What is it about?
How can interdisciplinary research be a force for positive change in the age of artificial intelligence? This chapter responds to the rapid pace of change in how knowledge is produced and shared – a process that risks leaving behind the value of lived, embodied experience. We use ideas from humanistic management and management aesthetics to think about how universities can build research cultures that are not only creative and innovative but also ethical and sensitive to beauty and meaning. We use a qualitative case study at the University of Glasgow to consider initiatives such as ArtsLab, the Cross-College Initiative, and the Mazumdar-Shaw Advanced Research Centre. We also draw on ideas from Third Space theory, Queer theory, and innovation studies to show how supportive environments, ethical collaboration, and creative disruption can help to build strong, interconnected research communities. We also question the use of aggressive, competitive language in discussions of interdisciplinarity, arguing instead for metaphors of welcome and care. Finally, we call for a renewed focus on the human dimension of collaborative research. The chapter will interest scholars, research managers, and those committed to promoting ethical and imaginative research practices in a time increasingly shaped by AI.
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Why is it important?
As artificial intelligence reshapes how knowledge is created and shared, research management must adapt in ways that keep people, rather than technologies, metrics or even simply ideas, at the centre. Interdisciplinary collaboration offers powerful tools for innovation, but it can also create tensions between disciplines with different languages, values, and methods. By applying human-centred and aesthetic approaches, universities can build research cultures that are ethical, creative, and genuinely collaborative. This helps ensure that knowledge production remains grounded in care, meaning, and social responsibility, rather than driven solely by speed or competition.
Perspectives
This is the first time I have written about my experience of leading a collaborative research initiative within a research-intensive UK university. I hope the insights shared here will be helpful to others navigating interdisciplinary collaborations, particularly as the higher education sector continues to move in this direction.
John Reuben Davies
University of Glasgow
Read the Original
This page is a summary of: The Aesthetics of Collaborative Research Management: Human-Centred Approaches to Interdisciplinary Research in the Age of AI, September 2025, De Gruyter,
DOI: 10.30965/9783969753460_009.
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