Interdisciplinary Academy (IDA)

The Interdisciplinary Academy (IDA) is a programme at SLU where the university's researchers are offered the opportunity to collaborate across disciplinary boundaries on complex issues in the broad field of sustainable transition.

Call for IDA 2026-2027

A new project period for IDA 2026-2027 is announced by SLU Future Food in collaboration with SLU Urban Futures. Here are important dates for the call and the project period.
A red building surrounded by greenery with a pond in the foreground. Photo.

About Interdisciplinary Academy (IDA)

The core of IDA is interdisciplinary research groups that for eight months get the opportunity to develop their ability to work interdisciplinary together and in an inspiring environment.

Tracking climate shocks to build future resilience

What can past climate extremes teach us about resilience? Researchers at SLU’s Interdisciplinary Academy (IDA) 2025-2026 are studying long-term data on climate, farming, soils, and society to uncover patterns that could help us adapt to future challenges.

Grazing cows on green grassland. Photo.

New pathways to sustainable milk

How can Swedish milk production become more sustainable – for climate, soil, and animals? One of the two IDA projects 2025/2026 explores whether agroecology could be the key to building more resilient and fair food systems.

Green bean sprouts. Photo.

IDA projects

Interdisciplinary Academy (IDA) at SLU first started in the fall of 2022. Find more here about ongoing and completed IDA projects and their experiences.

A smiling woman indoors. Photo.

Meet Marie Stenseke who coordinates IDA

Professor Marie Stenseke has many years of experience in interdisciplinary work and a strong commitment to facilitating and stimulating collaboration between researchers across different scientific fields.

News about IDA

  • 2026-01-19

    Call for applications to SLU's Interdisciplinary Academy (IDA) 2026-2027

    The Interdisciplinary Academy (IDA) is a programme where SLU researchers are offered the opportunity to collaborate across disciplinary boundaries on complex issues in the broad field of sustainable transition.
  • 2026-01-21

    What Counts as “Good Farming”? 

    How does values, assumptions, and disciplinary silos shape the future of sustainable agriculture? A new episode of the Feed podcast from TABLE discusses this based on a SLU study.
  • 2026-01-20

    A Practical Guide to Interdisciplinary Biodiversity Research

    Despite widespread calls for interdisciplinarity, biodiversity research still struggles to integrate social and natural sciences. A new article offers practical advice for moving from ambition to action.
  • 2025-12-10

    Tracking climate shocks to build future resilience

    What can past climate extremes teach us about resilience? Researchers at SLU’s Interdisciplinary Academy (IDA) are studying long-term data on climate, farming, soils, and society to uncover patterns that could help us adapt to future challenges.
  • 2025-11-14

    New pathways to sustainable milk through interdisciplinary research

    How can Swedish milk production become more sustainable – for climate, soil, and animals? A new interdisciplinary research project at SLU explores whether agroecology could be the key to building more resilient and fair food systems.
  • 2025-11-13

    Interdisciplinary approaches to ecosystem restoration

    As Europe works to restore its natural environments, researchers at SLU are exploring new ways to reconnect ecosystems and people. By linking ecology, society and culture, they aim to create landscapes that are both resilient and meaningful.
  • 2025-06-03

    Interdisciplinary Academy (IDA) grantees 2025-2026

    The fourth round of the Interdisciplinary Academy (IDA) at SLU starts on September 1, 2025. Two groups of five researchers each will spend eight months delving into and exploring interdisciplinary working methods during 20% of their working time.
  • 2025-04-04

    Restoration in focus for this year's IDA group

    A third round of SLU Interdisciplinary Academy (IDA) will run 2024-2025. Starting in November, participants will during the coming eight months spend 20% of their working time exploring interdisciplinarity and interdisciplinary approaches.
  • 2024-12-03

    Assumptions and values influence research on agricultural sustainability

    What assumptions, values ​​and knowledge claims shape different scientific approaches to agricultural sustainability? Five researchers have delved into this question within SLU's Interdisciplinary Academy.
  • 2024-11-20

    A holistic perspective on natural resource management with interdisciplinary approaches

    The field of natural resource management involves managing the interactions between humans and natural landscapes. “By examining the issue from five different disciplinary perspectives, we achieved a completely new level of understanding,” says Elisabeth Bolund.