Interdisciplinarity In Technology Assessment

Technology Assessment processes can be taken as a paradigm for interdisciplinary research. It is expected that interdisciplinary Technology Assessment is able to find solutions for actual sociopolitical problems that go beyond those expectable from one individual scientific discipline alone. The common notion that for tasks like this different disciplinary perspectives should be brought together confronts the fact that there is no common notion on how interdisciplinary research should be done. In the present volume of the series "Wissenschaftsethik und Technikfolgenbeurteilung" European experts of Technology Assessment present their perspectives on interdisciplinary research. They focus on methodology, policy consulting, and participation of stakeholders, laypersons and citizens or present concrete case studies concerning climate change and health care. Each contribution is commented by an other scientist. The result is a discussion-like examination of the connection between interdisciplinarity and the main subjects of Technology Assessment. This makes the book worth reading not only for experts in interdisciplinary research and policy consulting, but also for those who are interested in the ongoing discussion about methodology in European Technology Assessment.

Interdisciplinarity has seemingly become a paradigm for modern and meaningful research. Clearly, the interdisciplinary modus of deliberation enables to unfold relevant but quite different disciplinary perspectives to the reflection of broader scientific questions or societal problems. However, whether the comprehensive results of interdisciplinary reflection prove to be valid or to be acceptable in trans-disciplinary terms depends upon certain preconditions, which have to be fulfilled for securing scientific quality and social trust in advisory contexts. The present book is written by experts and practitioners of interdisciplinary research and policy advice. It analyses topical and methodological approaches towards interdisciplinarity, starting with the current role of scientific research in society. The volume continues with contributions to the issues of knowledge and acting and to trans-disciplinary deliberation. The final conclusions address the scientific system as substantial actor itself as well as the relevant research and education politics.

Representing the first book on the topic, this work offers the reader an introduction to the Japanese systems for health technology assessment (HTA) officially introduced by the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare (MHLW) in 2016. Policy and guidelines are discussed, with the relevant methods and conditions of cost-effectiveness analysis explained alongside. Numerous instructive examples and exercises, ranging from basic to advanced, impart valuable knowledge and insight on the quantitative methods for economic evaluation, which will appeal to both beginners and experts. This guidebook is authored by Japan’s foremost expert in HTA and pharmacoeconomics, with a view to strengthening the reader’s expertise in value-based healthcare and decision-making. The methods presented are essential to informing regulatory, local and patient decisions; as such, the book is equally recommended to industry and government, as well as academia, and anyone with an interest in Japanese HTA.

Today's university lecturers are faced with the challenge of educating students to see beyond the limits of their own discipline and to come up with innovative solutions to societal challenges. Many lecturers would like to put more emphasis on teaching students how to integrate diverse forms of knowledge, work together in teams, critically reflect and become self-regulated learners. These lecturers are breaking down the silos of scientific disciplines as well as the barriers between academia and society and responding to the changing role of universities in society. Just as teaching and learning are ready for change, so is assessment. In this book, we call for an assessment strategy with a greater emphasis on assessment for and assessment as learning, with a focus on giving powerful feedback and the use of authentic assessment tasks as well as alignment with the intended learning outcomes and your pedagogical beliefs. If you are looking for ways to assess integration, collaboration, reflection, and critical thinking rather than only assessing the acquisition of knowledge, the examples in this handbook are inspiring initiatives that can point you to new directions in assessment.

Europe is facing a paradox: while governments try to curb public spending, the demands on our healthcare systems continue to rise. The use of smart technologies and innovation can help to address the challenges faced by healthcare systems today, such as an ageing population, a shortage of healthcare professionals and restrictions on financial resources. But despite increasing evidence of the benefits technology can bring, the healthcare sector has been slow to embrace the digital revolution, and has stuck to more traditional methods and models. This book presents selected contributions to the symposium on Personal Health Monitoring (PHM) and Ethics and future areas of PHM, which took place in advance of the 11th World Congress of Bioethics, held in Rotterdam, the Netherlands, in June 2012. Most of the papers present the outcomes of the European PHM-Ethics project, which conducted interdisciplinary analyses of emerging PHM applications. Additional invited contributions deal with important issues related to the project’s primary objectives and outcomes. The project is strongly associated with the new e-Health Action Plan, launched by the European Commission in December 2012, which is designed to bring the benefits of digital solutions into healthcare systems. The book covers a broad spectrum, ranging from the technical setup of PHM systems to ethical issues raised by PHM applications, and will be of interest to all those concerned with improving the provision of healthcare worldwide.

This book presents an overview of interdisciplinarity linked to the application of the life cycle analysis tool. Also, through this environmental approach, it is possible to direct the practical transition of the development of production systems. Therefore, the dissemination of studies involving this tool is essential to understand the criteria and indicators of sustainability.Divided into seven parts, the book provides the reader with a general contextualization of the life cycle assessment tool and its application guidelines. It also presents studies involving scenarios agronomic, agricultural, energy, and emerging, as well as chemical industrial processes in order to exemplify and disseminate its huge scope of application.Finally, this book provides an expanded view for students, researchers, and professionals in the environmental field, who are interested in improving the sustainable performance of the most diverse agro-industrial segments.