1.1 Cooperation within and across departments and faculties can make available a greater critical mass of competence in many fields. It allows more effective use of resources, helps avoid unnecessary duplication, frees up resources (mainly personnel) for other areas and generally promotes both broadening and rationalization of teaching programs.

1.2 New opportunities for teaching and research programs are opened up by interdisciplinary innovations. They also provide a source of inter-departmental comparison of methods, thus sharpening approaches to teaching and research.

1.3 Those involved in interdisciplinary initiatives are encouraged to read and think more broadly about the relevance or implication of the subject matter. This leads to a different way of thinking about and appreciating the subject in relation to other subject areas.

1.4 Bringing different groups of students together fosters discussion, imaginative thinking and analysis and gives new meaning and relevance to the content of their courses; they see them as part of a broader whole, not compartmentalized into subject areas. It can lead to a more open approach to task analysis and problem solving in later life.

1.5 Interdisciplinary learning, teaching and research is designed to foster a different way of thinking, a way that is more analytical, more critical, more willing to look beyond the obvious boundaries for solutions to problems. The kinds of skills developed through interdisciplinary endeavors will provide qualified personnel who can make a valuable contribution to the emerging Palestinian State.

2 Major Issues Emerging from Responses and Consultation

2.1 All responses on this theme came from within the University and included ideas for interdisciplinary initiatives in teaching and research. Joint research projects are seen as providing an opportunity for the introduction of postgraduate programs into the University and for attracting funding. The idea of staff from different departments and/or faculties coming together in a research consortium with researchers from outside the University was also put forward as a way of doing valuable research. This would fit well with the many existing international research networks where major investment is in human resources rather than infrastructure or facilities.

2.2 Responses provided a number of suggestions for specific programs, including Palestinian Studies, Environmental Studies, a Language Development Center and Studies in Clinical Supervision. Two departments (Mathematics and Education) set forth ideas in which they could participate in interdisciplinary activities by providing support for the rest of the University and for institutions and organizations outside the University.

3 Proposed Initiatives

• Encouragement of interdisciplinary activity not only across Departments and Faculties but also across Institutions to promote a range of course combinations and to extend the human, financial and infrastructural resources available.
• Fostering of interdisciplinary endeavors in research, which, in addition to other benefits, should open up the opportunities for innovative projects to attract funding.
• Initiation of faculty, administrative and support staff discussions about the potential benefits of interdisciplinary initiatives, initially informal and later more formal, such as through seminars and written proposals.
• Utilization of outside scholars and researchers and international associations to enhance the pool of competence available and to increase the feasibility of innovative programs in the present constrained situation.