Research on the Doctoral Student Training Model Based on Interdisciplinary Centers: Experience from China

• In Event: Improvement of Education and Instruction in Universities in China

Proposal

Abstract: Based on the modern social network, government, universities (research institutes), civil society, industry (enterprises) and other multi-stakeholders constitute a huge innovative knowledge learning and education system, meaning interdisciplinary education is developing from the initial fusion to the depth of the integration, and reflecting the initial form of the knowledge-production-model Ⅳ(KPM Ⅳ). Under the coexistence of multiple knowledge production modes, interdisciplinary training of doctoral students in universities is an important path to cultivate interdisciplinary top innovative talents in the world. On the basis of the changes of knowledge production modes and their influence on doctoral training, this study aims to explore the benefits of doctoral training mode based on interdisciplinary centers. The doctoral training mode based on interdisciplinary centers is a complex systematic project. Therefore, it is important to clarify hierarchical relationships between influencing elements and the key factors to enhance the interdisciplinary ability of doctoral students. Inspired by the framework of fusion theory and common ground theory, this study takes the interdisciplinary centers set up by China's "Double First-Class" universities as the case, and based on the interview resources from doctoral students, teachers and administrators. We identify the doctoral training model based on interdisciplinary centers as the interdisciplinary cluster training model, which can be divided into coexistence development stage, symbiosis development stage and communion development stage. Then, the interview method and Delphi method are used to clarify the reasons and the important influencing factors for different stages of development of doctoral training mode based on interdisciplinary center. And then this study uses the DEMATEL-ISM model to calculate the degree of centrality and the degree of causality, for identifying the key factors to draw the multilevel recursive factors model of the doctoral training mode based on interdisciplinary centers. Results show that the fundamental factor of doctoral training mode based on interdisciplinary centers in the stage of coexistence development is the top-level design of interdisciplinary centers, the fundamental factor in the stage of coexistence development is the development of interdisciplinary research teams; In the stage of cohesive development, the fundamental factor is the interdisciplinary psychological identification of different personnel (e.g., doctoral students, teachers and administrators). Therefore, this study provides suggestions for policy makers, educators, and managers to improve the interdisciplinary center training model for doctoral students, such as opening up all aspects of the process of doctoral students' interdisciplinary training, promoting the construction of interdisciplinary research teams by using projects as a carrier, and adhering to the viewpoint of disciplinary holism, constantly constructing-deconstructing-reconstructing and carrying out the synergy of disciplines.

Authors

• Yonghong Ma, Beihang University

• xiaohui zhang, Beihang University

• Yan Yu, Beihang University