, and businesses collaborate across education, research, and business sectors of the social innovation ecosystem (SIE). SIE connects stakeholders to tackle complex social issues like healthy living.
SIE represents a dynamic network of stakeholders united to tackle complex social issues, especially those pertaining to promoting healthy living and societal well-being. It empowers individuals and communities to actively engage in the innovation process, fostering a sense of ownership and empowerment.
References
Best S. & Williams S. (2019). Professional identity in interprofessional teams: findings from a scoping review. J Interprof Care. Mar-Apr;33(2):170-181. Epub 2018 Oct 18. PMID: 30335534.
Cantaert G.R., Pype, P.; Valcke, M.; Lauwerier, E. (2022). Interprofessional Identity in Health and Social Care: Analysis and Synthesis of the Assumptions and Conceptions in Literature. Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health, 19, 14799.
Elomaa-Krapu, M. (2022). Ammattikorkeakoulut tulevaisuuden osaamisen uudistajina. Teoksessa K. Hartikainen, A. Vuorijärvi & S. Pakarinen (toim.), Monialaisten ratkaisujen työkirja sosiaali- ja terveysalan asiakastyöhön (s. 6–10). Helsinki. OIVA-sarja. Metropolia Ammattikorkeakoulu.
Harra, T. (2014). Terapeuttinen yhteistoiminta. Asiakkaan osallistumisen mahdollistaminen toimintaterapiassa. Acta Electronica Universitatis Lapponiensis 156.
Hymy -village. https://www.metropolia.fi/en/services/well-being-and-health-village
NEST -project, https://www.metropolia.fi/en/rdi/rdi-projects/nest-project
Morton, L. W., Eigenbrode S. D. & Martin T. A. (2015). Architectures of adaptive integration in large collaborative projects. Ecology and Society, 20(4).
Raatikainen E. & Rantala-Nenonen K. (2022). Pedagogical framework. In: Carrió M, Rosa N, coordinators. Learning strategies to promote transversal skills on health and social care studies: a methodological guide. Barcelona: ITSHEC; 2022. p. 7-20.
Schot E., Tummers L. & Noordegraaf, M. (2019). Working on working together. A systematic review on how healthcare professionals contribute to interprofessional collaboration. Journal of Interprofessional Care, 34(3), 332–342.
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