A university without departments and colleges -A new structure to strengthen disciplinary and interdisciplinary education and research

Solomon Bililign; Keith Schimmel; J. P. Roop; Gregory Meyerson

doi:10.31686/ijier.vol3.iss11.475

Authors

Solomon Bililign North Carolina A&T State University, USA
Keith Schimmel North Carolina A&T State University, USA
J. P. Roop North Carolina A&T State University, USA
Gregory Meyerson North Carolina A&T State University, USA

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.31686/ijier.vol3.iss11.475

Abstract

A 21st century workforce must be trained to solve not only major national and global challenges but to fit into the current complex work environment. The challenges cannot be solved by a single discipline and require interdisciplinary solutions only possible through the collaboration of physical, biological, and social scientists along with engineers. The 21st century student needs to be educated so they can combine disciplinary depth with the ability to reach out to other disciplines. Such training requires a cost-effective higher education structure that promotes and sustains interdisciplinary research and education (IDRE). The current structure has failed to achieve this. In response to this failure, some private universities like Dartmouth and Olin and public institutions like the University of California Merced (UC Merced) are experimenting with giving up traditional department silos and majors in favor of an interdisciplinary organization. These programs can serve as models for what is to be done in U.S. higher education and may also serve as models for emerging universities in the developing world.

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Author Biographies

Solomon Bililign, North Carolina A&T State University, USA

Department of Physics
Keith Schimmel, North Carolina A&T State University, USA

Department of Energy and Environmental Systems
J. P. Roop, North Carolina A&T State University, USA

Department of Mathematics
Gregory Meyerson, North Carolina A&T State University, USA

Department of English

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