Interdisciplinary education as a foundation for value-based societal development
DOI:
https://doi.org/0.65222/VIRAL.2026.1.5.25Keywords:
Abstract
This article presents the results of a research project conducted in Romania that investigates the role of interdisciplinary education in shaping value-based competencies among students in higher education. The study aims to demonstrate how educational practices that integrate ethical reflection and civic engagement across multiple academic domains contribute to forming responsible, empathetic, and socially active professionals. The research involved 427 students from five academic fields - education, medicine, economics, law, and public administration - selected from four major Romanian universities. The methodology employed a convergent mixed-methods design that combined quantitative data (collected through standardized questionnaires measuring ethical sensitivity, civic attitudes, and prosocial tendencies) with qualitative insights gathered through focus group interviews and reflective essays.
Quantitative analysis revealed statistically significant differences between students exposed to interdisciplinary curricula and those trained in traditional, mono-disciplinary programs. Participants who engaged with interdisciplinary content showed higher levels of ethical reasoning, tolerance, and civic responsibility. Qualitative findings further illustrated the students’ capacity to identify value-laden dilemmas in professional scenarios and to articulate ethical solutions grounded in democratic and humanistic principles. Students from faculties of education and public administration demonstrated the strongest alignment with civic values, while those in medicine and economics reported the highest impact when ethical issues were integrated into case-based learning.
The study also identified several institutional and curricular barriers that hinder the systematic implementation of value-based education in Romanian universities. Among these were insufficient collaboration between faculties, limited training for academic staff in ethics education, and the lack of national frameworks supporting interdisciplinary and ethical integration. However, the research also documented innovative practices at faculty level, including interdisciplinary modules, ethics workshops, and partnerships with civil society organizations.
The article argues that interdisciplinary education - when strategically embedded into university curricula - enhances students’ readiness to address complex moral challenges in their future professions. It further contends that value-based learning must become a core dimension of educational reform in Romania, especially in a context marked by social fragmentation, institutional distrust, and increasing pressure for ethical accountability in all sectors. The authors conclude with concrete recommendations for academic leaders, curriculum developers, and policymakers to institutionalize value-based approaches in higher education. These include the development of national guidelines for interdisciplinary ethics education, incentives for inter-faculty collaboration, and investment in training programs for educators on how to facilitate moral reasoning and civic dialogue in the classroom.
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