Mission-driven interdisciplinary research for PhD students ? why & how

Introduction

Welcome to Mission-driven interdisciplinary research for PhD students ? why & how

Societies today face increasingly complex and interdependent challenges such as climate change, demographic shifts, physical and mental health burdens, digital democracy, and sustainable transformation across sectors. Mission-oriented research responds to these challenges by mobilizing excellent research together with external partners to generate knowledge, innovation, and societal value.

This PhD course is designed for PhD students who are conducting a mission-driven research project or interested in learning more about this approach. The focus is on project-level execution that is, how to design, develop, and refine a research project that contributes to solving a societal challenge in collaboration with relevant stakeholders. The course does not focus on mission leadership across multiple projects.

A typical example might be a PhD student working on sustainable mobility, who needs to collaborate with municipal planners, transport providers, citizen groups, and technology developers. The student must align different interests, co-create knowledge across disciplines, and design a project that creates both scientific insight and practical value. Mission-driven research provides conceptual and practical tools for navigating such complex constellations of actors, expectations, and evidence needs.

The objective of the course is to introduce mission-driven research and to equip PhD students with the competences necessary to design and develop their own mission-oriented project. Participants will gain knowledge and practical skills in:

• Understanding the foundations and logics of mission-driven research
• Framing the mission of their PhD project, including the research problem, expected outcomes, and potential societal impact
• Designing mission-driven research, including context analysis, co-creation with partners, and knowledge brokering
• Addressing governance, ethics, stakeholder dynamics, and research integrity in mission-oriented work

The course is open to PhD students from all disciplines whose research engages with societal challenges and external stakeholders.

Before the course, participants submit a short paper (max. 2 pages) outlining their research field, societal challenge, research problem, and intended outcomes and impacts.

The course structure consists of two consecutive teaching days providing foundational concepts, frameworks, and examples of mission-oriented project designs. This is followed by an interim period during which participants engage with at least one relevant external partner to refine their project design. Day 3 focuses on presentations, peer feedback, and constructive dialogue with partners and instructors to support the next steps in the students’ mission-driven projects (see Appendix 1  below for a template that can be adapted to different disciplines).

Literature: TBD but will build on Budtz Pedersen, D. (2024). Mission Guidebook - A Research Management Guide to Mission-Driven Universities (baseline literature). https://www.sammenommissioner.aau.dk (June 27, 2024).

Organizer: Hans Henrik Lomholt

Lecturers: Prof. Sine Agergaard, Department of Health Science and Technology

Assoc. Prof Ninna Meier, Department of Sociology and Social Work

Prof. Maria Appel Nissen, Department of Sociology and Social Work

Prof. Jacob Brix, Business School

Prof. Michael Skovdal Rathleff, Department of Health Science and Technology

ECTS: 2.0

Date: 12, 13 and 26 October, 2026

Open for enrolment: 12 June, 2026

Deadline for enrolment: 21 September, 2026