Pluridisciplinary

Pluridisciplinary is an adjective used to describe activities, approaches, or systems that involve multiple disciplines. It denotes collaboration across fields such as science, engineering, social sciences, and humanities with the aim of addressing questions or problems that cross disciplinary boundaries. In some contexts it is used synonymously with multidisciplinary, though usage varies by region and author.

In practice, pluridisciplinary projects assemble teams from several disciplines and coordinate contributions, while often maintaining some degree of disciplinary integrity. Some writers use pluridisciplinary to emphasize breadth and the inclusion of diverse perspectives rather than deep methodological integration. Others distinguish it from interdisciplinary work, which tends to integrate methods and theories more closely, or from transdisciplinary work, which seeks to transcend traditional disciplines to create a new, shared framework.

Etymologically, the term derives from the prefix pluri- meaning many, and is found in various European languages (for example, the hyphenated form pluri-disciplinary). In English-language scholarship, however, pluridisciplinary is less common than multidisciplinary or interdisciplinary, and it can be interpreted variably. Critics note that the term can be ambiguous or redundant, and prefer more specific classifications that clarify the level of integration or collaboration.

In education and research, pluridisciplinary arrangements are used to design curricula, research programs, or projects that bring together experts from multiple fields to tackle complex issues such as urban sustainability, health policy, or technological innovation.