Problems framed as societal challenges have provided fresh impetus for transdisciplinary research. In response, funders have started programmes aimed at increasing transdisciplinary research capacity. However, current programme evaluations do not adequately measure the skills and characteristics of individuals and collectives doing this research. Addressing this gap, we propose a systematic framework for evaluating transdisciplinary research based on the Capability Approach, a set of concepts designed to assess practices, institutions, and people based on public values. The framework is operationalized through a mixed-method procedure which evaluates capabilities as they are valued and experienced by researchers themselves. The procedure is tested on a portfolio of ‘pump-priming’ research projects in the UK. We find these projects are sites of capability development in three ways: through convening cognitive capabilities required for academic practice; cultivating informal tacit capabilities; and maintaining often unacknowledged backstage capabilities over durations that extend beyond the lifetime of individual projects. Directing greater attention to these different modes of capability development in transdisciplinary research programmes may be useful formatively in identifying areas for ongoing project support, and also in steering research system capacity towards societal needs.

中文翻译：

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跨学科研究能力

以社会挑战为框架的问题为跨学科研究提供了新的动力。作为回应，资助者启动了旨在提高跨学科研究能力的项目。然而，目前的项目评估并没有充分衡量进行这项研究的个人和集体的技能和特征。针对这一差距，我们提出了一个基于能力方法评估跨学科研究的系统框架，能力方法是一组旨在根据公共价值观评估实践、机构和人员的概念。该框架通过混合方法程序进行操作，该程序评估研究人员自己重视和体验的能力。该程序在英国的“泵启动”研究项目组合中进行了测试。我们发现这些项目是通过三种方式发展能力的场所：通过召集学术实践所需的认知能力；培养非正式的默会能力；并在超出单个项目生命周期的持续时间内保持通常未被承认的后台功能。在跨学科研究计划中更多地关注这些不同的能力发展模式可能有助于形成性地确定正在进行的项目支持的领域，以及引导研究系统的能力满足社会需求。并在超出单个项目生命周期的持续时间内保持通常未被承认的后台功能。在跨学科研究计划中更多地关注这些不同的能力发展模式可能有助于形成性地确定正在进行的项目支持的领域，以及引导研究系统的能力满足社会需求。并在超出单个项目生命周期的持续时间内保持通常未被承认的后台功能。在跨学科研究计划中更多地关注这些不同的能力发展模式可能有助于形成性地确定正在进行的项目支持的领域，以及引导研究系统的能力满足社会需求。